Last March when Mark and I visited Wears Valley Ranch on the World Orphans Staff retreat we were totally blown away by the scripture passages these kids had learned. We’re talking 6, 7 and 8 year olds who can recite multiple CHAPTERS of the Bible perfectly!
We realized right then and there that our kids were capable of so much more than we had been asking of them. They have a weekly memory verse for school but this summer we decided to kick it into high gear.
Each week they will have a new passage of scripture to learn. We kicked around the idea of making it a whole chapter but we felt that individual passages allowed us more freedom to hit on lots of different topics.
We broke out the plan last Tuesday (a day late) with Romans 12: 1-3.
“THREE verses? I can’t learn 3 verses!” was heard from multiple children.
We gave them some encouragement and sent them off with their sheet of paper for 30 minutes of study time. The boys knew it by the end of the 30 minutes. The loudest naysayer had half of it done.
So we have 30 minutes of study time each day. Each night before dinner each kid says it once (or as much as they know at that point) and on Friday before dinner they get the test.
Of course they wanted to know “What happens if we don’t know it?” Why is it that we always want to know the consequences of disobedience BEFORE we decide whether or not we’ll obey? (Yeah, that’s a whole ‘nother post worth of discussion.)
Of course they did brilliantly the first week. Here’s the video of them saying it all together after their test.
Oh yeah, and lest it be in one ear and out the other, they’ll be expected to recite the previous weeks verses each Friday as well…and during random pop quiz times 🙂
They did a great job! It’s a great plan you have.
They did great! I thought about the same thing for the summer…memory verses! I think what I am going to do is use my class I am taking at church, “A Walk through the Old Testament” as a way to decide what stories we read and to find verses that we can memorize.
My daughter’s kindergarten graduation was today and the whole class recited Psalm 23. They are more than capable.
Love your blog…just stumbled upon it yesterday. MAybe through KLove or something? Can’t remember how.
Anyway, thanks. (O:
Julie,
We have been memorizing lots of scripture in our home too. We learned 12 really good ones last Fall, some of them more substantial than others. But each week they had to retain the previous. This spring they have learned another 10, but still retaining the previous 12. Some of the ones this spring have been continuations of the passage from last fall to know a longer verse. I can send you our lists if you want. It is amazing how we hear at least one verse in every sermon we have had heard at church and elsewhere. Most of our success has been with joining with 2 other families and meet on Wednesday nights to recite before we have a Bible study for them. I have had the hardest time with Chloe (just turned 5)I found the answer last week when before watching any TV or movie in van she had to learn it and then recite EACH time before it could be turned on. She can now say Ephesians 2:8-10 perfectly-3 verses!! We took the kids out last night to Chuck E Cheese for a celebration party since they have earned tickets each week for the verses they have learned! Us adults have learned them as well and have found that the accountability helps with the other families.
Wonderful!!!
Julie, I say use your phrase as a teacher!!!
When a student asks “what will happen if I don’t do this or that”. I say… well it never occurred to me that you thought it was a choice. Now that you have brought that to my attention I will have to determine a consequence. I will let you know the day it is due.