I have been using the scripture memory box system from SCM. We love it and it has helped us to learn many verses. My concern is that I’ve been reading a few CM blogs that have made mention that a verse may be seen as out of context and they mention that one should memorize a whole Psalm (as an example of the difference between the two…even a parable). It makes sense to me but thought maybe I need another persepective if that many more people memorize verses. Can someone explain the why behind doing etiher way?
We do both. We memorize verses and passages and I think both are very beneficial. I’m not sure it need be an either or thing. Hiding the word in your heart can only be a blessing. It need not be out of context either if you read through a passage and choose a section to memorize. Blessings, Christie
We have been using the scripture memory box system as well (for about the last 6 months) and have been memorizing both passages and isolated verses. The passages have that context and flow that are so helpful, and the isolated verses can tackle some of those areas where our family thinking especially needs training or areas where we need the comfort of that particular verse. And then when we get to the context of the full passage in our family Bible reading or personal devotions, it’s that much more meaningful!
I am another whose family does both (and for all of the reasons mentioned above!). Just as an encouragement, we had been doing very short passages at most up to last year. We then decided that one of our goals would be to memorize all of I Cor 13 (with 15 and 9 year olds). We added a verse a day (most days, some we just reviewed up to what we had learned) and before you knew it, they had the whole thing committed to memory – even the 9 year old! All this to say that I was encouraged that memorizing long passages of scripture can be successful for even the younger people at the table. And they really enjoyed it! 🙂
We also do both short verses and longer passages, and I try to provide the background information for the verse on the first day we begin with the memorization.
Because the Catholic Church has a schedule of the readings for each weekend, I am able to pick verses or passage that we will hear Sunday at mass, and that is a big help with providing context (and further explanation because the passage is likely to be talked about in the priest’s homily). It’s become our “thing” at mass – when the memory verse comes up the kids wink at me or give me a smile or a high-five. When my younger ones were toddlers they would say (usually in a loud voice), “We know this one, Momma!”
The Church’s reading cycle is three years, and we’ve been doing memory verses for two years, so next year at this time the kids will know at least one passage each Sunday!
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