Did you ever wonder why most curriculum that is developed for spiritual growth (ie small group material) is typically 6-8 weeks in length? Ever wonder why the majority of curriculum embraced by churches is DVD based requiring no preparation for both the attendee and the leader?

Although I have not researched this specifically, my experience would tell me that there are two reasons: novelty and effort (or lack of). We continually demand new stimuli and we don’t want to work at it.

Discipleship does not embrace this. Yet you do need curriculum, something to take you where you want to go. You can make up your own or use something that already exists. And though there have been many curriculum options developed over the years, not all are created equal.

Over the past 8 years, I have chosen a book called “Discipleship Essentials” by Greg Ogden, a 25 week model that establishes the foundations for the disciple. I believe that I am on my 9^th time through it. You might ask: Don’t I get bored with it? Not all. In fact, with each group I take through it, new questions come up and I see the material in new ways. And remember, my goal is to help people become disciples, to establish the basics in their lives, not to read the latest and greatest book.

Apart from the topics covered, why do I believe this curriculum is effective?

First, the length of 25 weeks allows for habits to actually be formed. Most groups of guys I meet with will typically “hit the wall” around weeks 6-8, the usual length of most curriculum developed. After this time the novelty wears off and we move into the zone of true discipline. Each guy has to ask themselves – am I in or not? You can liken this to any type of physical exercise regimen. Many people begin their membership in January, and by the end of February they’ve stopped, unwilling to do the hard work and as a result they never see the benefits.

Second, there is “homework”. At the very least, if a guy spends 15 minutes a day for 4 days of the week, they can easily accomplish the work. For most, even this little amount of investment in their relationship with God is a huge step, yet it is necessary. It is always exciting to see how, over time, many of the guys will go beyond the assigned work and begin to dig into other scriptures and readings that enhance their learning.

Third, scripture memory. I have already commented on this in a previous writing. Suffice it to say that this aspect must always be part of the discipling process. No questions. By the end of the particular curriculum that I have chosen to use, the guys will have memorized more than 25 sets of verses, and they always comment on the significant impact it has had on them personally and relationally. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Avoid including scripture memory at your peril.

There are other items I might insert from time to time into the process and other curriculum ideas that I use once this initial 25 week unit is completed, but I’ve chosen this to form the foundation. Interestingly, what I have also found is that once we’ve established some healthy patterns, everything else we do takes on a new energy, the guys just know what to do. One person I’ve met with for awhile is reading through the bible and simply wants to dialogue about what he is learning. He has developed the necessary habits, is self-motivated, and we can embrace the bible together each week. He also has his own group of guys that he is developing and will be a great living example with the habits that he has developed.

Find the curriculum that works for you, ensure that it develops the habits of a disciple, and move forward. However, don’t ever settle for mediocrity. Push through the novelty barriers and enjoy the fruit that comes from embracing the richness of discipleship.

“The primary freedom we have is always the choice of where we will place our minds. . . To that end memorization is vital. It is astonishing how little of the Bible is known “by heart” by people who profess to honor it. If we do not know it how can it help us? It cannot. Memorization, by contrast, enables us to keep it constantly before our minds.” Dallas Willard (www.dwillard.org/articles)

A number of years ago I was in a meeting where a Christian psychiatrist was asked to share about how to assist those who live with various mental issues. Although the content was very interesting, what he shared about himself personally was the most impacting on my life. He mentioned that he consistently memorized entire chapters of scripture for his own mental health – he had my attention. He talked about research on the brain and how what we decide to allow in over time creates what he referred to as roads. The more we allow certain content in, the wider this road becomes, at times becoming a multi-lane highway, allowing this information to flow freely.  It was his intent to create highways of scripture in his mind, and the only way for this to happen was for him to memorize scripture, entire chapters.

From my reading of history, it is my understanding that by the age of 8 years old, Jewish children had memorized the first 5 books of the bible. Some then went on to memorize the rest of what we refer to as the OT by the age of 13. As such, Jesus and his disciples would have had our entire OT memorized! And apparently, this still goes on today in some Jewish Synagogues.

For those that know me well, you just knew that the aspect of scripture memory was going to be written about. However, if there is one thing that I get the most push-back from in the discipleship process, it is the aspect of memorizing scripture: “I can’t memorize,” “it’s too difficult,” “I’ll just read it over many times and I’ll get the point.” No, no, and no.

Let’s reiterate once again, discipleship is not easy. Discipleship is not a side-hobby. To be a disciple is to make it your life. This is not something we play with when convenient, it is who we are.

And I can think of no better way for our standard learning textbook, the bible, to make a lasting impact on our lives than to memorize it, and then to recite it over and over, allowing the words and the phrases to seep into every aspect of who we are, to guide our prayers, to influence our relationships and to help us make life decisions.

As one who leads others on the road of discipleship, it is my role to set the pace. And may I encourage you that the discipline of memorization, once engaged in for a period of time, will become so meaningful, so life-changing, that you may not even use the word “discipline” to describe it anymore, it will become a craving.

Of all the guys that I have spent time with in a discipling relationship over the years, the one aspect that keeps coming up as the most beneficial is the aspect of scripture memorization. They start the journey simply doing it because I ask them to, and along the journey they thank me for sticking with it.

You will need to develop your own convictions on this. You will also need to develop your own ways of encouraging those that you lead to engage in it.

But be very confident, memorization should not be seen as an optional “nice to have” aspect of the disciple, it is foundational. You will develop highways of learning in your mind that will influence your actions, the question is, which ones?