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Did you know…the Bible is made up of 66 books; it was written on 3 continents in 3 languages by more than 40 authors, most of whom never met one another; and it was written over a span of about 1,500 years. What’s so mind-blowing is that, in spite of these facts, the Bible is ONE UNIFIED STORY. We tend to think of the Bible as a series of self-contained stories that offer life lessons and principles by which to live. But that’s way, way off. Rather, it’s a unified narrative that begins in Genesis and continues through Revelation. The individual books should be thought of as chapters in a novel or scenes in a movie that drive a single, solitary plot.

This is not your typical Bible course. Our approach is different. You will be learning a story. You will watch as God unveils His plan in Genesis, and then executes His plan with each turn of the page. You will even see a “YOU ARE HERE” marker that identifies where you fit into the story as current day believer. Watch the video to learn more.

“Why do we even need the Old Testament? I mean, Jesus didn’t show up until Matthew, so what’s the point of those old writings?” Well, it turns out that our understanding of whom Jesus is hinges entirely on our understanding of the Old Testament. The Old Testament reveals God’s plan to send the Promised One (Jesus) through the nation of Israel. The history of Israel is explained in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  And the story continues until it arrives at the New Testament with the appearance of Jesus the Christ. The plot unfolds in the four gospels, Acts, many epistles (letters), and culminates in Revelation. In this video, Dr. Klingler helps us understand how the books of the Bible are ordered and how that order has purpose in telling the story.

“What is the best Bible translation to use?” “How can I trust that the Bible was translated correctly?” Most of us have wrestled with these questions.

The number of printed English translations of the Bible today is nearly 900! And no single translation perfectly captures every idea that was written in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic. In this video, Dr. Klingler helps navigate the maze of different Bible translations, comparing strengths and weaknesses. The best translation often depends on the verse in question. And while no single translation is perfect, some are better than others.

Ready to pick up some speed on this journey? It’s about to get good. This video takes you through the chronological narrative from Genesis to Revelation. We challenge the common method of hopping between books and chapters arguing that it can lead to confusion and misunderstanding. Instead, we advocate for reading the Bible as a continuous, unified story. Start at the beginning (Genesis), move through the middle, and follow through to the end (Revelation). You wouldn’t read a novel or watch a movie out of sequence, so why would you do so with the Bible?

We explore how each book serves as a stepping stone to the next, building a grand narrative. We focus on the importance of God’s chosen people, Israel, and how their story ties into the overarching plot. We discuss how the Old Testament serves as a backbone, providing context for the New Testament gospels and epistles. And we emphasize again that it’s critical to read the Bible just like you would a story, from beginning to end. Click play and get ready to roll.

Did you notice that the Bible contains different types of literary genres? These include narrative literature, poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic literature, epistles (letters), and apocalyptic literature. Why did the authors use these different genres, and how do they work to communicate divine truth? The next video will help answer these questions.

Are you ready to explore the fascinating world of storytelling? We're pulling apart the narrative threads of three classic stories, Little Blue Truck, Green Eggs and Ham, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Examining the elements of these simple stories (characters, plot, conflict, etc) will help us identify similar elements in the story of the Bible. Who is the main character in the Bible and why? What problem is presented and who must solve it? What conflicts are present in the story? Is there important symbolism that needs to be identified? Answering these key questions is critical to our comprehension of the story line.

We promise that after watching this video, you’ll see the story of the Bible in a whole new light. We begin with the creation of heaven and earth. Then God creates Adam and Eve to act as image-bearers, to rule over creation by valuing what God values and by acting on His behalf. But the serpent deceives them and they rebel against God by doing what was is right in their own eyes. This rebellion is the problem that drives the rest of the story. There will now be enmity (conflict) between the seed of the woman (those who desire what the woman desires) and the seed of the serpent (those who desire what the serpent desires). We’ll watch this enmity play out through each scene of the story.

Thankfully, God is sovereign and has a plan to fix the problem. In Genesis 3:15 He promises to send a true Image-Bearer that will one day crush the serpent and restore the order that He originally set up in the garden. So beginning in Genesis, the whole story of the Bible is looking for this Promised One to come on the scene and fix the mess. Each time a character shows up in the Old Testament, we should be wondering, “Is this the One?”

By the end of this video we hope you will see the Bible as a single, unified story—a story that is inviting and compelling and one in which YOU have a special place. Stay tuned to hear about the Bible in a Year plan that will guide you through the entire Bible in 52 sessions via our podcast. So strap in, hang on, and click play.