Scripture Memory Isn’t Only for Children

Scripture Memory Isn’t Only for Children

26 years ago, when John Piper challenged his congregation to memorize the Fighter Verses together, he explained the benefit for young and old:

You may doubt that you can do this, especially if you are older. But ask yourself this question: If I offered you $1,000 for every verse you memorized in the next week, how many do you think you could memorize? Yet God says of his word in Psalm 19:10–11, “They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” The real value of the word is far greater than $1,000 a verse. The question is this: Do you believe it? Believing this will be the crucial motivation you need.

Nor is the task beneath you and only for children. The Lord Jesus memorized Scripture verbatim. We know he did, because when he was fasting in the wilderness there were no libraries or books, and with every temptation of the devil he quoted a passage of Scripture to defeat the devil (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10).

Memorizing verses with other church members provides motivation to memorize. It helps those who may be reluctant and creates momentum as the group makes progress together. Some people memorize quickly, others slowly; some memorize a verse or two, others whole chapters. All who memorize enjoy the blessings of feeding on God’s Word daily.

We want to encourage and support even more churches to memorize Scripture together. That's why we created Fighter Verses Churchwide. Our Churchwide Kit includes everything you need to memorize weekly verses together as a church family including digital verse slides, printable posters, bulletin inserts, a promotional schedule, sample family devotional guide, and information about the Fighter Verses app and weekly devotional blog. 

The Churchwide Kit contains all five of the Fighter Verses sets. Whether you memorize together for one year, two, or all five, we pray your congregation will be strengthened and enriched through the living Word of God.

To paraphrase John Piper, you really can do this:

…When Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, became a Christian in 1926, he was driving a truck for a lumberyard in Los Angeles. While driving, he would work on memorizing a verse a day. During the first three years of his Christian life he memorized his first thousand verses (Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, 40–41). If he can do that, you can do 52 in a year. (Thy Word I Have Treasured in My Heart)

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