Question: What Bible verses should I challenge children to memorize?
It would be exciting if you could activate a special button and "The List" of verses appeared, perfect for children to memorize. Then they could carry in their minds God's moment-by-moment instruction for life.
L 
K! Here is a
Are you excited?
Are you skeptical?
Are you going to activate the button? Yes! Of course! Do it now! (Click on the
button!)
{Resume reading here after you have activated the special button and returned.}
What do you think of the length of "The List"? Is it realistic to expect a child (or the person reading this page!) to memorize that many verses? Of course not!
It is equally impossible for us to make a concise memory
verse list that is perfect for every child, but here's what we try to do:
Choose verses that fit into seven
categories.
Aim for verses with words the
children will understand.
Use our thoughts to develop your own list. Like us, you will:
to your list and 
from it and 
it up but realize that
helping children memorize Bible verses will 
the effectiveness of your
ministry!
Salvation
Verses
These help children solidify the salvation plan in their mind and prepare them to witness to others. See if you can complete all of the following:
John 3:16 "For God so loved . . ."
Romans
3:23 "For all have sinned . . ."
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ". . . Christ died for . . ."
Acts
16:31 ". . . Believe on the . . ."
Do you have a tract you give to the children you lead to the Lord?
Verses in a good salvation tract make an excellent set for children to memorize.
Promise Verses
These will give children hope, courage and assurance. What percentage of these promise verses can you quote using the two word clues we've listed as a huge hint?
It's a quiz! Click 
after you try to recall the words to see if you were right. Keep track
of your correct answers.
1 John 1:9 confess / forgive
Jeremiah 33:3 Call / answer
Proverbs 16:7 enemies / peace
Philippians 4:19 supply / needs
Psalm 34:4 sought / delivered
Psalm 27:14 Wait / courage
James 1:5 wisdom / ask
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust / direct
Hebrews 13:5b leave / forsake
Psalm 32:8 instruct / guide
Your score: All ten verses = 100%, nine verses =
90%, eight verses = 80% . . . zero verses = 
%
We won't give you a grade on this quiz - just a
promise!
We promise that if you help children memorize more and more promise verses their joy will increase and their stress will decrease. So will yours if you learn them too!
Tera,
age ten, came to Good News Club®. Once she heard the Gospel she
readily received the Lord. But several weeks later she was not so sure of her
faith. In class she said, "Now this wouldn't happen to me, at least I don't
think it would. But what if you asked Jesus to take away your sins and save you,
and then you didn't want to be saved anymore?"
We asked the other children what they thought . . . which is
a helpful plan when you need a moment to think of a good answer! Nathan came to
the rescue by stating firmly, "That will never happen! Remember, Jesus
said, 'I will never leave you.' So you can't be unsaved once you're saved!"
Memorizing part of Hebrews 13:5 gave Nathan the answer to
Tera's question. Will you help children learn lots of verses from God's
Word?
Christian Conduct Verses
These remind children what they should and should not do. Here is the beginning of an alphabetical list that will help children recall and review what they've learned. How many of these do you know (and obey!)?
A bstain from . . . 1 Thessalonians 5:22
B e ye kind . . . Ephesians 4:32
C hildren, obey . . . Ephesians 6:1
D o all things . . . Philippians 2:14
E nter not into . . . Proverbs 4:14
F ollow after . . . 1 Timothy 6:11
G o ye into . . . Mark 16:15
Click this Bible 
for help completing this list.
Begin Bible memorization when children are very
young. They can memorize before they can read! Verses a child learns at five
will still be valuable and up-to-date when he is 15 or 50. Joshua 1:8 tells us
prosperity and success are by-products of Scripture memorization and meditation.
Comfort Verses
These will remind children of God's love when they face trials and sad situations. What wonderful words! How many of them have you taught to your children?
Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you . . .
Let not your 
be
troubled, neither let it be afraid."
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed;
for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee . . ."
Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble . .
."
Deuteronomy 31:8 "And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He
will be with thee, He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee; fear not, neither be
dismayed."
Psalm 30:5 ". . . Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in
the morning."
Psalm 34:15 "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His
ears are open unto their cry."
Praise Verses
Children can pray just by saying these verses. Glance through this GREAT list and see if you can fill in the first words. Blanks indicate how many letters are needed. Click the Bible below if you need help.
"G _ _ _ _ to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward man."
Luke 2:14
"R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ art Thou, O Lord, and
upright are Thy judgments."
Psalm 119:137
"E _ _ _ _ day will I bless
Thee; and I will praise Thy Name for ever and ever."
Psalm 145:2
"A _ Lord God! behold, Thou hast made the
heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is
nothing too hard for Thee."
Jeremiah 32:17
"T _ _ _ art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things . . ."
Revelation 4:11
Click this Bible
for help in completing the verses.
Stop a moment and read (or quote!) these verses out loud. Use appropriate emphasis and expression so it sounds like you believe what you are saying!
Whole Passages
The Ten Commandments - Exodus 20:1-17
The Lord's Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
The Shepherd's Psalm - Psalm 23
The Christmas Story - Luke 2:1-20
Personal Verses
Help children be aware that unassigned verses should be memorized too! Create a desire to learn more and more of God's Word.
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How will you ever help children learn many many verses? One at a time!
Don't you wish you had another special button to tell you how to lead a Bible memory time with ease?
L
K! Here
is
Yes, you need to 
Another
Special Button and
resume reading here after you have read that page.
Realize that helping children learn the words to Bible verses is not enough. They must understand them and apply the message if appropriate.
Good news! We have IDEAS about how to do that. Study our answer to the question, "How do I help children memorize a Bible verse?"
Where do you want to go next?
How can I help children memorize a Bible verse?
To the place for encouragement (changed each week)
Try this: Give each child a file card, have him sign his name and write down
one of his problems. Take these cards home and find some verses to help
with each situation. Return the cards and verses to the children along with
personal notes stating you will be praying for them. Encourage each child to
memorize his specially chosen verses. Gradually work each problem and verse into
your lessons or song time. When appropriate, call on volunteers to share the verses they are memorizing, and perhaps tell how God has used His Word
to solve their problems.