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Getting to Know You: New to Memverse?

Time Posted on February 05, 2011 User Phil Walker Comment 146 comments

Have you recently joined memverse?  We would love to hear from you.  What led you to memverse?  What are you currently memorizing?  What do you want to memorize in the future?  Do you have any memorizing tips or Scripture testimony or insights to share with us?  Are you in a memorizing group offline in addition to this online tool?

Speaking of groups, I would also love to hear from new groups on memverse.  Does anyone have an all-church Scripture memory program going?  How did your group get started?  Do you have additional goals other than just memorizing together?  Is your group open for others to join?

If you have been on memverse a while and have not yet had a chance to introduce yourself and/or your group, we would love to hear from and encourage you as well. 


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Getting to Know You: What's Your Favorite Bible Verse

Time Posted on January 30, 2011 User Dakota Lynch Comment 23 comments

I don’t know about you, but this is a question I always have a difficult time answering. It seems God is constantly revealing to me the hidden treasures of His Word through the most unlikely verses, and so it’s not uncommon for my favorite Scripture to change on a monthly, or sometimes even a weekly, basis. With that said, rather than trying to pin down one verse and calling it my favorite, I want to give you a list of four verses that have proven especially influential in my own life.

“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:”

                           -Deuteronomy 7:7

While this verse doesn’t necessarily answer the question “Why me?” that we so often ask ourselves, it does clear up any misconception that it was because we were something special. In Israel’s case, they were not chosen because they had impressed God or because they were a great multitude of people; in our case, it wasn’t because we had earned God’s favor or because we had anything great to offer Him. It is for this reason that Paul wrote, “…by grace are ye saved.” (Ephesians 2:8)

“Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.”

                  -Psalm 10:14

Most of you don’t know this about me, but I come from a broken home. About three years ago my life was turned upside down, and yet this is a verse that brought comfort to me countless times when nothing else could. Whether you are without a father, a mother, a healer, or a friend, know today that God can be whatever it is you have need of (Philippians 4:19). He can be your helper in a way that nobody else ever could.

“Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.”

                       -Deuteronomy 23:5

It’s amazing to me when I look back over the most difficult times of my life and see how God was able to bring good out of a situation that seemed completely hopeless at the time. I know now that if I hadn’t experienced some of those trials I most likely wouldn’t even been saved today, and perhaps wouldn’t be here at all. God’s love for Israel moved Him to turn their curse into a blessing, and I know that, if you let Him, He’ll do the same for you.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

        -Romans 8:1

This is such a powerful verse, and it has held a special place in my heart for a long time. When I remember the bondage of sin that used to weigh me down and then consider the freedom I now have in Christ, a sense of joy fills my soul that couldn’t possibly be described in a blog post. When the devil, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10), brings up our past sins to the Lord, I can imagine our heavenly Father answering, "Sin? I see no sin when I look on my child. He is without condemnation." Truly, there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. 

So what about you? What Scriptures has God used to encourage, motivate, and uplift you when nothing else seemed to do the trick? Leave a comment and let me know, as I’m sure I’m not the only one who would love to read your story. Whether it’s one verse or even a whole chapter, I always love reading how God speaks to others through verses I myself might have been overlooking.


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Getting to Know You: How do you Memorize?

Time Posted on November 24, 2010 User River La Belle Comment 50 comments

What is your technique for memorizing God's Word? I do not think that I'm wrong in saying that the main function of Memverse is the review, not the memorizing ... So how do you memorize Scripture off-line?


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Getting to Know You: When and Why Did You Start Memorizing Scripture?

Time Posted on November 11, 2010 User Dakota Lynch Comment 22 comments

My journey of Scripture memorization started a couple years ago when I read the book "A Call to Die" by David Nasser. This 40 day devotional showed me the importance of memorizing Scripture and challenged me to memorize a couple of verses each week for 40 days. At that point in time, I memorized primarily because I knew I should. It didn't have anything to do with the joy of having it in my heart, because the joy doesn't always come when you are first starting out.

Anyway, I continued memorizing about 6 verses per month for quite some time before meeting some more Scripture enthusiasts (one of them being Phil Walker) who were obviously very passionate about the Word of God. This meeting couldn't have come at a better time, because my own interest in Scripture memory had already begun to grow, due to my personal realization of just how valuable it is to have the Bible in our hearts and minds. Through their words of encouragement, I left with twice the zeal I'd had before and joined MemVerse in a matter of a few days at their advice. Seven months later, I'm still here and plan to stick around as long as I continue to memorize the Bible (i.e. forever!).

So, what's your story? How long have you been memorizing, and what prompted you to start?


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Getting to Know You: What are you working on?

Time Posted on September 15, 2010 User River La Belle Comment 25 comments

The intended mission for this post is to create a place where everyone can encourage one another by sharing what large-(or small)-scale memorization projects they are currently working on. This post is obviously very small, so let's make up for it in comments!!


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Getting to Know You: Identify Your Church/Group

Time Posted on September 06, 2010 User Phil Walker Comment 36 comments

I want to congratulate IBLP for joining the Church Leaderboard at an impressive 15th place, and then even more impressively jumping up to 8th place.  I am curious.  What does IBLP stand for?  Actually, I am curious about more than IBLP.  This is a blog for everyone to tell us a little about your group.  Are you a local church?  If so, how did Scripture memory get started in your church?  Are others memorizing who are not on memverse?  Are you a group of friends memorizing together in obedience to HEBREWS 10:24-25?  Are you a rare Christian school that values Scripture memory?  Are you a ministry or Scripture memory initiative others might want to join?  Tell us about yourself.  I love the global online aspect of memverse where I can be encouraged to see others memorizing the same verses I am and be inspired by individuals and groups all around the world.  However, nothing beats the value of face to face Scripture memory encouragement offline.  If you are not in a face to face Scripture memory group may I encourage you to pray about starting one in your church, school, college, work place, neighborhood, etc.  May we continue to encourage and inspire each other and spread the word to others that all believers may be passionate about getting to know the true Biblical God through His Word. (on or off memverse)  Speaking of congratulations, I would be amiss not to pass on heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS to the National Bible Bee for taking over top spot, and to Hyde Park Baptist Church for their steady rise to 5th place. 


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Getting to Know You: Favorite Part of Memverse

Time Posted on August 03, 2010 User Phil Walker Comment 29 comments

We just sent out our 3rd newsletter with an emphases of inviting people who have tried memverse in the past to consider continuing to use it in the future.  I got curious.  What about the people already hooked on memverse.  What in particular do you like most about memverse?  I think my favorite part is all the inspiration and encouragement for churches and other groups to memorize together.  (The group I would most like to see popping up on the leaderboard is Christian colleges.)  A related close 2nd would be the instant encouragement and inspiration I get seeing friends and strangers memorize Scripture on "Recently on Memverse"  What about you? 


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Getting to Know You: Introduce Yourself

Time Posted on April 11, 2010 User Phil Walker Comment 73 comments

Hi.  My name is Phil Walker.  I teach math and Bible and coach basketball, volleyball, and Bible Bowl at Hannibal Christian Academy in Hannibal, MO.  For the past 20 years my main passion and life calling has been Scripture memory: discovering, interacting with, and learning to trust, love, obey,serve, and worship the true Biblical God through His Word; and encouraging, inspiring and equipping others to do the same.  Scripture memory venues I use, endorse, and praise God for include: MEMVERSE, the National Bible Bee, listening to the Scripture on cd, Bible Bowl, Bible quizzing, the annual Scriptorium in Hannibal, MO, Scripture songs (Thy Word Creations, GT and the Halo Express, NIV Kid's club, Pilgrim songs, etc.), Scripture Memory Fellowship (formerly Bible Memory Association), Dramatic Scripture presenters like Marquis Laughlin (Acts of the Word), and Quiz Pro.

I send out a daily devotional email based on a key verse of every chapter of the New Testament, and a "less than daily" devotional based on every chapter of the Old Testament.  The most common theme of these devotionals is using Scripture to challenge today's "Trivial Gospel" (which has no need of, or interest in Scripture memory).  I would be glad to add anyone on to the list whose email inbox is not already overflowing.  I have written 3 Biblical dramas that are on youtube:  Sermon on the Mount (2006)  www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NkVvmbo-ho    Jesus-Masterful Teacher (2008) www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EUrqo6U2Uc  and Job: Suffering Servant of God (2009) www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J4qGFimTWo   (There is purposely no copyright on any of these plays, so you may use them and even change them to meet your needs however you wish.  The Sermon on the Mount in particular has a lot of scenes that can be used as stand alone skits).  I had the opportunity to speak at a Geneva College chapel Sept 12th, 2007 on the "Outrageous Claims of the Bible" www.geneva.edu/object/chapel_audio_07_08.html   I would love your feedback to any of these thoughts in the plays or the chapel message.

When GALATIANS 2:20, which I had memorized in high school at Faith Academy in the Philippines came back to me 7 years later (the summer after my first year teaching in a Christian school) to lead me to put a saving faith in Jesus Christ, I instantly had a passion to discover what else God had to say in His incredible Word.  I was also excited to share in this pursuit with other Christians who were also excited about getting to know God better and better through His Word.  However, many times it seemed like no one else was interested.  Andy had not yet made Memverse, and it was a strange feeling to wonder if I was the only one who actually believed the Bible was worth memorizing.  Since then God has brought many others into my life. 

I hope we can use memverse to its fullest potential as we inspire, encourage, and equip each other in our pursuit of knowing and trusting our true, Biblical God.  I would be glad to interact with any of you for mutual encouragement in Scripture memory.  My email is philjohn1558@yahoo.com.  My phone # is (573)822-4015 and my currently mostly dead web site is www.scripture-memory-support.org.  We can also interact all together through the memverse Facebook group   http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=261110551457&ref=ts  My biggest current burden is the lack of Scripture memory in Christian schools and especially on college campuses.  I know I am biased, but I believe EVERY Christian college and EVERY Christian outreach/discipleship group on secular colleges should inspire, encourage, equip, and expect professing Christian students to memorize Scripture.  Now, it seems almost non-existent in the face of today's Trivial Gospel and obsession with changing the message to attract our post modern world.  I would love for you to join me in praying for a revival of spiritual truth, and I would love to hear from anyone involved in Scripture memory in our schools and colleges 

I often wonder who these other people and groups are on memverse.  What other exciting Scripture memory is going on around the world?  I invite you to introduce yourself, let us know what you are memorizing, why you are memorizing, and anything else that could edify, inspire and encourage a group of Scripture enthusiasts.


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