Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Nine Ideas for Scripture-Related Memes


by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

I want to make them, but I easily run out of ideas. Do you?

They’re beautiful and inspiring. Colorful and carefully worded. Memes. A surprisingly needed tool in the writer’s arsenal.  

Our writing isn’t just for books and blogs. We can share tiny snippets of our writing on memes. Those perfect, eye-catching pictures are just waiting for our words to be added to them. We can share our memes on social media and on our blogs. They capture the readers’ attention and impart some nugget of encouragement or wisdom. The best wisdom we can share comes from Scripture itself. 

Did you know there are over 31,000 verses in the Bible? We are never going to run out of material that we can share from God’s Word, but how can we narrow down what verses we want to share week to week? How can we talk about Scripture in the tiny amount of space that fits on a meme? 

Although I was once at a loss for what to put on memes after years of making them, I’ve thought of nine ideas to narrow down the possibilities. Concentrate your efforts to encourage others and promote your writing by using one or all of the following. 

Your favorite Bible verses
I can easily find my favorite verses by looking for what has been boxed, starred, and “hearted” in my Bible. (Yes, I draw hearts next to Scripture.) We also have those verses tucked away in our hearts that can never be forgotten. When we share those, others can tuck them in their hearts too. 

Topical Bible verses
Take a month to share verses on a topic that’s precious to you, a topic like joy, peace, or forgiveness. Every week share a meme with a related Bible verse on it. If you do this regularly, people may follow your social media pages to see the topics and verses you pick. 

Always put the translation! We aren’t used to writing that down when we record verses in our spiritual journals, but it’s an excellent practice for the rest of our writing and on social media. Putting the appropriate acronym (NKJV, NASB, NIV, etc.) in a small font on a meme will give due credit as we share Scripture and help our audience to know where to find the exact wording of the verse. 

Bible verses from your pastor’s sermons
I enjoy listening to Dr. David Jeremiah online, and a verse from his sermons usually becomes my “Victory Verse of the Week” on Facebook and Twitter. As you listen to pastors and Bible teachers, stay alert for verses that would work for memes.  

The comforting words of Jesus
Need I say more? Jesus often comforted the crowds and His disciples with truths that chase away anxiety and fear, and usher in His peace. Our memes can become conduits of peace and comfort to others. 

The “go get ‘em” verses in the Bible 
Perseverance, victory, grace, and hope—we need these each day. Take a treasure hunt through Scripture, and write down the Bible references for verses that inspire us to make a difference and serve God’s purposes on earth no matter what. 

Quotes from your book
Are you writing a book that uses Scripture to inspire and encourage? Pick some quotes to share on memes, and give people a taste of what’s to come in your work in progress. If you mention the title of your book on the meme and it’s not published yet, be sure to put “forthcoming” next to the title. Or you can share quotes that will make them want to check out your book if it’s already published. 

Quotes from your blog posts
I discovered after years of writing that I can quote from my blog posts just like I can from my books. And it worked! A few days after a post has gone live, I have shared a quote on Twitter, and it has received likes and shares. Try it sometime, also sharing the picture from your blog post and a link to the post itself, and see if this helps drive traffic to your post days after it has been live. 

Application from your favorite Bible stories
Think of your favorite Bible stories, and write down takeaway for each one. Narrow that application down to one sentence per story. Put the sentence on a meme, and in parenthesis put the Bible passage that it’s based on. Share these to encourage people and to promote the relevance of Scripture to everyday life. 

Devotional thoughts around ninety words or less
Share a snippet of inspiration such as a prayer, thoughts about Scripture, or a short poem. Varying the types of quotes you put on memes can generate interest in your social media pages and bring people back for more. Share from the heart. See what I did with a sheet music graphic on the Lighthouse Bible Studies Facebook page

What are your top three favorite ideas of the ones listed above? Tell us below, and join the conversation. 

TWEETABLE
Nine Ideas for Scripture-related Memes - @KatyKauffman28 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Using memes to share Scripture is fun and easy - tips from @KatyKauffman28 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Katy Kauffman finds herself writing about life’s spiritual battles more than anything else. She is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations. Her compilation, Heart Renovation: A Construction Guide to Godly Character, was a 2019 Selah Awards finalist and Director’s Choice finalist. Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-God.com, the Arise Dailyblog, PursueMagazine.net, and two blogs on writing. She loves spending time with family and friends, making jewelry, and hunting for the best donuts. Connect with her at her blog, The Scrapbooked Bible Study, and on Facebookand Twitter.

5 comments:

  1. You always share great ideas we can run with Ms. Katy. Thanks ma'am; and God's blessings this day.

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    1. Thanks for saying that, J.D.! God bless you too.

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  2. FANTASTIC ideas, Katy. Thank you soo much for sharing. Blessings ...

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    1. I'm glad you liked the ideas, Peggy! Thank you.

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  3. I like the ideas for topical verses, “go get em” verses, and quotes from blog posts. All of these are helpful suggestions. Thank you, Katy.

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