This is an article about Scripture memory, so what does that have to do with the beach? Imagine standing on the beach and looking out at the waves. How much is the ocean physically impacting you? It is inspiring and beautiful, but it isn’t truly impacting you. Now, imagine if you go out waist deep into the ocean. The ocean is beginning to move you around. Finally, imagine being neck deep in the ocean. Now, the ocean is really having an impact.

The impact God’s Word will have on our lives depends on how deeply we are immersed in it. There is perhaps no greater way to experience that level of involvement with the Word of God than committing key verses and passages to memory.

The Bible is clear that we should strive to meditate on Scripture:

“Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the Law of the Lord,
And on His Law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
Psalm 1:1-3

The one who meditates on the Word will be blessed in all that they do:

• Business pursuits
• Educational pursuits
• Marriage
• Parenting
• Ministry
• Personal Finances
• Relationships

What does it mean to meditate? It means to ponder, to think about deeply, to ruminate on something. Meditation helps move the Word from our head to our hearts. There is a close connection between meditation and memorization. As you engage in the process of memorizing Scripture, the Word can transform your life and character.

Here are six practical reasons why Scripture memory is so important:

1. Scripture Memory Equips Us For The Spiritual Battles We Face In Life

Scripture memory has probably impacted my life more than any other spiritual discipline, and I have found that it is a great tool for discipling college students. There are so many thought patterns and philosophies that are competing for the minds of students. Their minds need to be transformed by the Word of God.

We can use memorized verses to address specific struggles we may be facing. For example, if you are dealing with fear, memorize some key verses on fear, if you are dealing with anger, memorize verses on anger. I have found that it is easier to memorize verses that relate to the battles I am experiencing in life.

In the book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney says,

“Imagine yourself in the midst of a decision and needing guidance, or struggling with a difficult temptation and needing victory. The Holy Spirit enters your mental arsenal and looks around for available weapons, but all He finds is a John 3:16, a Genesis 1:1, and a Great Commission. Those are great swords, but they’re not made for every battle. How do we go about filling our personal spiritual arsenal with a supply of swords for the Holy Spirit to use? When Scripture is stored up in your mind, it is available for the Holy Spirit to bring to your attention when you need it most.”

2. Memorization Brings Transformation

Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Paul is saying that we are constantly under pressure to conform to the world’s systems and values. When you have memorized verses stored in your mind, you can live everyday with a more transformed way of thinking. Changing how we think is a key to sanctification.

As God’s people entered the Promised Land, which was occupied by hostile enemies, God essentially gave Joshua two instructions. He says in verses 7 and 9 to be strong and courageous, and He says in verse 8:

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

We see here that the Word equips us for all the challenges we face in life. We also see that when we meditate on God’s Word day and night, we are much more careful to obey it.

“If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth. That’s where you need it! How does it get in your mouth? Memorization.” Dallas Willard

3. God’s Word in Our Hearts Can Help Us Avoid Sin

“How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word….
I have treasured Your word in my heart,
So that I may not sin against You.”
Psalm 119:9, 11

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus quoted Scripture to respond to these temptations.

He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Memorized Scripture gives the Holy Spirit a vocabulary to speak to us. You may be feeling conviction and a prompting by the Holy Spirit in a certain compromising situation. When you have Scripture stored up in your mind, the Holy Spirit can use it to bring clarity to what the Spirit is prompting you to do in that situation.

4. Scripture Memory Equips Us To Be Able To Minister To Others.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Steve Farrar, in the book, Manna, says this:

Jesus used Scripture to explain, rebuke, exhort, comfort and train those around Him. In the Gospel of Matthew alone, we find Jesus directly quoting from the OT seventy-six times. Thirty three of those quotes are from the Pentateuch: three from Genesis, seven from Exodus, six from Leviticus, one from Numbers, and sixteen from Deuteronomy. Nine times Jesus also directly quoted from Psalms and Proverbs. He quoted from all the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel), and from eight of the twelve minor prophets. 

5. Memorized Scriptures are a Powerful Tool for Evangelism.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17

When you are witnessing, and you don’t know what to say, give people the Word of God. Share verses about the Gospel!

Memorize the verses that go with the Gospel presentation that you are using or learning. For example, The Bridge Illustration is based on Romans 6:23, and The Romans Road illustration is based on Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8 and 10:9. Some of my most powerful moments in evangelism are when I share Jesus’s words instead of my own.

6. Memorizing Scripture Fuels Worship and Devotion

The goal is not to know more verses, but to have more verses know me. By approaching Scripture memory with an attitude of meditation, it helps to keep the process of memorization fresh, rather than allowing it to become a burden. It has become my practice to review my verses every morning along with my daily quiet time. For me, it is a devotional exercise. I review verses with the same anticipation to hear from God as I do when I open my Bible for my quiet time. Some of the biggest decisions in my life were influenced by the Holy Spirit speaking to me through verses I had previously memorized.

So how can you get started with Scripture memory? If you are wondering how to start filling your arsenal with verses, try memorizing the verses God has used to speak to you recently – from sermons, from time in the Word, or even from social media. I put my verses on note cards and review them daily on my own, and weekly with students I am discipling and with an accountability partner. Two of the biggest pitfalls I have seen in Scripture memory are not having accountability with others and not having a plan to review old verses. If the habit of Scripture memory isn’t something you are used to, link it up with something you enjoy. A lady from my church reviews verses every day when she drinks her afternoon coffee!

A great thing about Scripture memory is that it doesn’t have to take much time out of your schedule. I read in an article that the average American spends 45 minutes everyday simply waiting. These moments are a great opportunity to review verses we have memorized, thereby redeeming that time… even at the beach.

This article was originally posted on CollegeMinistry.com. Link: https://collegeministry.com/how-to-joyfully-memorize-scripture/

KRAKOW, POLAND–Kelsey Bennett finally felt acclimated to her new role as an International Mission Board missionary in eastern Europe. In a mid-term role, she served with a great ministry team, and her knowledge of the language and culture had grown. Then because of unrest in the area where she served, she had to evacuate quickly to a new location, leaving behind many personal possessions and the relationships she had built.

Suddenly, she found herself serving in Poland, learning another language and culture, and working with a new ministry team. Her home church, Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola, rose into action, packing three suitcases with clothing and other items that were delivered to her by a pastor from the church and his wife.

“What a blessing that was!” enthused Bennett. “That was a really difficult year, and to have the support of my home church to physically help and offer an outside perspective was huge.” Visits from others in her home church also have provided her with an opportunity to introduce the ministry first-hand and to offer suggestions on what they can do to help.

In November, Bennett, along with 48 others, was appointed by the International Mission Board for full-time career service and participated in a Sending Celebration at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

‘Called to missions’

Bennett never imagined she would be a missionary until she served as the Baptist Collegiate Ministries associate at a northwest Florida university. Developing a strong affection for ministering to university students, Bennett longed for an experience outside of America. After much prayer and with wise counsel from pastors and other missionaries, she began her journey into missionary service with the International Mission Board.

“As followers of Christ, we are all called to missions in some capacity. Whether it be to a location, to a people group, or in our everyday lives, we are called to share the Good News with anyone we meet,” said Bennett.

‘God is working’

Through missions, she has learned to trust God where He leads. She understands that things can change in a very short amount of time and that challenges abound no matter where you take the gospel.

As she serves in a university ministry in Poland, challenges include communication mishaps due to language barriers and cultural differences. Bennett found that in Krakow, Poland, people can come across as blunt and rude to someone who was raised on southern charm in the United States. To smile at or talk with a stranger in Poland is uncommon, she said, but Polish people “are very hospitable and friendly” after you get to know them.

Another challenge is helping Polish people see their need for a relationship with Jesus. Catholicism permeates the culture, with many believing they are “good” because of their religious traditions. “Mostly, they just don’t see their need to be forgiven of sin and saved in Jesus. It is hard soil, but we know God is working,” said Bennett.

She seeks to develop friendships over coffee and evangelism-based activities like karaoke, game nights, movie nights and sports days at a local park. Eventually, those friendships lead to Bible reading, gospel conversations and times of prayer.

A weekly event called Breakthrough Krakow is a time for practicing English conversation skills where topics can be light and fun, but can lead to the deep and spiritual discussions.

Another fun event that Bennett looks forward to is hosting an American Thanksgiving meal for students. Many who attend will have only seen Thanksgiving celebrations in movies and on television shows. It is another way to build relationships and show gratitude to Christ.

Bennett finds discipleship, fellowship and accountability through weekly Bible study with a group of young women at the Polish church she attends. Her mission team is made up of Polish Baptist church members who desire to grow in discipleship, evangelism and sound biblical teaching and preaching.

The goal of university ministry is to connect students with local Baptist churches so they can be discipled by Polish believers in their heart language. “There are many steps to get to that point, but our main goal is getting these students connected to the church. We may not be there for more than a few years, so we want to make sure we pass them to believers who will continue to invest in them,” Bennett said.

Call Them Out

Scott Pace and Shane Pruitt, in their book “Calling Out the Called,” challenge readers to be proactive in the way that we call out potential leaders in our student ministries. We must not shy away from teaching on not only the universal calling on all believers but also the unique calling for each individual. We all have students sitting in our chairs that God has placed a special calling on. We must provide opportunities for these students to surrender to that call on their lives. Extend that invitation and give them space to wrestle with that call on their lives.

We must also be willing to identify these gifted individuals and speak the truth of God’s calling on their lives over them. If you see potential, tell them! My story of being called into ministry starts long before I surrendered to that call while I was a freshman at Gardner-Webb University.  One of my high school Sunday school teachers, Mr. Berry, would often tell me “Darryl, God has big plans for you and has gifted you with the ability to lead … I pray that you see this and serve Him with these gifts.” I would often laugh him off and just go about my morning. But it was that seed that was planted when I was 16-17 years old that sprouted into something bigger. It was Mr. Berry’s words that came to mind when an invitation to full-time Christian service was laid out before me during a chapel service when I was 19 years old.

Let’s make sure we are doing all that we can to identify and call out those who have the gifting of leadership.

Train Them Up

Once we identify the leaders in our ministry, we must do all that we can to train them up to be used by God for His glory! Guide them; meet with them; disciple them. Do whatever it takes to help them not only to see the gifting that God has given them but also to develop that gifting. Give them opportunities to serve within your ministry; let them teach; let them lead groups; let them stretch their leadership wings. This takes work on our part, but it is absolutely worth the extra effort. Walk with them in this process, and watch God work.

Send Them Out

This last part can be difficult because we are often selfish with our leaders. I don’t know of a single ministry that can say, “You know what … we have plenty of leaders,” so hear me clearly when I say that  we need to have a loose grip on these leaders that we train up. We must be willing to allow them to be trained up by us and go somewhere else to serve. This may be another ministry within your church, on the mission field, or even another church altogether.

My church here in Oviedo has a vision statement that helps me in this understanding of releasing leaders. It goes like this: “To share the Gospel of Jesus wherever we live, work, play, and go so that the sun will not set on the ministry of CrossLife Church.” We have a goal of seeing our church members trained up as leaders and sent out so that our ministry can stretch beyond our church walls and our little corner of the world. At one point in our church’s history, we had a missionary or pastor from our ministry in every time zone around the world. If you train up a leader who is called to the mission field or pastoral ministry and that leader goes somewhere else, don’t mourn the loss of that leader, but celebrate the spread of your ministry’s impact around the world!

Let’s call out the called, train them up, and send them out so that we can see the next generation of leaders spread the Gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth!

Research shows us that high school students stop attending church after they graduate and go to college. Students have a tendency to put their faith on hold while they focus on college and preparing for their future. What a pivotal time period in their lives when being rooted in their faith and surrounded by the body is crucial. So how do we reach these students again while engaging those who are unreached on college campuses across our state?

It has to start with the local church. Biblically speaking we know that the local church is the primary way of reaching the world with the gospel (Ephesians 4:11-13). But, how does the local church strategically engage with and reach college students? Especially when resources, time, and volunteers can be limited. Consider partnering with Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM).

BCM is a ministry whose mission is to partner with local churches to reach college students. BCM engages college students on their campus by hosting bible studies, discipling students, equipping students to reach their peers and gathering weekly to teach the Word. So how does BCM link arms with the local church to reach college students?

Three Ways Baptist Collegiate Ministry Helps the Local Church:

1. College Students are the Focus

College students are the primary focus of Baptist Collegiate Ministry. Many local churches aren’t equipped with the extra resources to reach students on campus. BCM is on mission on college campuses daily interacting with students.

2. Informing College Students

Between classes, assignments, work, and even social media, students are bombarded with information. It’s easy for them to prioritize college life over their relationship with the Lord as so much is competing for their attention. BCM helps highlight local churches and works to connect students to the local church. Local church leaders are encouraged to come speak at our gatherings and be involved at activities we host on campus.

3. Continued Presence on Campus

Baptist Collegiate Ministry is a constant presence on campus, when the local church can’t always be. We are able to form relationships with students who might not ever attend church eventually forming a bridge from on campus ministry to the local church context.

The Great Commission was given to make disciples of all nations. Allow Baptist Collegiate Ministry to partner with your church to help reach college students for the glory of Christ. Local BCM directors in your area would love to connect with you – we are right there beside you!

At the same time, however, many students neglect the fact that one’s theological positions are supposed to be the wellspring from which actions flow. Paul’s letters in the New Testament are examples of this as he often sets out doctrine (Romans 1–11; Ephesians 1–3) before he transitions to practice, based on that proper doctrine (Romans 12–16); Ephesians 4–6).

Take for example, Rom 12:1 which says “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” As is often said, we must ask what the “therefore” is there for. Paul has expounded theological doctrine for eleven chapters and in light of all of this, the believers in Rome are to live this out in everyday experiences. Proper understanding should lead to proper action.

This all sounds good but when it comes to college ministry, students come to college looking for fun and community. Yes, there is also a search for purpose but fun and community are the more immediate need that leads them to make choices regarding their social circles. Even Christian students look for this and it often leads them to choose churches and/or campus ministries based on where they feel they fit in best. Sadly, the fact that many of them minimalize theological doctrine leads to choose despite the community’s theological beliefs or in complete ignorance of those beliefs.

We need to challenge students to understand what they believe and why they believe it, beginning at an early age. If they are not grasping this by the time they are in high school, chances are, they will not look for this in college. Latter Day Saints are among the most friendly and moral people I know, but their doctrine does not hold water. Several churches and campus ministries have friendly faces and fun opportunities for college students but their doctrine (or lack thereof) will not lead to a deepening of biblical faith.

Nor will it be enough in times of crisis where a proper understanding of who God is and how He works is essential. Many students face a crisis of identity or crisis of faith during their time in college where their presuppositions are being challenged by their peers as well as their professors. A solid biblical foundation is necessary to take their stand (Ephesians 6:11) against falsehoods that seek to tear down the Christian faith.

Students are asking the tough questions. When they do not get answers from the church, they turn elsewhere. Let us teach biblical doctrine and explain why it is important so that they are properly equipped to make good decisions. Theology truly matters.

• Engage Relationally

This one seems to be a no-brainer, but at times it can be overlooked. Before asking a student to sign up for a new members class or “test-drive” a ministry, take some time to get to know them. Encourage members to take students out to lunch. Invite college students to coffee or to a “meet the pastor” event. Ask them questions such as: Where are they from? What is their major? What are their interests or hobbies? Take time to show them you care.

• Establish Involvement

As you intentionally engage with students, you will begin to identify some of their interests and giftings. Use this information as a way to get students involved with the different church ministries. Not all college students want to serve in children’s ministry. Instead, find ways for them to use their unique talents and gifts to serve the church. Continually invest in them and try not to limit the ways that God can use college students in your church.

• Encourage and Appreciate

Throughout the semester, students will hit peaks of busyness and moments of breakdown. As much as you desire for them to stay connected, make sure to continually encourage them. A simple appreciation can go a long way. At times, the greatest form of appreciation that a student receives is a passing grade. Seeking to intentionally recognize them for their service will help to keep them involved. It will also inspire them to belong to a local church for the rest of their lives.

The next time a college student walks through the church doors, remember the unique season they are in and the different ways that God wants to use them.

Missions is central to our understanding of the gospel message. Though the context may look different for each person, we must respond to the call to go and make disciples. Domestic mission trips taught me how to have gospel conversations and to connect people to the local church. As a result, my heart became burdened for overseas missions and for those who do not have local churches available to them. We can absolutely be on mission in our home city, but there are millions of lost people in the world who have never even heard the name Jesus. For that reason alone, I knew I must be obedient and go to the nations. Spending nearly two months overseas in a spiritually dark place taught me that there is work to be done. And more laborers must be sent.

College students have a huge role to play in global missions. They can use their own unique gifting, area of academic study, and desire to make disciples on the mission field. College students can also make good use of their summers. What would it look like for them to tithe one of those summers and dedicate it to global missions? As a ministry leader, encourage students to step outside their comfort zone, to learn about unreached and unengaged people groups, to begin praying for the lost, and to then join in the work by going to these places. We seek to see the gospel advanced on the college campus and throughout the world. When a student has taken part in overseas missions, they recognize the urgency and the need for more laborers. They begin to mobilize their peers, are healthy church members, and seek to advance the gospel in their everyday life. Creating a healthy missions culture is vital to college students recognizing and viewing their own college campus as a mission field to make disciples.

As we consider these specific mentoring opportunities, it is typical to think of Paul and Timothy. Read through 1st and 2nd Timothy and observe how Paul nurtured their relationship, how he combined inspiration, encouragement, instruction, and application. What are some specific steps Paul took that we can model with our students? While it’s not an exhaustive list, here are three: 

1. Paul had the mindset of a father, calling Timothy “my son” several times. Whether “older sibling” or “parent” is the appropriate image to describe the relationship with a student, in either case there is the concept of family, of being close enough to discuss not just ministry but all aspects of life. That connection can be life-giving to both you and the student. Just as a parent might do, help them remember the past and help them dream of the future. Remind them of what God has done in the past in His word, in your own life, and in their life. Share your story, as Paul did with Timothy. I have found that my call to ministry, and the questions I had during that time, resonates with students wrestling with that decision. Most will find it encouraging to be assured that handwriting in the sky, burning bushes, or fire falling from heaven are neither normal nor required to discern God’s direction.
   
2. Paul created the expectation of leadership. By design and by necessity, Paul equipped Timothy by giving him opportunities to lead and make decisions. Maybe Timothy felt inadequate when Paul gave him responsibilities in Ephesus, just as our students may feel—and may actually be!—inadequate to lead in the positions we place them. In those leadership moments, character is revealed and shaped. We (along with the student) get a glimpse of how God might be equipping and gifting them. With experience and insight, we can identify their strengths and abilities and point them out, helping them to interpret their experiences and giftedness and discover His calling.
3. Paul was present in Timothy’s life even when they were not together. He prayed for Timothy—and told him that he was doing so. He encouraged him with his letters and words of affirmation and instruction. It’s easy to imagine that if Paul and Timothy were alive today they would have a long text thread, or stay in touch by phone or email. Spend quality time with students and you will earn their trust. The best ability you can offer is your availability.  

As God continues to grant us the privilege of training and encouraging younger leaders for a lifetime in ministry, may we find—and in turn provide—inspiration, encouragement, and instruction to help students as they follow God’s call. 

A simple, yet effective opportunity for rallying leaders around connecting with children and students lies in old fashioned home visits. That’s right, the day of home visitation returns! This time the format shifts from entering the home to an appropriately distanced “howdy” outside of the home.

Our Next Generation Ministry team at FBC Plant City recently did this and were blessed as a result. Our simple game plan focused on snacks, drinks, and a time to connect.

• First, input your student names and addresses into an Excel sheet, and then drop them into Google Maps. Seriously, it’s easier than you think, just Google it. If you hate the sound of doing that, find whatever will work best for your context.
• Next, break your volunteer team (married couples work well, or pairs visiting together) up into homes nearest their own home using your Google Map layout. We found that 10-15 homes per team seemed like a sweet spot taking roughly 3-4 hours to cover, depending on your level of talkers in the group.
• Finally, find a gathering spot to divvy out snack boxes and drink coolers to each delivery team. We gave each student at home a choice of something sweet and something salty, followed by a Coke, Sprite, or water.

Off they went to connect face-to-face with students all around the Plant City area. (Yes, they each had masks and gloves that were changed for each visit.) One recommendation would be a general social media post of some sort to let parents know that volunteers would be calling them about a snack delivery. Volunteers called the day the visit was planned to make sure students would be home and that parents were ok with someone dropping by the house.

The snacks and drinks were a nice gesture, but the real blessing for our leaders came from those face-to-face conversations and opportunities for prayer at each home. While our ministries will continue to exercise creativity in connecting through the digital world, we must start to seek out opportunities for in person connections as well. A 10 minute visit may vastly improve a student’s mental health during this time.

Proverbs 27:9 says, “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.” I encourage you to find out what it takes to love your people well during this season.

TEACH THE GOSPEL

The reason we prioritize the harvest is simple. The gospel really is good news for ALL people. Our students must understand the importance of the gospel, from our regular times of preaching and teaching to our prioritizing of evangelism training. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

PRAY REGULARLY

Immediately after speaking of the harvest, Jesus charges His disciples, “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (v. 2). Prayer is the fuel to our evangelism. We go in the power of God to speak the Word of God. Organize times of prayer with students. Pray for your college campus. Pray for college ministries. Pray for college students. As you and your students pray, the need will become clearer.

SET THE EXAMPLE

Encourage more students to be evangelistic by giving them an example to follow. Even the apostles were sent out in pairs! Be on university campuses yourself and bring students with you. Give them a time that you’ll be on campus every week and invite them to join you. Encourage other students to make public when they will do intentional outreach. Create a group page or text thread where students can share success stories and prayer requests (e.g. “Pray for me and my upcoming meeting. I’m going to meet with Tom at 3PM.”)

BE CREATIVE

Don’t limit students by giving them a “one size fits all” evangelistic method. I’ve been around students who are bold to simply walk up to strangers and begin sharing the gospel. I’ve been around other students who prefer to use a method to begin a conversation (henna evangelism, surveys, Soularium, handing out flyers, gospel appointments, etc). I want to say “yes” when students ask for resources they want to use in sharing the gospel. It may not be my preferred method*, but I rejoice in the gospel being shared!

May we rejoice because the gospel is advancing on university campuses across the country, not because of a few select men and women, but because of the mobilization of thousands of college students from our local churches!

*In my context, I begin most gospel conversations on campus by handing out one of our ministry business cards and then, asking, “Have you ever heard of our ministry?” and “Do you have a religious background?” This approach has often led to great gospel conversations.