Memorizing the Bible Verses, the Shortcut to Blessing!
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September 27, 2015 |
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Manmin Central Church holds a Bible Verse Quiz Competition sponsored by the Men's Mission. The church members show great interest in this annual event, so the branch church members as well as many members in the central church compete in the first, second preliminary competitions and the final round. This event helps the members lay a firm foundation of faith on the Word and increase their faith. (Below: 2012 the Winner of Winners Competition, the members cheering for the participants, and the 14th Bible Quiz Competition Award Ceremony, 2014)
The final round of 15th Manmin Bible Verse Quiz Competition was held in the main sanctuary following Sunday Evening Service on September 20, 2015. Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee has emphasized that a fundamental in Christian belief is to love God and to achieve His heart and to do so we should have the Word of God in us. Since 2000, in particular, he urged the members to read one chapter and memorize one verse of the Bible a day and arm themselves with the Word spiritually. In the context, Men's Mission holds annual Bible Verse Quiz Competition to help the members' arming of the Word.
In August, approximately 4500 people took part in the first round, and those who passed the round went through the second round, and 57 people entered the final round.
Deaconess Sunwoo Lee, a soloist of Performing Arts Committee earned the Golden Prize in 2014. She used to be a comedian and broadcaster, so she was confident about memorizing. She stated, "I was used to memorizing because I had memorized program scripts many times, so I thought that I could win the Grand Prize. But it was not at all what I expected." While entering the competition five times, she learned that she can do nothing without God's help. She said that she experienced God's great love with which He helped her discover her arrogance and desire for others' recognition and throw them away.
The finalists have experienced the grace of God who helped their souls prosper through the competition. Pastor Geumran Hwang won the Grand Prize in the Winner of Winners Competition where previous winners got together and competed in 2012. She said, "I started it with desire to obey, but now I cannot stop doing it because God poured so much grace down to me through it. I have received many blessings through the competition, but most of all the Bible verses that I memorized are great help to me when I meet and counsel people."
The test questions come from 365 verses that appear in Daily Bible Verse in the church's weekly bulletin. They can be answered not only when we memorize the verses perfectly without any error in letters but also when we know their spiritual meanings because there are applied questions as well as direct recall.
Elder Keunjong Seo, age 72, is the oldest competitor this year. He stated, "For the first few years, I could not memorize the verses no matter how hard I tried. But once God's grace came upon me, I could do it. I realized that it was not I who could do it. The Lord saw my heart that wants to obey and helped me. I feel much rewarded to be able to obey just in itself."
Deacon Hyunok Han, who entered this final competition for the first time, also testified to the blessing given to him through obedience. He said, "While I was preparing for this competition, I could closely look at my heart through the Word. When I prayed based on it, my heart was renewed more quickly and my faith increased. I also received financial blessings in my workplace."
Deaconess Hyojung Yim from Masan Manmin Church is a primary school teacher. She memorized the verses in school using her spare time before she left school. She said, "As I memorized the verses, the sermons came to taste sweeter than before and I came to have more hope for Heaven."
Deacon Kyungseok Ko has participated in all the competitions every year, the first one through this 15th, and was the Grand Prize Winner in the second competition. He talked about why he has constantly participated, saying, "I feel God's great love in His Word. That is why. As I memorize more verses, I can link them with their pairs. And all of them come close to me as God's love. So I am so happy to have the Word near me."
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