MARSHALL - Many have read the Bible in various translations from various sources, but few have the dedication to memorize the Bible in the ancient oral tradition.
On Thursday evening, Tom Meyer of Wordsower Ministries based in Salem, Ore., brought the words of St. John the Divine to Liberty Park, reciting the entire text of the Book of Revelation from memory.
Meyer came at the invitation of First Baptist Church of Marshall.
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Tom Meyer of Word Sower Ministries recited the entire text of the Book of Revelation from memory to an audience at Liberty Park on Thursday evening.
"We're always excited to have the word of God proclaimed and we're really excited to have Tom Meyer here," said the Rev. Greg Linscott of First Baptist.
Meyer is the author of several books of Biblical scholarship and the ancient tradition of oral recitation from memory.
"I lived in Jerusalem for the last four years," Meyer said. "In Israel the high orality of the world among the Jews, Christians, and Arabs, the memorization of the spoken word is still maintained."
Meyer visits one to three churches a week, in 30 different states the past year, and recites different books of the Bible, and teaches congregants the techniques of memorization.
"We're convinced this is a movement to inspire people to become walking, talking Bibles," Meyer said.
Meyer cites about 60 different points, but the basic four-fold technique is: read aloud always using the same text, write out each verse, listen to someone recite the verses, and the key to retention to recite aloud again and again.
"The Book of Revelation is the most requested," Meyer said, "probably because of uncertainty in the world we live in. Even in the mainstream media there's an interest in apocalyptic events such as the Mayan calendar."