Celebrate 1,000 Verses

Everyone around the world who can quote 1,000 verses from the Bible are invited to join 7-15+ young Indonesians January 5-8 at a simple, but nice hotel or beach cottage on the world famous surfing Sorake beach in South Nias within walking distance from arguably the 2 most active Bible memorizing schools in the world. (I would love to hear of other Bible memorizing schools around the world)

Those who cannot quote 1,000 verses but who would enjoy a beach retreat meeting and hearing people quote a lot of Scripture and learning first hand about God's Word spreading throughout Indonesia and possibly other countries MAY ALSO ATTEND!!

NEED YOUR HELP: My goal is that everyone in the world who can quote 1,000 verses, or who might want to push themselves to be able to quote 1,000 verses would hear about this opportunity.

Will you help me contact members and almost members of "The Memverse 1,000 Verse club": Milton, Kaitlyn V., Twilah, Josiah, Chelsea, Deborah U, Rosie, Nicole J., Andrew J. Neufeld, Hannah Himes, Leah Jessie, Catleya Redeemed by Christ, Conrad Neufeld, In Solo Christo, Alex Watt, Sony Neufeld, Elaina Garcia, Crystal, Cyanworth, Linda J., Hedgie, Grannyjo, Naomi Nunn, Adopted by Christ, Tami, MarcWMills, Joyce, Stormi, Pammy B, Lynn F, 1 John, Wendy Watts, Katherine Neufeld, Sarah Neufeld, Alisa Simms and let them know about the FREE RETREAT offer described below.

Please also spread the word to Bible Bee, Bible Quizzing, Bible Bowl and Fighter Verses particpants and alumni; old school Navigators; AWANA enthusiasts; Scripture Typer and Memverse friends; Seminaries, Bible schools, and Christian schools who might have professors, teachers or students who would want to attend. Bible loving home school families, missionaries and other Christians overseas who might know of Scripture strongholds in their areas; Bible loving pastors who might want to challenge their congregation and/or be inspired by the Scripture movement in Indonesia,

In the USA, can someone let John Piper, John McArthur, Chuck Swindol, Howard Hendricks, and the 2 Steve Greens (singer and DC Bible Museum) and others I have not heard of with clear testimonies as lovers of the Bible know.

I believe there are 200+ plus people in the USA who with a little prep time, could qualify to quote 1,000 verses with us due to the influences listed above plus the ministry of my friends Scripture Memory Fellowship, Piercing Word (never met personally), and Marquis Laughlin,

Overseas, I believe there are dozens in Canada, India and South Korea who could qualify to quote 1,000 verses. Will you help me reach them? I don't know of any other countries historically strong in God's Word, but would love to hear of individuals or groups or churches or maybe schools from around the world committed to God's Word and support/encourage them moving forward..

History/Present Situation/ Future of God's Word in Indonesia: In asking around I have been told of Dr. Gustaf Momor, a seminary professor who passed away in 2011 who people believe could quote over 1,000 verses. I have not heard of any other Indonesians outside our group with the same reputation, but hope to communicate with hundreds of churches and schools this month to both find those who could qualify now as well as hear stories of previous saints committed to God's Word.

In January, 2014, Aniwarlina Zai quoted over 1,000 verses (over 500 of them in Scripture songs.).

In June, 2016, Mr. Marinus Gulo, founder and director of the South Nias Setia branch high school and Bible school and oversear of 10 other Setia branch high schools and junior high schools asked me to send him my best candidate for spreading a love of God's Word through his schools. I sent Aniwarlina.

January 5th - 8th, you are invited to witness 7-15+ young Indonesians quoting 1,000 verses in the historic 1st annual "Celebrate 1,000" Indonesia (4 to 7+ are students of Aniwarlina!! An 8th grader from a Nias branch school may also qualify!)

Due to the commitment of the Nias students, the many open doors and plans of most, if not all, of these 1,000 verse quoters and many others to actively inspire and equip others to know God's Word in Public schools, orphanages, Bible and other Christian schools and churches throughout Indonesia we expect, Lord willing, within 2-5 years, to have 100 Indonesians (plus Lord willing, many from the USA and other countries) at future Celebrate 1,000 events.

We are praying and trusting that one day there may be 1,000 Indonesians who can quote 1,000+ verses to deeply impact and inspire the currently, mostly Biblically illiterate Christian culture in Indonesia and beyond.

Schedule: Friday the 5th will have presentations, introductions, games and free time to relax and rest. The 6th - 8th, 1/3 of the quoters will quote 1,000 verses with the others watching and/or enjoying the beach and fellowshipping. There will also be short morning and evening group gatherings and possibly some organized games. The official retreat begins with checking into the hotel on Thursday, Dec 4th and checking out Tuesday morning Dec 9th. People who wish to come early or stay later may with extra charges paid directly to the hotel. People who cannot stay for the entire time may arrive late or leave early as needed.

Costs: In addition to airfare to the Gunungsitoli Airport in Nias, the cost of the retreat including travel to and from airport, food, lodging, etc. is: Adults = US$600; (spouse = $300); Age 12-17 = $300; Age 4-11 = $200; Infant - age 3 = $100. Those who qualify as 1,000 verse quoters and their immediate family members come at 50%! FREE RETREAT for anyone currently at 1,000+ verses on memverse and those who can get there before January 5th, 2018, PROVIDED you are confident you will be able to quote 1,000 verses from memory with just a list of references before you (no first words, or even first letters of words). Immediate family members are still 50%.

Those who can get a good price directly to and from Gunungsitoli airport should do that. For those who cannot, and/or want to see Jakarta can get cheap round trip tickets to Jakarta, stay at a very nice hotel in Jakarta featuring travel to and from airport and an included wonderful breakfast at $60 a night, see the Setia campus and where we live on campus and meet some of our key people if interested, and then fly out with us Thursday morning, January 4th. Round trip from Jakarta to Nias will probably be between $250-350 and should be booked using Traveloka.com (We will have friends ready at the hotel in Nias and travel to and from the Nias airport several days before the retreat for early arrivals or whenever you need it.)

EXTRA TOUR: If there is interest, we will take a group on a 2-3 day tour of orphanages and schools in Nias that are powerful Scripture strongholds, and then, again if there is interest, we will fly with a group to the island of Rote on the other side of Indonesia for about 5 days where we have powerful Scripture strongholds in 30+ PUBLIC schools and even more churches. Details about these potential extra tours are still being worked out. However, it will help me to know in advance if people are interested.

CELEBRATE 1,000 in the USA?: I would love to see (and Lord willing attend) Celebrate 1,000 verses gatherings in the USA and other countries. Our friend Jim Woychuk of Scripture Memory Fellowship based in Dallas TX (3rd place on the Memverse Group Leaderboard behind "Entire Bible" and "IBLP") is very interested in seeing these happen in the USA. Please get in touch with him if you might want to attend such an event. Or you can let me know if there are, or you would like to see such gatherings in other countries.

Wow. That sounds great! I would really love to go. But I have school, music and job to juggle. So maybe not this year.

OK Thanks for checking in Rosie. I know a lot of people are busy and maybe this is not the best time of the year. Maybe we will change the time for next year's event. Let me know if anything changes and you can squeeze in the trip. Also please help me spread the word to others you know that I might not be able to reach so that everyone who might want to go will hear about this opportunity. This is extra easy if you are on Facebook, but also very doable without Facebook. Thanks.

I don't think I have a thousand verses memorized.