Always have a verse in your pocket, on your phone, etc. Think about how much free time you have throughout the day to memorize a verse or two. Waiting at a traffic light. Standing in a line. Walking between meetings. Sitting at a lunch table. Taking a break in the bathroom (seriously…). Use your time productively by focusing on the Word.

A few months ago, I posted on this site a series of reasons to memorize the Word. As leaders in God’s church, we should model scripture memorization for believers. More than that, we need to hide God’s Word in our heart so we don’t sin against Him (Psa 119:9-11). If you don’t already memorize the Scriptures, here are some simple steps to get started.

1. 1. Decide that scripture memorization matters. It does, not only because we need to know His Word intimately, but also because the day may come when we no longer have free access to the Word. If your ministry were ever limited to the Bible verses you have already stored in your mind, how strong would your ministry be?
   2. Tell somebody about your commitment. Tell your spouse. Let your children know. Inform your pastor or staff. If others who matter to you know what you’re doing, you will fight harder to reach your goal. By the way, your school-age children make great accountability partners for scripture memorization. They’ll always ask about your verses, and they’ll learn them at the same time.
   3. Take advantage of apps and other internet-based resources for memorization. Do a search for “apps for Scripture memorization,” and you’ll find dozens of possibilities. Watch the comments after this post to see particular apps our readers recommend.
   4. Memorize verses from your quiet time study. Some folks choose texts to memorize apart from their personal Bible study; that works, but I’m not convinced it’s the best approach. As you do your Bible study, watch for verses to memorize. You’ll be more inclined to remember the texts if the Lord directed you to them during your time with Him. In fact, I write the verse on one side of an index card (see #8 below), and I then write on the other side the devotional date and overall reading from which the text came.

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