Master the Bible: How to Get and Keep the Big Picture of the Bible's Story

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Mas ter the B i b l e : How to Get and Keep the B i g P i c ture of the B i b l e ’ s Stor y

ensure a word-for-word (verbatim) reproduction of the teaching. Today such attention to detail at the very least would seem extreme and, at the very worst it would seem legalistic. In your opinion, should we strive today to memorize the Scriptures word-perfectly? Why or why not? “That’s what we pay you for.” The pastor’s plan to challenge the entire congregation to memorize Scripture together has been met with mixed response. Most of the congregation is “cautiously optimistic,” knowing that the memorized Word is important, and that memorizing together can help all of us “think the same thoughts after God.” Others, however, have accused him of being legalistic, and even others have suggested that he is simply trying to get away from his duty to teach us the Word of God. As one disgruntled member suggested, “While I don’t mind doing things together, most of us aren’t Bible students or seminarians, and we never will be. That is why God gave us pastors and teachers so they could pastor us and teach us. We’ll never know what the pastor knows, and shouldn’t expect to. Frankly, knowing the Word better than us is what we pay him for!” What is correct or incorrect with this view? How might we better understand attempts for us to learn the same texts together? knowledge of Scripture, some of the kids came to the youth pastor to discuss their latest decision. “We have been thinking about our Bible memory stuff, and we think that we should hold off now for a while. As far as we can tell, we’ve memorized about 14 verses, and although it’s been pretty good, it’s been hard, too. We were talking about it, and we came to the conclusion that the verses we know are great, and we are convinced that what we know is enough. We propose that from now on you make Scripture memorization optional for those who want to go on without condemning those who want to stop now. Fourteen verses is plenty good enough for us. We’re going to wait for a while on the others.” What is right or wrong in the students’ approach to Scripture memorization? If you were the youth pastor, what would you tell them? “Fourteen is plenty good enough for us. Thank you!” In the midst of an effort to help the high schoolers grow in