Seven people are teaming up to recite the entire New Testament from memory, beginning on Tuesday. Tom Meyer, a professor of Bible studies from northern Kentucky, had the idea of bringing people together to recite God’s word without a script.
Meyer, also known as the “Bible Memory Man,” told Fox News that he has been studying the most popular book in the world for many years, noting he wanted to hold the event for many reasons.
“We live in a ‘copy, paste, Facebook, tweet, follow, forget’ world,” he said. “We don’t live in an oral world anymore, so we don’t have to remember it.”
Meyer said he wants people to know that memorization of this particular book is important, because the Bible was not meant for eyes but for ears. With the idea in the making for a year-and-a-half, Meyer worked to find six other people who could contribute to the reciting event.
“No single human being can memorize all 27 books and 8,000 verses … it’s impossible for one human being to do that,” he said.
How did he find others to contribute? Meyer said that during his journey of studying the gospel, he simply asked God for direction and that God delivered. “I got a piece of fan mail from a stranger in Kokomo, Ind., a retired schoolteacher who knows Matthew from memory,” he said. “So God just started putting these pieces of the puzzle together.”
Meyers said all seven of the individuals participating in this week’s event already know their parts by heart, so no last-minute crash study sessions are necessary. The individuals are from all over the country. “The Great Recital” will take place in Dallas, and each day will include hours of a specific set of scripture from two to three individuals.
He says everyone should memorize scripture.
“Number one, it puts the mind of God within reach, no matter where you are, no matter what you’re doing,” he told CBN over the summer. “You have instant access to the … living God.”
He believes there’s something deeply profound about memorization in a digital age when it the Bible is easily accessible.
“You might say, ‘I have it on my phone.’ I know. That’s good. It’s great, but it’s different,” he said. “You know it is because you don’t have your phone with you 24/7 … but to be able to instantly think upon the mind of the living God – that’s great.”
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
