A Bible Memory Program That Works

Source: Daryl Dale, Spiritual Formation Ministries

Bible Memory - Rev. Daryl Dale of Spiritual Formation Ministries conducted research and demonstrated that in spite of valiant effort on the part of children’s ministry teachers and leaders, that few children retain more than 5 or 6 Bible verses by memory into adolescent years. Further, most adults fare no better than this record and most of the verses they know by memory were learned as a child.

Rev. Dale has proposed and there is current study to indicate significant success in his Bible memory approach. If children are given fewer verses to learn each year and in his Bible memory verse program includes regular ongoing review of previous verses learned, by the time a child completes 6th grade he or she will have committed 56 verses to memory for life.

Rev. Dale’s system begins at age 4 with only four verses, appropriate to children that age, with only four more added during age 5 or kindergarten. Each quarter all previous quarter verses are reviewed as well ads the new verse for the quarter added. From first through 6th grade children are the only given eight additional verses each year, always with review of previous verses learned.

By sixth grade children in this Bible memory program have fully master memorization of 56 verses.

Rev. Dale suggests that verses are selected which support and reinforce the 12 areas of spiritual development for children; Bible knowledge, worship, Salvation, missions, church life, devotional life, prayer, Christian service, outreach, missions, Bible memory, stewardship.

When teaching memory verses to children, be sure to select verses that have the desired meaning to teach the intended biblical principle or truth. For unsaved children, use verses that clearly explain God’s Plan of Salvation and then use the Bible memory activity to teach this to the children as they learn the verse.

Bible Memorization Activities:

• Walk the Verse: Make a template of a large footprint out of construction paper then make several copies. Write one word of the verse on each footprint and place these in a circle. Use a small piece of rolled masking tape to stick the footprint to the floor or carpet. Have the children “walk the verse” repeating each word as they walk the Bible verse circle.
• Bible Memory In Color: Call on children to say the verse by an article of clothing color. Example, “Someone who is wearing anything with red can say the verse.”
• Bible Verse Scramble: Place the words of the verse on various construction paper rectangles. Place these face down. On signal, have the player or players turn all cards over and put the verse in the correct order.
• Clothesline Bible Verse Scramble: Place each word of the verse on a piece of index stock paper cut to the shape of clothing articles. String a closes line or have two children hold the clothesline and using spring clothespins, attach the verse in scrambled order on the line. On the signal have the player or team unscramble the verse.
• All In a Line Bible Verse Scramble: Have the number of children stand in a line, as there are words in the verse. Give each child one card to hold that has one word of the verse printed on with the words facing towards them On signal have the children turn the cards around and have the player or team move the cards to put the verse in the correct order.
• Kazoo Band Bible Verse Songs: Use a recorded song (there are many) and have the children sing their scripture verse, or, make up your own song to go along with the verse and form a kazoo band. Have the band play (hum) the tune while the children say the verse.
• Sound Effects Bible Verse: Have children developed a sound effect for each word in the verse. Use drums, tambourines, whistles, a small horn, etc. Have children play one sound effect for each word. Prerecorded sound effects can also be used that might include crashing sounds, thunder, etc.