Starting A Scripture Memory Group: Lessons I Have Learned Along The Way

 Do you memorize scripture and wish you had someone who also shared the same kind of passion you do?  There are those of us out there ... .you just have to be willing to search them out.  That is why I am so excited to share with you in this episode how you, too—yes, you—can begin a Scripture memory fellowship group in your local area, whether that's within your church home or simply with a group of friends.   

Let me first share with you how the Shepherds Scripture Sisters started.  Before I began leading a scripture memory group, my heart longed for more—more fellowship, more understanding of God's Word, more time with God, and more prayer. During that season of my life, however, I was very limited in what I could commit to because of family responsibilities, work hours, and other commitments.

Between 2022 and 2023, by the Lord's providence, the leader of the WOW Bible study I was attending via Zoom noticed my love for Scripture memory and mentioned my name to a lady named Terri, who leads the WOW ministry at our church. She later on asked if I would be willing to lead something for the women in the WOW ministry during the summer of 2023.

I was so excited that the Lord would allow me to do this, and I gladly accepted because I had learned from past experiences that sometimes, when you long for something but nothing is available, perhaps the Lord is calling you to lead it instead.

This was the beginning of how the Scripture Memory Group at Shepherd's Church started.

You, too, may be called to start a small group. Your story may not look like mine, but if you love memorizing Scripture and have experienced how scripture impacts your daily walk, your mind and thoughts, then perhaps it's time to take a step toward cultivating a love for Scripture memory with those around you.

Are you willing?

Today, I want to share what I have learned over these past few years.

God's Sovereign Hand Is Over All Things

This is a mindset that I have to remember every day when it comes to leading a group of any kind.

Hear me out: your view of God will shape the way you lead a group. It will shape how you interact, pray and respond to the needs of your group. Remember that if the Lord leads you to start a group, it is the Lord's, not yours.

You are simply the instrument that God has chosen to use for the purpose of bringing glory to Himself and encouraging believers through His Word so they can go out and be a light to others.

This reminds me of when our family lived in Switzerland and I became discouraged while leading a Precept Bible study called God, Are You There? Do You Care? Do You Know About Me? How ironic that I am mentioning this study and the Title of it is so relevant to God’s Sovereignty over my life.  God has shown me time and time again who He is—and that yes, He truly does care.

This book was the first Bible study I led during the four years we lived in Basel, Switzerland. In the beginning, about three or four ladies attended, but eventually it dwindled down to one faithful woman named Katharine. She came week after week.  Sometimes I would get discouraged when it was just her and I because to be honest, deep down I was hoping for a larger group of ladies but the Lord knew that the time we would spend together would grow into a meaningful friendship that would continue to this day. Unbeknownst to either of us, the Lord used that Bible study to reveal many truths that Katharine and I both needed to know. Today she serves as a leader in a women's ministry in her local area here in the United States.

So, the main point of this is to say that God is sovereign over all things, he knew what Katharine and I both needed. He knew that it would just be her and I working through John.   What would have happened if I had decided to “cancel” this class all because of the numbers?  Well, I do not know because I stay persistent and I am so thankful I was.  I have a friend for life.  

You see, numbers do not matter.

The Lord will raise up people for His own purposes, regardless of the circumstances.

I don't share these stories to receive any applause. I share them simply as examples of how the Lord works—and to encourage you not to become discouraged if things don't go the way you expected.

Stay consistent.

Show up.

Be a light.

You never know how the Lord will use your faithfulness. One day you may look back and realize that His hand was faithfully orchestrating every circumstance all along.

Mindset is incredibly important when you lead a group.

Starting A Scripture Memory Group

Now that we have covered that the Lord is over any group you lead, I want to now  transition into 5  different aspects related to a scripture memory group and what that may actually look like. I'll use the group I am currently a part of called the  Shepherds Scripture Sisters as an example.

Remember, we started small, and we've already established that numbers don't determine success.

1- Invite Women To Your Home Or A Cozy Coffee Shop

When we first started, I invited women to my home once a month. Since then, I've reevaluated the group each year and made adjustments as needed. I've found that many women enjoy meeting in homes even more than meeting at a church.

2- Be On The Lookout For New Leaders

About a year ago, I began praying that the Lord would show me women in the group who might be able to step into leadership roles. I wanted to make sure I didn't become burned out and that the ministry wasn't dependent on me alone.

The Lord was so kind to bring Rebecca and Cassie alongside me. Going forward, they will be helping lead fellowships and engage the women online. I'll still oversee the ministry, of course, but what an exciting season it is to watch these ladies step into new leadership roles!

3- Protect The Group

This year I created a Welcome Letter that lays out the  ground rules In order to create a God-honoring and encouraging Scripture memory community.

4- Creating Community Both Online and In Person

Rebecca, Cassie, and I actually met last night to discuss our vision for the group this year, and I couldn't be more excited. These two ladies have come up with some wonderful ideas for creating meaningful engagement while helping us stay focused  on Scripture Memory

Before I explain those ideas, let's first talk about our online community.

I modeled the online portion of Shepherds Scripture Sisters after the Bible Memory Group, an online community of people who love memorizing Scripture. If you don't currently have a local group, I highly recommend checking them out. They are wonderful, God-loving people who genuinely encourage and build one another up. That's becoming harder and harder to find on social media these days. I'll have the link on my website if you want to check it out and in the show notes. 

In the past we used the same group year after year but this year we decided that going forward we would create a brand-new online group each year so that every season has a clear beginning and ending. Our group meets from September through April and follows our women's ministry calendar.

Our online community consists of four separate groups.  I have learned the more groups are not better but actually make it too cluttered, so we were able to narrow it down to these main groups within our online community

The first is an Announcements page. This is a non-interactive space that includes important updates, links to my website, Scripture memory resources, and information about each group within the community.

The second group is called Connect & Reflect, where members interact through weekly check-ins, polls, encouragement, and conversation.

The third group is Romans 8, where those who are memorizing Romans 8 together can encourage one another, even if they're memorizing at different paces.

The fourth group focuses on Challenges. Our first challenge will be a Gratitude Challenge beginning in November.

5 - Staying Engaged In Person and Online

So, what does engagement actually look like?

We have several opportunities throughout the month.

Monthly Fellowship: We meet once a month for about an hour to recite Scripture, encourage one another, and enjoy fellowship together.

One-on-One Accountability: Members can partner with another person for a short-term accountability commitment via text

Scripture Memory Hour: Once a week we meet online. We say hello, then everyone mutes their microphone, turns off their camera, and spends the hour working independently on Scripture memory—reviewing verses, organizing materials, or creating resources. It's a simple way to stay accountable for making time to memorize God's Word.

Scripture Recitation: We also offer online recitation times for anyone who simply wants a place to practice saying their verses aloud.

Remember, this is just one example of how a very small group can grow over time.

Your group may look completely different.  Whatever you decide is perfectly fine. Your task is to find at least one other person who loves God's Word and begin.

You'll never know what the Lord might do unless you take that first step.

Before we close, let's quickly recap what we've talked about today.

1. If the Lord has placed a longing in your heart for deeper fellowship around His Word, perhaps you that person the Lord is calling to lead a group.
2. Remember that the group belongs to the Lord. 
3. Don't measure success by numbers. 
4. Start small.
5. Pray for the Lord to raise up future leaders, protect the unity of your group, and build a community that encourages one another like Colossians 3:16-17

I would love to know if you really enjoyed this post and if you plan to start a group.  Maybe you are already leading a group, I would love to know how it is going and perhaps we can encourage one another!   Well till next time yall, stay rooted!