In most of the churches I've talked to, and in most of the Sunday School curriculum choices out there, there has been a WEEKLY memory verse for each child, but that verse is different if you are a three year old, compared to being a fourth grader. And if you also have a Wednesday night program, like Awana, GA's, RA's, Pioneer Club, or TEAMkid, you probably have additional memory verses (again, different verses for each age level). Not to mention if your children attend Christian school! More verses!
Wouldn't it be amazing if we all could memorize 3-5 verses every week! And wouldn't it be even more amazing if we could RETAIN those verses and KEEP them in our hearts and minds ?? But since I can barely remember where my phone is, or why I walked into the kitchen a few minutes ago, I realize that isn't very practical. Between soccer, gymnastics, violin, swim practice and homework, parents are not able to help their children spend 30-45 minutes per day working on memory verses.
My heart longed for a better way and kept dreaming of an integrated approach that was actually ACHIEVABLE. Most of all my heart longed for an approach that parents could get behind, support and participate in!
After wrestling with this idea for YEARS, my team and I at First Presbyterian Bakersfield finally made it happen. We decided to simplify Scripture memory for our families and organize it in the following way:
1. All children age 3 - 6th Grade memorize the SAME VERSE at the SAME TIME.
2. Children age 3 - Kinder receive a portion of the verse, but many of them memorize the whole thing.
3. Sunday morning and Wednesday night use the SAME VERSE to help create SUCCESS. Some of our kids come only on Sundays, some of our kids come only on Wednesdays, and some of our kids come both. We needed something that would create success!
4. Each memory verse lasts ALL MONTH. We review it over and over and over during that month! We sing it, act it out, discuss it, explain it, chant it, etc.
5. We make our own posters (for the classrooms) and take home items (called Table Toppers) to reinforce each verse, each month.6. One key to success: we find MUSIC to match each verse 90% of the time. We've used
*JumpStart3
*Seeds Family Worship
*Mary Rice Hopkins
*Steve Green
*Rob Biagi
and more.Since parents play the music at home and in their cars, we are finding that whole families are learning these precious words of God!
7. And finally... review, review, review. Kids love rewards and stickers, so we often take the time to go back and review all the verses for that year. When you build that in to your program time, and make it fun (I'm talking Pizza Party fun!) kids don't even realize they are working hard at hiding God's word in their hearts and minds!
What secrets have you discovered to make Scripture memory successful for the kids at YOUR CHURCH? I'd love to hear them!
