Review of The Visual Bible Series
with Outlines
(attached)

Overall rating: Thumbs up for certain scenes in each DVD.

Includes:

• The Visual Bible: Matthew (2 Dvds)
• The Visual Bible: Acts (2 Dvds)
• The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John
  
  

The MATTHEW DVD from Visual Bible features Bruce Marciano portraying Jesus with an American accent. Sometimes called "the laughing Jesus," Marciano's portrays Jesus as eager, happy, and personable. He is seen hugging and laughing. This portrayal is off-putting to some adults who want a more "stately" or "English" Jesus, but kids really seem to respond to Marciano's Jesus in the MATTHEW DVD. A narrator provides the "word for word" reading when Jesus or others are not speaking. Chapter and verse appear on screen as the movie progresses.  There are preview copies on YouTube people have posted. Be sure to purchase a copy if you're going to teach with it. Here's one link to a preview copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf9jWonGL74

The GOSPEL of JOHN DVD from Visual Bible features a more "typical movie Jesus" with an English accent and spiritual tone. Of course, unlike the other Gospels, the Gospel of John is full of "Jesus speeches," and thus, some of the DVD's material will be a little too thick and obtuse for children (it depends on the scene/story you are showing). A narrator provides the "word for word" reading when Jesus or others are not speaking. There are preview copies on YouTube people have posted. Be sure to purchase a copy if you're going to teach with it. Here's one link to a preview copy: https://youtu.be/47OkuvT5JFo

The ACTS DVD from Visual Bible feels more like a reverent TV mini-series of the Book of Acts. It does a good job of dramatizing many of Acts scenes, chapter by chapter. Chapter and verse appear on screen as the movie progresses. A narrator provides the "word for word" reading when Jesus or others are not speaking.There are preview copies on YouTube people have posted. Be sure to purchase a copy if you're going to teach with it. Here's one link to a preview copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezC9qyBRBV4

Note: A Chapters Breakdown of each of the above titles is attached to this post, see below.

Also, included is the chapter breakdown for the shortened movie version of Acts above, which is on one DVD broken into two parts "Falling Fire" and  "The Passion." Provided by Luanne Payne.

Review of "The Visual Bible for Kids"
(now out of print but still in circulation)

Overall rating: "ok"

The Visual Bible for Kids DVDs are edited versions of The Visual Bible: Matthew and The Visual Bible: Acts, -inter-spliced with scenes of children who are "learning" the stories. Produced by Thomas Nelson but now OUT OF PRINT. Only available on VHS. (Viewable at YouTube.com). The intent was to make the Visual Bible material more palatable for younger kids with shorter attention spans, and include "what it means." The results are uneven. Some scenes are better than others.

Titles in this now-defunct series:

• The Story Behind the Cross - Used in a lesson here. Rated for ages 6+, is somewhat graphic
• The Great Storyteller - Rated for ages 7-12. Stories told are: Ten Lepers, Feeding 5000, Calming the Storm, Walks on Water.
• The Birth of Jesus
• The Story You Can Believe In - Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus
• The Great Escape - Peter and Paul freed from prison by a miracle, Paul surviving a shipwreck
• The Stories of Jesus - stories include when Jesus spoke about children, and when he showed strong emotion such as anger, and sadness. (Not recommended for young children).