What's in the Bible: Battle for the Promised Land DVD

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     Phil Vischer, the creator of the VeggieTales phenomenon, has been busy developing some fun and catchy videos and tunes with the brand new, "What's in the Bible?" DVD series.

Phl Vischer

     This new video series has one main purpose:  introduce children to the Old Testament and tie all of the main stories together with biblical history and maps to make it more real to children.

     I would describe the "What's In the Bible?" series as a combination of Vacation Bible School lessons and Sesame Street.  The tunes are fun and catchy; the cartoons, animations, and puppetry are silly and entertaining. 

     While this method of teaching children about the Bible may not be my favorite, it is definitely popular with children.  Children laugh, giggle, listen intently, and sing along when they are presented with material in this type of format. 

     My main concern is that presenting the Holy Scriptures in this format is possibly making the Bible less believable and "real."  However, if the "What's In the Bible?" series is presented alongside a parent's guidance and in-depth Bible teaching over many years, then I don't think that viewing these DVDs will do any harm.  The concern is when parents rely on DVDs and material like this and don't put their hearts into molding, guiding, and shaping their children's faith with anything more than "Sesame Street" formats of Christianity, which will be blasted almost immediately at almost all public and private and even some "Christian" colleges and universities once our children are 18 and older.

     And specifically about the What's In the Bible? series, the content rushes by in each DVD that I've viewed so that it could be overwhelming to some children.  Of course, with numerous viewings of the DVD, I know that children would begin to get the hang of what concepts are being taught.

     Especially if moms and dads aren't used to doing family Bible and worship time together each evening, the "What's in the Bible?" DVD series can be used to jumpstart a family's faith-building program at home.  A basic and general overview of the Old Testament is provided with these DVDs, and each one covers at least several books of the Old Testament.  "What's In the Bible?  Battle for the Promised Land" covers the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. 

     Here is a small portion of what you will find in the "What's In the Bible?" DVD series:

     See?  Catchy, fun, goofy, and silly, yet with a biblical message.  I think that most Christian families will enjoy the What's In the Bible DVD series, although I would recommend using this as a small percentage of your family worship/Bible times together.  Have fun - but continue to guide and direct and teach as one of your primary focuses as a Christian parent!

     What did my girls think of What's In the Bible? Battle for the Promised Land (vol. 4)?

     Kelsi (age 12):  These are fun DVDs to watch, and they are pretty goofy.  I like them, but I also like watching more realistic and historical versions and reenactments of biblical history.  There wasn't anything new on this DVD that we haven't learned together as a family.

     Brittany (age 10):  I love watching these, although there are a couple of things (a character, a song) that drive me batty because they are just weird!  I'd like to watch the rest of the series for fun. 

     If you'd like to know more about the What's In the Bible? Battle for the Promised Land, you can learn more here at www.whatsinthebible.com and www.tyndale.com.

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