AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
Above, The 10 Minute Bible Journey
December 2017 – New Scripture aids help kids, parents get the big picture
The 10 Minute Bible Journey
Most Christian parents feel the desire to read Scripture to and with their children. Dale Mason, executive editor of Answers Magazine and a vice president at Answers in Genesis, has provided them with a tool to help children see and understand the Bible from a broad perspective.
The 10 Minute Bible Journey: The Big Picture of Scripture in 52 Quick Reads tells the story of the Bible with compelling graphics and quick summaries. Not every book gets a reading, but there is a plan in the back of the book that walks readers through the entire Bible chronologically.
Each chapter contains a summary of a book or narrative episode, primary passages, a key verse, and a wrap up in the form of a prayer. Chapter headings also include an approximate date of events, giving readers a chronological context. For example, the events surrounding Noah building the ark occurred 2424-2349 B.C.; the book of Ruth happened around 1175-1165 B.C. A five-panel foldout chart offers a “Creation to Forever” overview of time.
The end of the book contains numerous endnotes for each reading. In addition, it notes the digital copy has over 1,000 endnotes that are hyperlinked and searchable. The 10 Minute Bible Journey is available at physical and online booksellers.
Teddy James
The Biggest Story ABC
From Kevin DeYoung, author of The Biggest Story – a gospel retelling of the biblical narrative from Genesis to Revelation – comes The Biggest Story ABC, a colorfully illustrated board book version for toddlers and preschoolers. The Biggest Story ABC uses each letter of the alphabet to introduce the gospel story. Not only does it reinforce alphabet learning; more than that, it introduces young children to the Word of God and the ways of God.
The Biggest Story ABC is available at retail and online booksellers.
Rebecca Davis
Exploring the Bible
Join David Murray as he takes children on a daily journey through the Bible. Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids is designed to provide guidance and structure to children ages 6-12 as they learn to read the Bible daily. The author is a professor of Old Testament and practical theology.
The book contains 52 lessons, one for each week of the year. Each weekly lesson is broken down into daily Bible reading passages and related questions. Space is provided to write responses and take sermon notes.
Over the course of a year, Exploring the Bible will help little minds and hearts “see the overarching story of God’s Word” and lay “the foundation for a lifetime of discovering truths about God, humanity, and the gospel.”
Exploring the Bible is available at retail and online booksellers. (See related article on here.)
Rebecca Davis
New study Bibles show centrality of Christ through Scripture
Everyone who’s read the Bible is accustomed to words spoken by Jesus appearing in red in the New Testament. In the Jesus-Centered Bible, editors Rick Lawrence and Ken Castor have gone a creative step further and added the color blue to about 700 prominent Old Testament texts that point to Jesus. Blue sidebars explain each connection with contextual and theological background written by a team of ministry professors from across the nation.
The Jesus-Centered Bible, in New Living Translation, is simple enough for a young person or new believer, while also deep enough to capture the interest of mature believers.
By highlighting the Old Testament passages that foreshadow Jesus, it helps readers see the unity of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation.
A newer release of the Word, The Jesus Bible brings new light to the Scriptures with more than 1,000 inspiring and insightful articles by contemporary leaders such as Louie Giglio, Max Lucado, John Piper, Ravi Zacharias, Randy Alcorn, and others. The reader is steered along a journey of finding and experiencing the eternal, living Jesus across the pages of all 66 books of Scripture.
The Jesus Bible has ample room for personal notes alongside study notes.
Both Bibles are available at online and retail bookstores.
Anne Reed
Everything We Need
Author Ginger Millermon has encountered her share of heartaches and struggles in her walk with Christ. In her book, Everything We Need: His Strength for Our Journey, she juxtaposes her real-life difficulties with similar trials and tribulations encountered by well-known Bible characters.
With clarity, transparency, and humor, Millermon uses scriptural accounts to infuse life-giving faith into everyday struggles. Even when doctors hopelessly advised the removal of their preemie son from life support, Millermon’s story displays God-given strength and hope.
Millermon does not extend glib, pat answers for life’s troubles. Instead, the empathy she offers plots a path straight to God’s abundant provision. And throughout the chapters, Millermon inserts timely Scriptures, poems, hymns, and quotations to emphasize God’s direction and provision in the midst of life’s trials.
At the end of her book, Millermon includes discussion questions for each chapter.
Available at gingermillermon.com.
Joy Lucius
God’s Prophetic Voices to America
In this eclectic collection, Dr. David Reagan salutes 13 people who have had immeasurable impact on our culture over the past 75-80 years. In a sobering prologue, he gives a short history of the Humanist Manifestos – I, II, and III – published respectively in 1933, 1973, and 2003. He then analyzes their impact: “The pernicious anti-God philosophy-religion of Humanism is what has come to dominate Western civilization, including the U.S.”
Among nine living voices, God’s Prophetic Voices includes Don Wildmon, Franklin Graham, and AFR teaching show hosts Jan Markell, David Jeremiah, and Robert Jeffress.
Reagan is founder and director of Lamb & Lion Ministries, a prophecy ministry based in McKinney, Texas. Books are available at lamblion.com or 972-736-3567.
Randall Murphree
Good Advent season reads
The Christmas Dance
In The Christmas Dance, author Kay Horner uses extended metaphors of dance and song to chronicle the story of the Bible. She also likens each portion of the biblical narrative as mere prelude to the ultimate story of Christ.
From Adam and Eve to Paul and Silas, the salvation story plays out on the pages of this gift-sized devotional book, as readers meet characters and learn of their role in this epic dance. For example, Jocabed, the mother of Moses, seemed a most unlikely dance partner, living as an Egyptian slave. Yet, her bravery and forethought later enabled her children to sing the song of freedom and joyfully dance on the other side of the Red Sea.
With short devotions and space for journaling, Horner bids readers to “encounter the Singer, listen for the song, and engage in the dance.” The Christmas Dance is available at retail and online booksellers.
Joy Lucius
Come Let Us Adore Him
Come Let Us Adore Him is a daily devotional reading for the Advent season to be read each day in December. Written by best-selling author Paul David Tripp, the daily readings are three to four pages in length and include a Scripture passage for further study as well as questions and activities to be discussed and applied by the readers.
Come Let Us Adore Him can be used by individuals or families during family worship time. It is available at retail and online booksellers.
Rebecca Davis
Christmas music that hits all the right chords
Rejoice in Hope by The Foto Sisters
▶ 10 classic Christmas hymns and songs in a small instrumental setting that features violin, viola, cello, piano, sax, and vocals.
▶ Neo-classical style with a touch of jazz and folk music. Tasteful and interesting arrangements that always highlight the melody.
▶ Flawlessly performed.
▶ Highlights include “Breath of Heaven” and “Sweet Little Jesus Boy.”
▶ Perfect Christmas music for those with traditional tastes.
▶ Available at thefotosisters.com
God with Us by Laura Story
▶ 10 Christmas songs including familiar carols and original compositions.
▶ Highlights include “Behold, the Lamb of God” and “I Lift My Eyes”
▶ Strong gospel content blends with contemporary production.
▶ An excellent effort with a worshipful and reverent focus on the incarnation.
▶ Available in DVD or download at online and retail stores.
Beautiful Gift by Ginger Millermon
▶ Eclectic collection of carols, hymns.
▶ Two original songs – “What Makes Christmas?” and “Sacrificial Lamb” – extol the gift of a spotless lamb.
▶ “In the Bleak Midwinter” is a poignant postlude for the project.
▶ Millermon’s young daughter’s angelic voice is a perfect compliment for Christmas lyrics.
▶ Available at gingermillermon.com.
CAUTION
The Stray
Based on a true story, The Stray is about a stray dog’s impact on the lives of the Davis family. It had the potential to be a heartwarming family film, but falls short with an implied profanity, potty humor, and a heavy disrespect for adults. Most concerning is the attempt to insert elements of faith while idolizing the musician Cat Stevens, a devout Muslim.
Rebecca Davis
