Your discipleship group, at one point or another, is going to struggle with Scripture memorization – we all do.
Your members will probably start out strong. They have a blank slate, a fresh start, and a new beginning to something they are excited about. They’ll come in the first couple of weeks with a rock-solid grasp on what you are memorizing together.
But then you’ll notice that it will start to taper. Their schedules fill up. They have unexpected emergencies. Or they simply don’t make time for it.
If this lines up with your experience at all, know that you are
far from alone. Thankfully, you can take steps ahead of time to help group members improve Scripture memorization and avoid these common pitfalls.
Scripture Memorization Tips and Tricks
For every believer, memorizing God’s Word is a foundational spiritual discipline. Both the Old and New Testaments explain the benefits of memorizing Scripture:
- Keeps you from sin (Psalm 119:11)
- Transforms your thinking (Romans 12:2)
- Equips you to share your testimony (1 Peter 3:15)
- Provides direction for your life (Psalm 119:105)
- Produces spiritual growth (Acts 20:32)
- Equips you to fight temptation (Matthew 4:3-4)
However, if you want your group members to memorize Scripture in such a way that it transforms them, it has to be about more than simply checking a box. As you undergo your journey of Scripture memorization, keep a few things in mind:
1. Continually communicate the why before diving into the how.
There are thousands of articles, methods, and processes for memorizing anything, but they all boil down to repetition and practice. Your members (and you) can stay motivated by remembering why we memorize Scripture in the first place.
A helpful way you can instill this practice is by asking questions like, “What is one thing from the passage we memorized this week that stood out to you?”. This will take memorization from a check-box and push it into a life skill with immediate application.
2. Look for progress, not perfection.
We’ve said this before, and you’ll see it again: lead with grace. As you’re leading your group in this journey, don’t be as concerned with by-the-letter perfection on a weekly basis, but look for a positive trajectory. Encourage your members to be better this week than they were last week. Progress is a far better measure of health than perfection.
3. Make a plan.
One of the best ways to ensure your group is staying on track is to plan together. You might have a list of foundational passages of Scripture that you should commit to memory. You might want to commit to memorizing a chapter, or even a book. You might find a list of “toolkit verses” like the
Romans Road or the
Navigators Topical Memory System that you want to tackle together.
Whatever you decide to do, put the plan in place and then work through it together, slowly, week-by-week. And then encourage them every step of the way.
Memorize and Thrive
Memorizing Scripture will absolutely, undoubtedly change your life. As the leader of your discipleship group, keep these tips in mind as you lead your members on this journey into Christlikeness.
We have a number of related resources available to you
online that can help in this journey should you need them. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or concerns, and know that we are praying for you as you help those in your group become disciples who make disciple-makers.
