People always assume I have an incredible memory because I can quote many Bible verses and whole passages of Scripture verbatim.

They’re wrong.

My long-term memory is pretty ordinary, and my short-term memory is as bad as it gets. I lose my phone at least 10 times a day. (I have no idea where it is right now.)

So how have I committed so much Scripture to memory?

I’ve learned some techniques that I use regularly to aid my memory and create lasting retention when it comes to Scripture, and I bring my kids along for the ride. We’ve memorized many passages together. I discuss these techniques thoroughly in Episode 84 of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD – How To Learn More Scripture in 2024 Than You Ever Have Before. I will cover a few highlights in this article.

You can’t overestimate the power of song.

I’m a Gen Xer, and like many of my era, I can tell you a little “story ‘bout a man named Jed, a poor mountaineer—barely kept his family fed. And then one day he was shootin’ up some food and up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude. Oil that is. Black gold. Texas tea.”

That is the first verse of the theme song to The Beverly Hillbillies, for those born after 1975. I could go on. I remember the whole thing. I can also quote every word to the theme song from The Brady Bunch (and more 80s tunes than I can count). I haven’t seen an episode of those golden oldies in nearly 40 years, but I can still sing the songs.

When you put memorable words to a catchy tune, they stick. Sometimes forever.

I once heard a fellow educator talk about how his grandmother lost her verbal skills after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It started with dropping a single word here and there. Then it progressed to phrases and full sentences, making communication a painful chore. But… the gift of song remained until the end. His grandmother would pipe up whenever someone played an old hymn. She could sing every word. It was the very last skill to go.

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