I am old enough to remember rote learning in primary school.  Every morning we’d stand beside our wooden desks and count from 1 to 100.  There was a huge number board propped on the ledge of the blackboard.  Every number was a black tile hooked into place.  Except the 10’s at the end of every row were red.  Our teacher used a long pointer to keep the class reciting in unison.  Our counting had a sing song quality that ended in a crescendo at 100.

Rote learning is a technique that relies on repetition and was used to teach us important foundational knowledge.  It’s how we learned our times tables, too.  And I think it worked.  Despite primary school being a long time ago, the numbers are banked in my long term memory!   Rote learning has been replaced with other techniques these days.  The term rote learning has old fashioned or stern connotations attached to it now.  I prefer to use the expression ‘learn by heart’.

I have been committing more and more Bible Scriptures to memory.  It’s a trend I’m seeing everywhere lately.  The Christian radio station I listen to is promoting a Memory Verse every week as is a big city Church I watch on line.   The Lord is wanting His people to be equipped with the Word of God.  A sword within easy reach.

Because I grew up in Church there are some passages of Scripture that are easy to memorize.  The Lord’s Prayer and the 23^rd Psalm for example.  I’ve added them to my morning devotions.  The challenge is to pray them meaningfully and not just rattle them off.  But memorizing and reciting them is doing me good.  Recently I had a thought about someone who had done something to me and I was about to pronounce judgement when the words ‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’ rose up in me.  I asked the Lord to forgive me and I forgave the person.  And it was all done faster than the time it took to type this.  How much trouble and wasted time did the Lord save me from!

Your word I have hidden in my heart,

That I might not sin against You.

Psalm 119:11

Another portion of Scripture I can recite is from attending Children’s Church.  It’s from Hebrews 12:1b-2.

‘Let us run the race with patience looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

What wonderful verses for us kids to memorize at the start of our life’s marathon.  The entire Children’s Church of 3 to 12 year old’s learned this portion of Scripture by heart over a few weeks.

My point is that learning verses from the Bible is beneficial to our lives.  I read recently it’s like memorizing passwords or important dates.  We memorize them because we use them often and we can’t get along without them.  And that’s why we need to persist in teaching Memory Verses in our Kid’s Churches.

Memory Verse Tips to Remember!

Choose the Right Translation.

The New King James Version is the most popular but it depends on the children you teach.  Is English their second language?  Then you may need a simplified translation or even a paraphrase version.  I know we worry about ‘watering down’ the Word, but we need to trust the Holy Spirit, so let’s play our part in getting the Scriptures into the children’s hearts, and believe He will bring them to a fuller knowledge of the Bible in time.  However, sometimes the rhythmic pattern of the King James Version can’t be beat. The mitre (regularly recurring patterns and accents) can make memorization easier.

Demonstrate the Bible’s Value

I heard of an early years Children’s Church teacher hugging her Bible and planting a kiss on it every story time.  The children she taught started doing it at home.  It amazed the parents no end!   What was she demonstrating?  That she truly loved God’s Word.  This must be how persecuted Christians feel about a torn page of the Bible they have secreted away.  They know its value.  And so do those in power who keep the Bible from them.  We mustn’t forget the lives of Tyndale and Wycliffe.  Those who paid the price for making the Bible available to us.  Including a Memory Verse in your Kid’s Ministry programming shows children you consider the Bible important.

Make Learning the Memory Verse Fun!

I have a folder on my desktop computer that is full of ways I can teach a Memory Verse.  It includes games, puzzles, challenges and competitions.  As someone who enjoys themed programming I can usually find a way to teach the Memory Verse that ties in with the overall ministry aim of the morning.  I include a Memory Verse in every lesson I write and provide a fun way of teaching it to the children, because I want to help and encourage  leaders and volunteers to teach the Scriptures, and not leave that part of the program out because it’s too difficult to come up with an idea.

Teach Your Memory Verse Enthusiastically!

Ask your most dramatic or comedic volunteers to teach the Memory Verse and let them run with it.  Make this segment of your morning something the children look forward rather than something to be endured.  Using characters and competing is always popular.  Remember to tie the Memory Verse back to the Bible Lesson the children have been taught.  That’s why I always put learning the Memory Verse after the teaching.  It also means that no matter how whooped up the children get learning the Memory Verse I don’t have to calm them back down for the story.

Celebrate Success

A reward or sticker system certainly works short term.  Again it depends on your children and location.  If you’re running a Kid’s Ministry in a location with a transient population you may not get the same children attending week after week.  So a reward system means only regulars are ever going to win a prize which can be discouraging for children who have no control over how often they attend.  Handing out lollies as rewards for reciting a Memory Verse isn’t as popular with parents as it once was either.  So make learning the verse its own reward with hearty congratulations from leaders and volunteers and high fives all round.

If I wrote about all the benefits of God’s Word, or if I listed every Scripture that encouraged us, or testified about every victory that came from wielding it or obeying it, I’d be here for a long, long time.  You know this.  You may only have needed a reminder about the value of teaching Memory Verses in your Kid’s Ministry.  Don’t bemoan it.  Don’t begrudge it.  Persevere.  What you’re doing is powerful in the lives of children.  Learning the Word of God by heart will have a long lasting and long reaching effect in their lives.