Hello and welcome to RayFowler.org. If you are new here, please take some time to look around. If you enjoy your visit, be sure to bookmark the site or subscribe by email or feed reader so that you don't miss any future posts. You can also check out the Top Posts page to get a feel for the site. Thanks for visiting!
If you enjoy Beatles music or the Beach Boys, you should give Rick Alitzer’s new Scripture Memory CD a listen. The CD is called “Scripture Memory - Pop Symphonies.” Rick writes:
Three years in the making, “Scripture Memory - Pop Symphonies” has been a labor of love for me. It was my desire to make a Scripture Memory record that you would actually enjoy listening to. I decided to do my best to make an excellent record in hopes that you would listen to it multiple times. After repeated listening, the scriptures would be forever lodged in your brain.
Strings, horns, pianos, walls of guitars, stacks of vocals. the kitchen sink approach (hey, it’s me), all to coerce you to listen, again and again. Think Beatles with Beach Boy harmonies and Queen/George Harrison guitar solos.
Rick is offering the CD at a great introductory price of only $10. You can listen to samples of the CD here and even download one of the full songs for free.
Here are some endorsements for the CD:
“This is the Sgt. Pepper’s of Scripture memory verse albums. Imagine Beatles and Beach Boys and Britpop styles, mega production, stacked vocals and a symphonic approach. Imagine pop melodies that stick in the brain and then marry that to words straight from Scripture. This is a great way of learning Bible verses while enjoying great music. ” Mike Rimmer - Cross Rhythms
“Rick Altizer creates a pop-rock masterpiece to memorize scriptures by!” Phantom Toolbooth - 5 Stars
“Rick Altizer has managed to make one of the best pop albums of the year. Imagine the Beatles using only scripture for lyrics and you’ve got a great idea of what Pop Symphonies is all about.” Dr. Tony Shore - Obvious Pop
“Pick of the Litter. Number 1 Pick.” Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine
Related post: Seeds Family Worship Scripture Memory CDs
Here is a brief audio clip of John Piper answering the question: “How can parents help their kids memorize the Bible?”
The main thing for young people whether it’s two or twenty-two … is what they see their parents doing and loving to do. In other words, Mom and Dad probably can’t take a fifteen-year-old and out of the blue say, “Now start reading your Bible,” when the fifteen-year-old is not seeing Mom and Dad loving their Bible, reading their Bibles, individually and together.
HT: Desiring God Blog
Most nights I spend some time with my three sons reading the Bible and praying together. We have done this ever since they were toddlers, and they are now ages 15, 13 and 10. We usually pick a book of the Bible and read it through a section at a time, and then discuss any questions on it. Right now we are reading through the book of Job.
We tried something different this past spring and took a couple months to memorize a chapter of the Bible together instead. We chose James chapter 1. We took it one verse at a time, memorizing the verse and then discussing it together. The next night we would review the verses we had learned and then learn a new verse. If we had been really disciplined at it, I guess we would have finished in 27 days, seeing as there are only 27 verses in James 1. But between nights missed and extra review nights thrown in, it took us a couple months.
The important thing is we kept at it, and all three boys eventually were able to recite James chapter 1 from memory. We also talked about the importance of meditating or reflecting on God’s Word throughout the day. This is really the whole reason to memorize Scripture anyways — that we might store it up in our minds and our hearts and allow God to change us by his Word.
The method we used for memorizing is called the “stacking” method. This is the method taught by Janet Pope in her excellent book, His Word in My Heart: Memorizing Scripture for a Closer Walk with God. You can read more about the stacking method at Lifehack, or you can read John Place’s story of how he used the stacking method to memorize 7 chapters of his psychology textbook, over 23,000 words, when he was in college. Andrew Davis also gives a good explanation and guide in his article: An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture.
People are using the stacking method to memorize all sorts of things. What could be more important than memorizing God’s Word and treasuring it in our hearts?
Here is a great new resource for families. Seeds Family Worship has produced four new CDs with songs taken directly from Scripture. Each CD contains 12 passages of Scripture focusing on a certain topic, such as Praise, Faith, Purpose or Courage. The music is modern and upbeat, and you can listen to samples before you buy.
Music is a great way for kids (and adults) to memorize Scripture. The website is offering a special Seeds of Easter sampler CD for only $2.99. This 5-song CD with songs from Seeds of Courage and Seeds of Faith is intended as an introduction to the series or as give-aways to children and guests on Easter. (Note: You must order by Monday, March 26 to guarantee delivery by April 6.)
Related post: Beatles and Beach Boys Bible Memory Pop
Recent Guest Comments