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This is the seventh in a series of articles on Bible reading.
The previous article in this series discussed getting more from familiar Bible passages. One such passage is Matthew 7:24-27, where Jesus says that a wise man builds his house upon rock and not sand.
Jesus's audience was very familiar with the sandy soil in the region around the Sea of Galilee. During the dry and hot summer, that soil would become hard-baked, almost like concrete. So, if you built a house on that soil in the summer, you would have a solid base for it.
When winter rains came, however, the baked sand could dissipate in a flash, causing everything on it to collapse. To have a secure foundation for his home year-round, a man would have to dig below the sandy surface until he reached volcanic rock.
One way to gain a better understanding of the context of Jesus's teachings, as well as the events documented in the Old and New Testaments, is to spend time in the parts of the world where Jesus taught and the events took place. Unfortunately, most of us won't spend much, if any, time there.
But videos can bring us closer.
Making history fun
A little over 20 years ago, Jim Fitzgerald's son came home from his Christian school and told his dad that Bible class was "boring." Fitzgerald, who had helped to fund the production of a few documentaries, decided to start a media company, ColdWater Media, that would produce excellent videos with a Christian worldview.
A few years later, ColdWater joined forces with Dave Stotts to create a show that would teach history and "make it fun." The result is Drive Thru History with Dave Stotts®. Episodes of the show – which are aimed at children but informative and engaging for adults – are grouped into series that cover topics in biblical and non-biblical history. There are non-biblical series on Western Civilization, early American history, and the spread of Christianity around the world.
Biblical series are:
· Holy Land (12 episodes): visits to the sites of major events in the Old and New Testaments, including Egypt, the Jordan River, Jericho, the Valley of Elah (David and Goliath), the caves of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, the Mount of Olives, and the Garden of Gethsemane
· The Gospels (18 episodes): the story of Jesus from over 50 locations recorded in the four Gospels
· Acts to Revelation (18 episodes): the stories of Peter, James, Philip, Stephen, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and John told on location in Israel, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Rome, Patmos, and locations in Asia Minor
According to Fitzgerald, the Drive Thru History team has visited, and presents on video, nearly every location mentioned in the New Testament. The team drove 1,000 miles across Turkey to cover sites visited by the Apostle Paul and other early Christians.
Many show episodes can be streamed on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). All episodes, along with associated curricula and other resources (geared for middle schoolers and up), are available on the Drive Thru History®Adventures site. That site also includes the Bible Backroads show, a "Bible teaching tool for churches, schools, and families." Each series in the show has six episodes for a New Testament book or set of books (such as 1 and 2 Corinthians). Sixteen series are available or planned.
Bringing biblical sites to life
Another media company that uses video to present biblical settings and events in a captivating way is Appian Media.
The impetus for Appian was a conversation between Stuart Peck and Craig Dehut, two video production professionals. The pair agreed that young people were becoming disengaged with the Bible because they rarely saw high-quality, accurate videos on the Bible. After crowdfunding enough money to create five episodes of a documentary series on the places where Jesus lived and conducted his ministry, Peck and Dehut launched Appian as a not-for-profit in 2016.
To date, Appian has produced three documentary series for adults:
1. Following the Messiah (10 episodes): the lands, history, and culture of the life of Jesus
2. Searching for a King (5 episodes): the sites of events in the books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel
3. Trial & Triumph: Revelation's Seven Churches: a two-hour documentary on the cities of the seven "Revelation churches" and the impact of the Bible's final book on Christians today
A fourth documentary series on the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land is in post-production. When it is released, that series – like other Appian offerings – will be available for free on the Appian website and YouTube.
Check out previous articles in the series:
· Why We Struggle to Read the Bible Regularly
· Developing a Daily Bible Reading Habit
· What to Read during a 3-Month Bible Challenge
· Enhance Your Bible Reading with The Bible Project
· How to Get More from Familiar Bible Passages
 | Chris Bolinger is the author of three men’s devotionals – 52 Weeks of Strength for Men, Daily Strength for Men, and Fuerzas para Cada Día para el Hombre – and the co-host of the Throwing Mountains podcast. He splits his time between northeast Ohio and southwest Florida. Against the advice of medical professionals, he remains a die-hard fan of Cleveland pro sports teams. Find him at mensdevotionals.com. Learn More » |
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