Category Archives: Scripture Memory

Games, activities, and learning situations to help youth memorise scripture.

Memorizing the Ten Commandments

I am not sure where this originated from, but someone taught me this as an easy way to remember the ten commandments. As far as I know this only works for the KJV of the text….

OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

Say the sentence together several times and then go through each commandent associated with the memory key. Each time you add a commandment repeat the key sentence again.

O – Other – “Thou shalt have none other gods before me”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

G – Graven – “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

N – Name – “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

S – Sabbath – “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

H – Honor – “Honor thy father and thy mother.”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

K – Kill – “Thou shalt not kill.
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

A – Adultery – “Thou shalt not commit adultery
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

S – Steal – “Thou shalt not steal
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

W – Witness – “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS

C – Covet – “Thou shalt not covet…”
OUR GOD NOW SHOWS HIS KIDS ABOUT SIN WITH COMMANDMENTS


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Special Treasure

Materials
* 7 brown paper lunch bags per every group of 7 (or less) children
(Note: If you have 20 children you would need 21 bags etc.) You can vary the number of bags if you want larger or smaller groups.
* twine or string (20cm piece for each bag)
* 1 large marble for every child (alternatively use another treat for each child)
* Memory Verse
* Bible for each group

Preparation
1. On the outside of each of the 7 lunch bags write one/seventh of the words from the memory verse.
2. Put 1 of the large marbles in each of the bags and fill them the rest of the way up with paper to give them a filled out look.
3. Tie all the bags at the neck using the twine. To make it easier to identify each group, use a different colored twine/ yarn for each set.

Do this same procedure for every 7 bags that you are using. Lay all groups of 7 bags at the front of the room on the floor in separate piles.

Activity
1. Divide into small groups with 7 children to a group. If there are less than 7 in a group, children may have additional turns to get all seven bags.
2. Line the children up in vertical rows, relay style.
3. Demonstrate how to find the Memory verse in your Bible.
4. Provide the first child in each row with a Bible. When you give the signal, the first child in each row is to look up the text of the memory verse and read it.
5. After finished reading it, they then CLOSE THE BIBLE and pass it to the child behind them and proceed to run to the front and grab a bag. It does not matter which bag they grab.
6. The second child may not go get a bag until they have read the text of the memory verse and the first child has returned with a bag. They then close the Bible, pass it down the line and go for their bag.
7. When all bags have been brought back to the team, they must set them up in the correct order WITHOUT USING THE BIBLE so the verse can be read.
8. When everyone on the team can repeat the verse, they may open the bags with the treasure.

Application
God’s Word is a treasure that we can hide in our hearts. Have each child takes a marble home to help them remember that everyone in the early church studied God’s word together.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Hangman

Preparation
Use the words of your memory verse to create a hangman style puzzle. Draw a line for each letter, separating words in the phrase by spaces. Include punctuation.

Activity
Invite students to take turns selecting letters that might fit in the phrase. If a letter is correctly chosen, write it into every blank where it belongs. If the letter chosen does not appear in the phrase, write the letter out to the side and add one item to the hangman (i.e. Draw the head, body, arms, hands, legs, feet, eyes, nose, mouth, as per normal hangman) A person may only attempt to identify the phrase after he/she has correctly guessed a letter. If the phrase is guessed incorrectly, that person automatically loses.
Example
VERSE: “Abba Father” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet, not what I will, but what you will.” [Mark 14:36] (Replace the hyphen in the example with spaces)

“_ _ _ _ – _ _ _ _ _ _”-_ _-_ _ _ _,-“_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-
_ _-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _.-_ _ _ _-_ _ _ _-_ _ _-
_ _ _ _-_ _.-_ _ _,-_ _ _-_ _ _ _-_-_ _ _ _,- _ _ _-
_ _ _ _-_ _ _-_ _ _ _.”

Variations
1. Instead of using the entire verse, use short key phrases from your scripture passage and have several puzzles.
2. Divide the class into two teams and play a version of “wheel of fortune” to guess the phrases. Make a spinner from a paper plate.
3. Instead of using a hangman, use a man on a cross”hangman=man hanging on the cross”, use the normal parts of the hangman, but add the two beams of the cross.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Name the Books!

Materials
None

Activity
Divide the class into two teams. The teams will have to name the books of the Bible in order without looking. Ask the first team the first book. They get 1 point if they name “Genesis” The second team must then name the next book “Exodus.” Alternate between teams. Set a time limit for the response (10 seconds?) You may allow the whole team to answer or line each team up and go down the row asking individuals to answer without help. If an answer is missed or not given within the time limit allow the other team to answer. If both miss, announce the book and continue on. The team with the most points could be awarded Bible Bookmarks.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Scripture Scramble

Materials
On 3×5 index cards write a scripture verse. Arrange the words on the cards so that each word of the scripture verse is represented. Depending on the size of the expected group you can place one or more words on each card. Include all capitalization and punctuation as this will help the group in reconstructing the scripture verse.

Activity
Have the group arrange themselves in order to re-create the scripture verse. Once they have arranged themselves, have the group “read” the verse by each person speaking the word(s) in succession. This will serve as an accuracy check for the group and give each person a chance to speak in front of the group. The leader can choose to provide hints or not.

Variations
Include more than one scripture verse but use different colored index cards to differentiate them. You can use this to divide a group into teams by using one scripture verse for each team. (Be sure to use the same number of cards for each scripture) Instead of colored cards you can include the scripture reference in the corner of the card so that those who have the same scripture can easily get together. If you want to prevent them from easily looking up the verse just include the reference to chapter and verse and not the book.

Variations
Instead of scripture verses, use famous quotes by famous people.

Debrief
By not offering hints and looking upon this exercise as an initiative, the leader(s) will receive some insights about the dynamics of the group (who are the people who exert some leadership, whose involved and who is not, how well are people communicating, how “at-ease” people feel, and of course who knows their scriptures.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…