Tom Meyer recites the Bible's Book of Revelations for a crowd of more than 30 people Sunday night at Imperial Community Church. (Chelcey Adami) |
IMPERIAL — Tom Meyer’s voice boomed throughout Imperial Community Church on Sunday night as he recited word for word the Bible’s Book of Revelations from memory.
Meyer, 35, performs the unique skill as a profession through Wordsower Ministries which helps support orphanages in West Africa, India and Haiti on a love offering basis, Meyer said.
More than 30 people came to see Meyer perform Sunday. Imperial Community Church parishioner Frances Eager said she had seen Meyer perform before.
“It’s dynamic. It’s mesmerizing. To think that he memorized all this,” she marveled.
Born and raised in the Chicago area, Meyer spent the past four years in Israel as a student.
He said he learned memorization techniques from a variety of cultures including the Bedouins in the desert and Christian monks living in the wilderness there.
They taught him memorization methods of oral repetition, reading and writing.
It took him a full year to memorize word for word the entire book of Revelations, which takes him about an hour to recite. He said writing memorization methods work best for him.
“By writing it out, you’re using your mind, eye, mouth and hand together,” he said.
Less than 10 people like Meyer work for Wordsower Ministries and travel around reciting the Bible.
“We’re kind of like modern day Bible nomads,” he said.
Meyer and his wife have been in 18 states in about five months. After Imperial, they will travel to Santa Clarita, then Illinois and Indiana in the next few weeks.
Meyer’s performances are booked deep into next year already.
He also performs to encourage others to read the Bible and try memorization themselves, he said.
“God tells us that those who want to follow it (the Bible) hide it in their heart,” he said. “You can live a more dedicated and better Christian life.”
He said he tries to create the feeling that the author of whichever Bible passage he’s reciting is speaking to the audience, at times using costume as well.
Meyer is also a professor at Shasta Bible College in Redding.
“I thought it was amazing that someone would devote their life to memory of the Scripture,” Imperial Community Church Senior Pastor Albert Sanchez said. “What better example for us than someone like him who dedicated himself like that.”
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
Meyer, 35, performs the unique skill as a profession through Wordsower Ministries which helps support orphanages in West Africa, India and Haiti on a love offering basis, Meyer said.
More than 30 people came to see Meyer perform Sunday. Imperial Community Church parishioner Frances Eager said she had seen Meyer perform before.
“It’s dynamic. It’s mesmerizing. To think that he memorized all this,” she marveled.
Born and raised in the Chicago area, Meyer spent the past four years in Israel as a student.
He said he learned memorization techniques from a variety of cultures including the Bedouins in the desert and Christian monks living in the wilderness there.
They taught him memorization methods of oral repetition, reading and writing.
It took him a full year to memorize word for word the entire book of Revelations, which takes him about an hour to recite. He said writing memorization methods work best for him.
“By writing it out, you’re using your mind, eye, mouth and hand together,” he said.
Less than 10 people like Meyer work for Wordsower Ministries and travel around reciting the Bible.
“We’re kind of like modern day Bible nomads,” he said.
Meyer and his wife have been in 18 states in about five months. After Imperial, they will travel to Santa Clarita, then Illinois and Indiana in the next few weeks.
Meyer’s performances are booked deep into next year already.
He also performs to encourage others to read the Bible and try memorization themselves, he said.
“God tells us that those who want to follow it (the Bible) hide it in their heart,” he said. “You can live a more dedicated and better Christian life.”
He said he tries to create the feeling that the author of whichever Bible passage he’s reciting is speaking to the audience, at times using costume as well.
Meyer is also a professor at Shasta Bible College in Redding.
“I thought it was amazing that someone would devote their life to memory of the Scripture,” Imperial Community Church Senior Pastor Albert Sanchez said. “What better example for us than someone like him who dedicated himself like that.”
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
