In our modern age of technological advancements, have we lost the art of memorizing scripture? You might think it's old school, but there's more to it than meets the eye.
As Christians, we find ourselves immersed in Bible apps, digital devotionals, and online sermons. In many church services, the scripture is conveniently placed electronically, or we whip out our devices and with a few taps, find the desired verse.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for technology. In fact, my research shows just how positive its impact can be on spreading the Gospel. According to the 2023 Evangelical Focus Europe annual review, YouVersion, a popular Bible app, saw a massive surge in both downloads and daily usage. Installs increased by over 100 million devices, smashing the previous record of 76 million installs in a single year. And that's not all! Daily Bible use grew by a whopping 20% compared to 2022, meaning around 12 million people were engaging with the Bible every day.
Let me share a unique experience I had a few months ago. I visited a school in a refugee camp located in a predominantly Muslim area where Christians often face persecution. This school is run on Christian principles by a lovely Chinese couple who felt a calling by the Lord to move there from China and serve the local community.
My colleagues and I were invited to be guests at this school, where one of the daily traditions is to start with devotions. The parents from other faiths are fully supportive as their children are getting a better, more affordable education than what they’d find in the local government system.
As we sat at the back of the class, the teachers introduced the second graders. The makeshift service began with them singing a familiar song in Arabic. I instantly recognized it as "If You're Happy and You Know It", a cheerful tune I'd heard countless times growing up.
Then came the scripture reading. I, and the visitors with me, instinctively reached for our devices. The teacher announced it would be five verses from the gospel of John. To our amazement, the children turned towards us and, with one voice, began reciting the verses.
After a brief message, the Chinese principal explained that they have the children memorize five verses from the Gospels weekly. And then the penny dropped: in their communities, owning a Bible can carry great risk. Instead, these memorized verses get embedded deep in the hearts of these little ones, serving as a hidden treasure they can share with their parents at home. This isn’t indoctrination; it’s completely voluntary participation!
The principal explained that from their personal background, scripture memorization is integral to being a part of the church in China.
Inevitably, the question arose: how many verses could I recite in sequence, not randomly? What if a technological virus disrupted a speaking engagement I had, and at the start of the service, everything went down? Could I lead a full worship service, complete with songs, coherently, and would the congregation be able to correct me if I misquoted five or more consecutive verses from memory?
Scripture memorization is a timeless practice that continues to be essential for spiritual growth.
Scripture memorization is not a remnant of the past and technology isn't the enemy. Memorization is a timeless practice that continues to be essential for spiritual growth, and technology can be harnessed to aid in our memorization efforts. There are numerous applications that can transform our memorization process into a more interactive and engaging experience. These tools offer flashcards, quizzes, and spaced repetition techniques, which can help reinforce memory.
By committing scripture to memory, we not only deepen our spiritual connection but also sharpen our minds and strengthen our faith. With the more than 31,000 verses in the Bible, the task might seem daunting at first. Start small, embrace the available technology to help, and choose a few verses that resonate with you and commit to reciting them.
A personal question begs: have we become overfed with the abundant availability of spiritual fast food in the digital landscape? If the answer is yes, perhaps a diet of collective scripture memorization might be much healthier for us.
Stefan van der Berg serves at dia-LOGOS, a team of church consultants, and is a sought-after public speaker, helping churches and organizations develop strategic plans for their missions. He lives in South Africa.
