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The Bible Project

Thank you for subscribing to our Newsletter.

Every couple of weeks we'll send you a special update with all the newest content we have available�videos, podcasts, blogs, and more.

Plus, you'll also get:
� Our monthly highlights
� Quarterly sneak peeks into what we're planning

Thanks again, and keep an eye out for these updates!
- Tim, Jon, & The Bible Project Team

P.S. To get you started, find out about our awesome Read Scripture posters below.

Poster Library

Check out our library of illustrated posters for each book of the Bible. You can download them and print them on an 8x11 to help you take better notes during reading sessions!

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Our new video, How to Read the Gospel, unpacks the four Gospel accounts. These rich texts offer a biographical look at the life of Jesus and tell the good news that Jesus is the Messiah and the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures.

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Want to dig in more?

Find our latest blog post, Four Tips for Reading the Four Gospel Accounts, on our website. There�s a lot to unpack in these books, and this post is full of useful tips that will help you grasp the full meaning of the Gospel texts. Read the blog post here.

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What does it mean to be God's witnesses?

Our new video, Word Study: Martus - �Witness,� unpacks the meaning and theme of the word witness across the biblical storyline. From the Exodus to Jesus, God has raised up witnesses to help God�s people bear witness to who he is.

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Want to dig in more?

Find more in our latest blog post, Who has God Chosen? We explore the theme of witness by looking at why God chose the family of Abraham, the nation of Israel, and us today to be his witnesses.

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12/03/2019

Join us this Giving Tuesday

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day where people around the world use their resources to help transform communities and give to organizations that are making a significant impact throughout the world.

Our mission is to help more people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. Our main goal has always been to create a library of biblical resources and make them available at no cost. We've been able to do that and expand our library and reach because of supporters around the world. Find out how to support The Bible Project and the exciting things we have in store for 2020 here.

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We�ve come a long way.

When The Bible Project first started five years ago, we thought it would be a small side project. We�d make videos as money came in, and if we were lucky, we�d eventually have a small library of videos.

We never could�ve imagined all of the support and enthusiasm that would come pouring in.

Our library now consists of 146 videos and only continues to grow. Our videos are viewed all over the world with an average of 215,689 daily views across our platforms! 251,619 people have completed our Bible reading plan on YouVersion and people around the world are now beginning to experience our videos in their native languages as we continue our localization efforts.

You can be a part of this project.

When you share a video, give financially, or pray for our team, you become a vital part of this project. You make what we do possible. By partnering with us, you can help more people around the world experience the Bible.

We want to celebrate the accomplishments of the last five years and all the exciting things in store for 2020. Will you join us?

Give Now!

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01/04/2020

Happy New Year!

If your New Year�s resolution is to read through the Bible in 2020, we have some plans that can help.

The Bible Project Newsletter
Sign up for our weekly email where we will remind you each day to watch, read, and pray.

YouVersion Reading Plan
This plan takes you on a chronological journey through the entire Bible over the course of one year. Each book includes videos specifically designed to enhance your understanding and engagement with God's word.

We believe that the Bible is a divine-human book that has profound wisdom for today and leads people to Jesus. Reading and studying the Bible is transformative, yet most of us struggle to make sense of this ancient book. For some people, the Bible can seem like an oppressive book of outdated rules. Or maybe you love the Bible, but you struggle to find the time or energy to make sense of some of its more confusing passages.

We want to help you engage with the Bible, not to add another thing to your to-do list but to help you experience this brilliant work of literary genius in a new way.

You can follow along with our annual reading plan or check out our reading plan in the YouVersion Bible app, where we�ll offer helpful study resources and videos to guide you through the unified story of the Bible.

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Bible App Plan

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More Resources

In 2020, we�re going to keep working hard at expanding our library of videos and resources and continue to produce our podcast.

Spread the Word

In the next year, we will continue focusing on how to serve our growing audience. We will be expanding our localization efforts, forming new partnerships, and engaging with our community of supporters.

New Platforms

We�re experimenting with new platforms and resources in 2020, so that we can provide even more ways for people to experience the story of the Bible. We�re launching free online theology courses and venturing into VR experiences for some of our content.

What are you excited about?

You can partner with us in our 2020 vision and learn more about what we have coming up on our website.

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12/31/2019

2020 is going to be a great year!

There�s still one more day to join us in our vision for 2020. Contributions that come in this month allow us to launch new initiatives and expand our reach. It�s an exciting time to join The Bible Project, and we�d love to have you be a part of what we do.

Visit our website to learn more about how you can get involved here.

Give Today!

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New Video

Jesus preached his message about the arrival of God�s Kingdom through powerful metaphor and storytelling�what we know as the parables. But these stories were meant to do more than just teach. In this video, we explore the main themes in Jesus' parables and ask why he used them as the primary vehicle for his message.

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BibleProject Blog

Making sense of Jesus� parables

Why did Jesus shroud his message through parables? Wouldn�t it have been easier to just say things plainly? Read our latest blog post to dig deeper into these questions and the surprising answer.

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Exploring Sabbath in the biblical storyline.

Our newest video, Sabbath, looks at the rich symbolism of Genesis 1 and traces the pattern of seventh day rest throughout the Bible. It�s easy to miss this pattern when we don�t consider the ancient cultural context of the biblical authors. We see Jesus pick up this same theme as he ushers in a period of Sabbath rest with his resurrection and victory over death.

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Keeping the Sabbath:
Is it Still to Relevant Today?

Check out our newest blog post from guest writer Missy Takano. She looks at what it means for followers of Jesus to remember the Sabbath and how strict observance of the commandment may cause us to miss the point.

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New Video

A New Tree of Life

Throughout history, many have likened the tree of life to a magical tree that imparted eternal life, like many other ancient religious traditions also believed. But the Bible paints a much more complex picture. In our newest video, Tree of Life, we trace the theme of sacred trees throughout Scripture and show how Jesus came to be the new tree of life, restoring God�s plan for humanity and pointing to the future hope of a new Eden.

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BibleProject Blog

Tree of Life: Lost but Not Forgotten

Our newest blog post looks at what happened to the tree of life after the garden. For much of Scripture, it stands as a symbol of humanity�s great loss. But throughout the biblical story, it also becomes a beautiful symbol of hope, pointing to Jesus� sacrifice and the restoration of God�s creation. Dig deeper into this rich biblical theme with our blog post, Tree of Life: Lost but Not Forgotten.

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Process Series

Take a look behind the scenes of BibleProject with our new Process series. Hear from Tim, Jon, and the rest of the team as they discuss everything that goes into the making of our animated videos. In this video, Tim talks about how we choose our video topics. Stay tuned for more videos in our Process series this summer.

Tim, Jon, and the BibleProject team

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Church at Home: Week 8

Way of the Exile

During the past few weeks, we have all experienced loss??loss of hopes or expectations, jobs or stability, and some have even lost loved ones. This is a traumatic time that has left our once familiar world feeling foreign and strange. And in times like these, we may begin to question where God is in all of this. We see God's people ask similar questions throughout the story of the Bible when they found themselves in times of fear and instability.

This week we will ponder the story of Israel's exile in Babylon, when God's people lost everything they knew and loved and were forced into an unfamiliar world. This loss was devastating, but it also made them imagine new ways to be faithful to God and his promises to restore the world. In a similar way, we are all experiencing loss during the COVID-19 crisis, but perhaps there is wisdom and hope for us in these biblical stories of exile and restoration.

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Way of the Exile

Message from Tim

-3:43

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Daniel 1:1-21 Read here
Daniel and his friends are exiled to Babylon and made to serve in Babylon's royal court. They've lost everything they know and love and are forced into an unfamiliar world. Notice the balance they strike between resistance and cooperation, demonstrated by their adherence to the Israelite food-laws. Daniel is willing to serve Babylon, but not when it requires compromise in serving his God.

In what ways do you resonate with the Israelite's experience of losing what they knew and loved? It's okay to be sad and grieve this loss. Take a moment to reflect on how you might honor the loss you've experienced during this time.
Consider the combination of loyalty and subversion displayed by Daniel. Do you see any ways this can be a model for your own life in this time of change?

Jeremiah 29:1-14 Read here
Jeremiah writes a letter to a community of Israelites who were recently exiled to Babylon. He encourages them to settle in and build communities that seek the well-being of their captors. They are to seek peace and harmony not because they've given up, but because of their bold hope that God will rescue them and restore them to the promised land one day.

What resonated most with you in this passage?
Take a moment to reflect on what it means to "settle in" to this time, while still maintaining hope in the future.
What could it look like to extend love to our leaders and the broader culture in this time?

1 Peter 1:1-2 Read here and 2:4-17 Read here
Peter addresses followers of Jesus in the Roman empire, yet he calls them priests of God who are living in exile. He calls them to distance themselves from the value system of their surrounding culture, while at the same time being faithful to God and those around them.

For many of us, our previous way of life has come to a halt. In what ways has your practice of worship and faithfulness to God changed?
Think creatively about what faithfulness to God could look like in this strange new world. How can you connect with God and others and live faithfully in this time?

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Process Series

The Mind of a Researcher

In our latest video from our Process series, we hear from Tim as he talks about devoting your life to research. It's not for everyone, and it takes a certain type of person to obsess over details and keep asking questions.

But lucky for us, Tim loves this work and continues to be fascinated by the story of the Bible. Watch our latest process video.

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Church at Home: Week 7

Biblical Justice

Our world looks entirely different than it did a few weeks ago. As we've all worked together to curb the spread of this virus, all of our lives have been changed, but not to the same degree. Our most vulnerable neighbors are seeing devastating effects from this unprecedented time, and as we look to the Scriptures this week, let's take the time to sit in that reality. How did God see those forgotten by society? How did Jesus care for the widows, the orphans, and the foreigners?

This week's video and Scripture readings focus on the theme of justice in the story of the Bible. In Genesis 1 all humans are appointed to be the image of God and rule the world together on God's behalf. But history has proven that we all find it very difficult to treat each other with sacred dignity, especially in moments of economic crisis. What would it look like to recapture God's passion for justice in our own day?

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Biblical Justice

Message from Tim

-3:55

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Deuteronomy 24:17-24 Read here
In passages like this one, we can see that God deeply cares for the vulnerable--the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. These laws address equality and care for the vulnerable. Notice that the motivation given is, "you used to be slaves in Egypt." In other words, everyone shares this in common.

What stood out to you as you read this passage?
Who are the vulnerable today?
How does recognizing that you have also been redeemed by Jesus impact how you think about yourself and others?

Isaiah 58:1-14 Read here
In this passage, we find that God's people are neglecting the vulnerable in their communities, while continuing in their rhythms of worship (the Sabbath, prayer, and fasting). But what God cares about most is that his people do justice and care for the oppressed in their community.

Did anything in this passage surprise you?
In what ways do we sometimes focus on external practices rather than what matters most to God?
What injustice grieves you the most right now? What do you think God thinks and feels about this?

James 1:26-2:5 Read here
James describes genuine devotion to God as being aware of the needs of vulnerable people in our communities and doing something about it. He talks about how we are easily blind to inequality and sometimes even play a part in it. James actually sees the poor as having a privileged position because they can more easily see their need for God's provision and grace.

Who around you might need support in this crisis?
Where do you find hope when there's injustice in and around us?

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New Video

Unpacking Genesis 1

To better understand the biblical story, we have to recognize the key themes and perspectives presented in Genesis 1. This first chapter sets the stage for the rest of the Bible and reveals God's ideal for his creation. In our latest video, we look at the literary design of Genesis 1 and the ancient understanding of the ordered world. Watch our latest video.

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BibleProject Blog

Creation through the Lens of Ancient Cosmology

"In the beginning God created the heavens and earth." Most of us probably have specific images in our head when we read "heavens" and "earth," but it may not be what the biblical authors had in mind. A wise reading of Genesis 1 requires us to put aside our modern perspective and view the text through the lens of the biblical authors. In our latest blog post, we unpack the ancient cosmology and significance of the creation narrative in Genesis 1. Read Creation Through the Lens of Ancient Cosmology.

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Church at Home: Week 3

In the last few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our entire world. For most of us, this means we can't gather with our local church community. Below you'll find one of our videos, suggested Scripture readings, and some discussion questions to use for yourself or with family and friends.

This week's video and Scripture readings focus on the Gospel of the Kingdom. Sunday, April 5, is Palm Sunday, when we commemorate Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem that kick-starts the series of events leading to his death and resurrection. The sham trial of Jesus and his unjust execution seemed like a tragedy to his friends and family. Yet for Jesus, his death was an expression of the love of God as he entered into our suffering so that he could overcome it. In the story of Jesus, we are invited to see that even the most unwelcome and tragic events cannot thwart God's plan to restore our world.

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Gospel of the Kingdom

Message from Tim

-3:45

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Scripture Reading One: Luke 19:28-48
The people expected Jesus to bring peace and rule as king in a way that they could understand. Jesus grieved over this because he knew they would suffer, and because he longed for them to see him as the true King through the suffering. Like Jesus, it's okay to grieve over shattered expectations and suffering.

Take a moment and express any grief you're feeling over suffering or shattered expectations.
Jesus is the King, despite the way the world looks right now. What questions does that bring up for you? What truths can you rely on at this time?

Scripture Reading Two: Isaiah 52:7-53:12
This passage proclaims that God himself is coming to rescue his people-and this is good news-but it will happen in a surprising way: God's appointed one, the Messiah, will enter into the suffering and death of our world. There's a lot of suffering and pain going on in our world right now. God enters into our suffering. He experiences it personally and is present with us and all those who suffer.

Write down or speak out loud where you see suffering and pain in the world and your community right now.
Now pray or speak out loud these same instances again, taking in the truth that God is present in those situations and suffers with us.

Scripture Reading Three: John 12:12-33
For Jesus, his suffering was the way God's power and love should be shown to the world. The cross shows us that God's ultimate response to human death and suffering was love: to die alongside us and for us, and to overcome death with his resurrection life. This is Jesus' upside-down Kingdom.

What kind of things is Jesus doing for others in this passage?
Jesus calls his followers to do what he does. In what ways specifically can you suffer alongside others, or serve and love others?

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Church at Home: Easter Sunday

Today, followers of Jesus all over the world are celebrating Easter. While many of us are used to going to church on Resurrection Sunday with masses of other believers, we may find ourselves confined at home this year. This should not deter us from celebrating the good news of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Two thousand years ago, Jesus claimed victory over sin and death by rising from the dead. He is our everlasting hope. Even in the midst of trials and trouble, Jesus teaches us to hold on tightly to his victory and celebrate together. As you go into Easter Sunday, know that there are millions of followers of Jesus celebrating his resurrected life today in unison.

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Good Friday & Easter Sunday

Message from Tim

-5:31

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Scripture Reading: Luke 24
For Jesus'' family and friends, the empty tomb and the risen Jesus himself were a shocking surprise. Despite Jesus preparing them for his death and resurrection, they simply couldn''t imagine how Jesus'' death fit into God''s purpose. Luke's resurrection account shows how the only way to embrace the risen Jesus is to let go of our normal ways of viewing the world. Only then can we open ourselves to the surprising power of God's love for our world.

What do you think people expected Jesus to do or be like? How did he surprise them?
What are some of the assumptions you hold about life, God, or your future, that could be keeping you from seeing what Jesus might be up to in your life?

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Our team at BibleProject is made up of artists, animators, Bible nerds, writers, and innovators, but none of what we do would be possible without our amazing audience. Prayer is vital to our work, and we invite you to join us. If you have already been praying for us regularly, thank you!

As we continue to pursue our mission to help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus and expand our vision to reach a global audience, the need for prayer is even more apparent. We believe that prayer is a beautiful expression of faith and a powerful tool by which we can intercede for one another. You can partner with us in prayer by joining our prayer list. Each month, you'll receive an email with a list of our prayer requests, so that you can pray specifically for our work and our audience.

Thank you for being a part of this with us,
BibleProject team

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This year hasn't been easy.

But in the midst of uncertainty, the story of Jesus doesn't change. It's a solid truth beneath our feet and a source of hope for what's to come. We're looking ahead to 2021 and dreaming of all that we can accomplish together.

Join BibleProject

Despite all of the unexpected challenges of this year, God continued to bless BibleProject's work around the world. Every gift we receive this month goes toward our vision for 2021, and you can be a part of what's next. The next chapter is bright-turn the page with us in 2021.

Join BibleProject

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Church at Home: Week 2

In the last few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our entire world. For most of us, this means we can't gather with our local church community. Below you'll find one of our videos, suggested Scripture readings, and some discussion questions to use for yourself or with family and friends.

This week's video and Scripture readings focus on the theme of Sabbath rest in the story of the Bible. The Sabbath is a weekly reminder of God's provision in the past, and it's meant to foster hope in God's plan to restore all creation in the future. Let's allow this biblical theme to give us hope and a new perspective on the instability of our current moment.

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Sabbath Rest

Message from Tim

-4:15

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Scripture Reading One: Genesis 2:1-3

How do you find yourself responding to this unwelcome slowdown of life? What thoughts and emotions do you experience? What fears are you aware of?
God''s rest in Genesis 2 is all about filling a sacred space with his divine presence and celebrating the beauty and abundance of creation. The Sabbath practice is a way for humans to remember God's presence and his ideal purpose for creation. What are some of the simple things you can celebrate or are grateful for? Who can you share that with this week?

Scripture Reading Two: Exodus 16:1-36

To observe Sabbath is to rest from one's work. But work is a good and productive thing throughout Scripture, for example, it is one of the reasons God places the human in the garden of Eden-"to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15). So why would God command a Sabbath rest from work?
The first Sabbath observance takes place in the wilderness in a time of scarcity. God wants Israel not to hoard or try to control, but to trust that he is their true source of provision and life. In what ways do you try to control things in your life or environment that are not in your control? Take a moment to let go of these things and commit to trusting God to provide instead.

Scripture Reading Three: Matthew 11:28-12:14

Jesus says that rest is found in him-specifically in following him or learning from him. What could this rest look like in your own life practically? What brings you life, makes you thrive, and/or allows you to trust and rest in God?
Jesus is not doing away with the concept of Sabbath but was defining what it meant: that the purpose of the Sabbath was mercy, and harmony or wholeness, not legalism. Does this change how you think about resting in the current situation in any way?

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Season Six Recap

Last month we launched the final video in our sixth season of BibleProject videos! We can't thank you enough for supporting this project for another season. Take a look at the Season Six Recap Video to see the videos we released, the series we wrapped, and what we have coming up in season seven. Thank you for making this possible!

Tim, Jon, and the BibleProject team

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Church at Home: Week 10

Ecclesiastes

As we all continue to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the experiences we've all been having is the feeling of losing control. Across nations and neighborhoods, we've all been made helpless before the spread of the virus. Never in such a short amount of time have so many humans been forced to make drastic changes to their lives with work, food, family, and health. If we had any illusions about being in control of our lives, they're long gone by now.

And while this stripping away of control is a painful experience, according to the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, it's one of the best worst things that can happen to us. One of the first steps toward biblical wisdom is a posture of total surrender before God. And nothing helps us get there quicker than losing control of our lives. This kind of loss can also help us rediscover the many simple gifts that God provides every day-if we have eyes to see them. In this week's Church at Home, we'll reflect on Ecclesiastes and ponder its surprising wisdom.

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Ecclesiastes

Message from Tim

-4:23

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Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 Read here
One of the teacher's fundamental frustrations in life is that despite all of the human and natural activity in the world, nothing really ever changes. Sure, humans progress in their understanding and technology, but the basic patterns of nature that determine our existence, weather, geology, and pandemics were in place before us and will endure long after us. All of our daily activities that seem so meaningful will be erased and forgotten. This perspective on the passage of time frustrates our attempts to master life; it's like chasing after the wind.

In what ways do you resonate with what the teacher says and feels in this text?
The teacher's honest evaluation of the human situation is the first step in coming to peace with a confusing world. What do you feel like you need to accept, rather than try to control, in your own life?

Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:12 Read here
If we are honest, the course of human life doesn't work out very well according to a moral logic. Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. And even if we do believe that God is working out some larger plan, from our perspective it seems that death and chance happen to us all. This makes all our attempts to "decode" God's purposes for our world extremely difficult, and the teacher thinks we shouldn't try. Rather, we should learn to accept whatever life brings our way and enjoy the many small gifts when they come, like a good meal, a close friend or spouse, or enjoyable work. These things can be appreciated fully only when we hold them with open hands.

What are you uncomfortable with in this passage? What is comforting?
What are the beautiful things in life that you want to appreciate more? What does it look like to hold these with open hands?

Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 Read here
While the teacher is not optimistic about our ability to understand the ultimate meaning of life, they do want to end on a more clear note. The teacher's words are like pointy sticks ("goads") that hurt when they poke you, but they can move you in the right direction. The teacher's goal is for us to learn how to live and make our decisions from a place of humility before God, trusting that the divine purpose will set all things right one day. And if we feel like we're in the dark until that day comes, it's okay. It's yet another reminder that we are not God, but rather images of God who depend on our creator for hope, meaning, and for life itself.

What in these passages has been most like a "pointy stick," most painful to grapple with?
Since there's so much we can't control and understand, Ecclesiastes instructs us to accept this and live with wisdom and close to God. What would this look like in your own life on a daily basis?

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New Video

How to Read Apocalyptic Literature

Does apocalypse mean the end of the world? Is the Bible some secret code we can crack to predict the end times? In our latest video, we look at the biblical meaning of the word "apocalypse" and how to make sense of apocalyptic passages in the Bible. Reading apocalyptic literature well means looking for biblical design patterns, understanding the ancient context, and reframing our idea of what an apocalypse really is. Learn more in our latest video, How to Read the Bible: Apocalyptic Literature.

How to Read the Bible: Apocalyptic Literature

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BibleProject Blog

Are You Ready for an Apocalypse?

In the Bible, an apocalypse isn't the catastrophic end of the world. It's the revealing of divine perspective, a uniting of heaven and earth that can totally change how we see the world. There's apocalyptic stories all throughout the Bible, and in our latest blog post, we explore these passages and what it means for God's people to have apocalyptic experiences.

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Church at Home: Week 9

Yakhal / Hope

As we all continue to endure the COVID-19 outbreak, it's becoming more difficult to be optimistic that circumstances will change for the better anytime soon. Some communities may begin to return to a new normal, but it's clear that life won't be going back to the way it was for some time. These are challenging times to be an optimist.

But the biblical story invites us into a different way of seeing human history, from a vantage point of hope. In the Bible, hope is about waiting, not for circumstances to change but for God himself. God's character and his promises to rescue and restore our world are the only things that endure from generation to generation. And so the only option we're left with in times of uncertainty is to cultivate the difficult virtue of patient hope in God's promises.

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Yakhal / Hope

Message from Tim

-3:15

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Psalm 62 Read here
David meditates on how, in times of distress and instability, God himself is the only source of hope and rest. Whatever people may be plotting against him, their plans are ultimately temporary and transient. In contrast, God is likened to an unshakable rock to whom David can call upon in his pain and anxiety. So David chooses to simply wait for God to answer with loyal love.

As you read Psalm 62, what brings you the most comfort?
In what ways do you resonate with the idea of being in the midst of chaos but finding rest in God? Take a moment to meditate on the idea of God as a refuge in the midst of chaos.

Lamentations 3:14-33 Read here
Sometimes our distress and anxiety is caused by tragic circumstances that bring loss or humiliation. It is hard not to blame God, or at least get frustrated at him. The poet here grieves over the fact that God has allowed such pain to enter his life, yet he doesn't abandon hope. Rather, he chooses to wait patiently in anticipation for God to answer with loyal love. He trusts that God's apparent absence is not permanent but temporary.

What are some different ways people define or understand hope? What do you think it means to hope?
Reflect on what it means to wait patiently even without evidence that things will get better. What would that look like practically?

Romans 8:18-25 Read here
Paul invites followers of Jesus to see their own suffering and hardship as one expression of the groaning of all creation over death and decay. But for Paul, the resurrection of Jesus as king of the new creation means that all creation will one day be freed and restored. It is only by patient waiting and endurance that this hope becomes life-giving as we wait for the redemption of all creation.

What stands out to you in this passage?
God's past faithfulness motivates hope for the future. What has God done in the world or in your own life that helps you trust and hope in him now?
In what ways does the resurrection of Jesus provide hope for us?

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Biblical Scholarship

Process Series

A lot of research goes into each of our videos, and in the latest video from our Process series, Tim shares one of the most fascinating aspects of the process?the history of biblical scholarship. For thousands of years, scholars and readers from all over the world have been trying to understand the Bible, and now we get to benefit from generations of illuminating thought and conversation as we too try to make sense of the biblical story. Learn more about this important step in our process from our latest Process video, Biblical Scholarship.

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Church at Home: Week 1

In the last few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our entire world. For most of us, this has affected every area of life, including the weekly rhythms of our church, whether that's a small home group or a Sunday worship service. We believe in the local church. Our team at BibleProject wanted to create a resource that could serve families, small groups, and individuals during this unique time.

Every week, you'll find one of our BibleProject videos, along with some suggested Scripture readings that focus on the ideas explored in the video. You'll also see some suggested discussion questions for each Scripture reading that could be used for a group conversation or personal reflection. Feel free to use as much or as little as you''d like, we just wanted to provide some ways to generate Jesus-centered conversations at home.

This week's video and Scripture readings focus on the story of God's generosity in the Bible and what it might look like for us to continue that story in our world today.

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Message from Tim - Generosity

Tim Mackie

-3:49

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Scripture Reading One: Luke 12:22-34

Creation is an expression of God's generous love. Where do you see the generosity of God in the world, your life, or the story of the Bible? What are you most grateful for?
What are you anxious about in your present situation? Reflect on God's love and care and how it might help alleviate your anxiety.

Scripture Reading Two: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

In times of crisis, a "scarcity mindset"-focusing on what you don't have-can easily cause us to cling to worldly goods. Do you experience this? What would you and others around you gain by trusting God's generous love instead?
This passage includes a special command to the rich to be generous. While we might not be rich in wealth, we have all been given gifts that we can share with others, whether our time, care, prayer, resources, etc. Reflect on what specifically you can share and with whom.

Scripture Reading Three: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

In this passage, Paul says that becoming rich is found in Jesus. What does this mean? Is Paul talking about worldly wealth or something else?
The Macedonians are presented as a positive example of a group that joyfully gave in the midst of trial and poverty. As a group, they made a huge impact. How can the groups you're part of do something meaningful in this time?

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Church at Home: Week 5

Over the last couple months, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted our entire world. For most of us, this means we can't gather with our local church community, so here's something that could help: below you'll find one of our videos, suggested Scripture readings, and some discussion questions to use for yourself or with family and friends.

The Scripture readings and BibleProject video for this week's Church at Home will focus on the theme of the Water of Life. We'll look at moments where God meets his people out in the desert, where all of life's comforts and securities have been stripped away. These times are scary, but they also hold immense potential for our lives and our values to be transformed by God's generosity and grace.

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Water of Life

Message from Tim

-5:00

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Read & Discuss

Scripture Reading One: Jeremiah 2:1-13
Jeremiah accuses the Israelites of trusting in false gods and false sources of life, depicted as broken cisterns that don't hold water well (and ultimately can't give them what they need).

Who or what do you turn to when you are anxious and uncertain? What are some powerful self-made sources of stability you tend to trust in your own life?
Take a moment to reflect on how all of life is dependent on God's power and generosity. Does this understanding change how you view those self-made sources of stability? What would it look like for you to choose to trust God's generosity, rather than your own "broken cisterns"?

Scripture Reading Two: Isaiah 43:16-21 & Isaiah 44:1-5
In the past, God delivered his people by the Exodus through the sea and then provided water in the wilderness. The "new thing" God will do to deliver his people is to provide a better water in the wilderness-his own Spirit-which will allow people to truly flourish.

In what ways do you resonate with the image of living in a dry and desolate desert? What kind of "water" or relief do you find yourself longing for?
Is your current connection with God satisfying to you? Set aside some time to share your feelings about your current circumstances with God or trusted others.

Scripture Reading Three: John 4:1-26 & John 7:37-39
Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that the well water gives short-term life that cannot ultimately quench our thirst. He is offering water that never runs dry and generates eternal life. In John 7 we find out that this water is the Spirit.

What are the places in your life where nothing seems to satisfy or quench your thirst? What do you think it would look like for God's Spirit to be like living water in those areas of your life?
How does it affect you to know that Jesus is offering water that never runs dry--eternal life in the Spirit?

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We've redesigned our website, and one of the things we're most excited about is a brand new way to watch BibleProject videos. Our new Watch experience will allow you to view our videos alongside relevant resources and extra materials that will take your learning to the next level.

Take a Look

We hope that this feature will be one more way for you to experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. We can't wait for you to try it out.

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Church at Home: Good Friday

Good Friday marks a time for followers of Jesus to reflect on his sacrificial death. For over two thousand years, Christians have annually retold the story of Jesus' final Passover meal with his friends, his arrest and execution, and then his resurrection from the dead. It's a story bursting with good news about the love of God that can give us courage in times of uncertainty, and hope in the face of death.

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Good Friday & Easter Sunday

Message from Tim

-5:31

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Read & Discuss

Scripture Reading One: Luke 22
Jesus courageously entered into suffering and death, trusting that God's purpose would be fulfilled through his self-giving love. The deep faith of Jesus, as well as the failure of his closest friends, offer us a mirror for self-reflection as we face our own time of testing and crisis.

How is this time of hardship revealing the things you believe and value, both positive and negative?
What could it look like to trust God's self-giving love in this time of crisis?

Scripture Reading Two: Luke 23
Jesus is executed by religious and political leaders who treat him as a pawn in the power games of their institutions.

What do you notice about Jesus' words and actions during this intense scene?

Jesus treats every person he meets with respect, offering kindness and comfort to others even as he is being executed.

Where are the places around you that you sense injustice and selfishness? How can you extend mercy to those places, whether in your own heart, thoughts, or actions?

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The Habit of Open-Mindedness

Process Series

In our latest video from our Process Series, we talk about how important it is to set aside our assumptions about the world when reading the Bible and instead work to understand what the biblical authors were actually trying to communicate.

When we cultivate a habit of open-mindedness when studying the Scriptures, there is endless discovery over a lifetime of reading available to all of us. Learn more about this important step in our process from our latest process video.

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New Video

Unpacking Exodus 34:6-7

This passage in Exodus is the most quoted and referenced text in the Bible. It's only two verses, but its literary design and context within the story of the Bible communicate key ideas about God's character. In our latest video, we take a close look at this important passage and understand how all of God's actions - even his justice and punishment - are rooted in loyal, covenant love.

Watch now

BibleProject Blog

The Sins of Our Fathers

Exodus 34:6-7 is a beautiful passage, describing God as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and overflowing with love. But the last part of the passage is more difficult to interpret. What does it mean for God to "bring the iniquities of the fathers upon the children and grandchildren?" Does God punish children for the sins of their parents? Not exactly. In our latest blog post, The Sins of our Fathers, we focus on this statement to get to the root of generational accountability and God's love for his people.

Read it now

Watch on YouTube

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Ready to turn the page?

Experience the story of Jesus like never before with a reading plan from BibleProject. Reflect on major themes in Scripture as you read through the entire Bible in one year.

Sign up for our weekly email, where you'll find passages to read, a video to watch, and thought-provoking questions.

Start Weekly Email Plan

You can also follow along with our reading plan on YouVersion. This plan takes you on a journey through the entire Bible over the course of one year with resources to deepen your understanding of Scripture.

Start YouVersion Plan

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Introducing Reflections

Reflections is a new way to experience the story of Jesus and meet with God. When your hands aren't free to open your Bible, listen in and reflect while you go about your day. Each episode includes a short message from one of our Bible scholars, a narration of a Scripture passage, and a time to pause in reflection and response.

Reflections is also the perfect companion to our one-year reading plan. It allows you to study smaller passages while staying on track with the reading plan. This resource is all about going deeper in your study of Scripture and thinking through the real-life applications of biblical wisdom.

As we reflect on the brilliant story that leads to Jesus, our lives will begin to reflect that same brilliance.

Subscribe to Reflections on your podcast player of choice and learn more at our website.

Learn More

We make animated explainer videos about the Bible. Watch them on YouTube.

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Good News of Great Joy

Jesus was Israel's long-awaited Messiah, but nothing about his arrival was expected. He was born in a dirty feeding trough to a teenage girl and welcomed by lowly shepherds. But God used these humble circumstances to bring his Kingdom to earth, and it turned the whole world order upside-down.

Jesus' birth was a light in the darkness, a glimmer of hope for the fullness of a Kingdom yet to come. And even now, despite tragedy and human failing, God continues to bring about his Kingdom on earth. That's good news worth celebrating, isn't it?

We hope that whatever your Christmas looks like this year, you can find peace in the story of Jesus-the savior no one expected but who changed everything.

Watch "Luke 1-2"

Take time to reflect by watching our video The Birth of Jesus - Gospel of Luke Ch. 1-2. If you want to dig deeper, you can check out our latest Bible Study on Luke 1-2.

We're so thankful for your support throughout this year, and we hope that this season can be a time of rest, reflection, and great joy.

-Tim, Jon, and the BibleProject team

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