As I prepare another Sunday Chapel Time Bible study for my church here in Japan, it’s occurred to me that I should share my favorite resource for learning about the Bible (aside from the Bible, of course).  The BibleProject. 

What is BibleProject?

The BibleProject is a nonprofit animation studio, founded by Timothy Mackie, a long-time pastor, and Jonathan Collins, BibleProject’s creative director. With Tim’s biblical knowledge and Jon’s passion for visual storytelling, BibleProject was born.

It’s my all-time favorite resource for understanding the Bible as a whole. They create easy-to-understand videos that summarize all the books of the Bible, as well as several other video series, including word studies and themes throughout the Bible. I always return to the BibleProject when I’m teaching from a new book in the Bible, or teaching a difficult theme in class when I do Bible time. 

The website itself is wonderful for finding their videos (which are also available on their YouTube channel). But now the BibleProject is providing even more forms of media to learn about God’s Word. 

Podcasts

If you’re more into listening passively than watching a video, you can check out their podcast, The BibleProject Podcast, where founders Tim and Jon discuss the theology behind many of their BibleProject videos. Tim also has his own personal podcast, Exploring My Strange Bible, which serves as an anthology of all his lectures, sermons, and teachings throughout the years.

Both podcasts can be found on the BibleProject website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. 

Blog

If reading is more your game, then BibleProject’s blog is ideal for reading deep and detailed questions about the Bible. Written by several different members of BibleProject’s team, as well as guest authors, the blog fills a different niche, where you can read about the…tough questions that the Bible raises.

The Read Scripture App

I love, love, LOVE the Read Scripture app by the BibleProject. I will fully admit that there are several parts of the Bible that I have never read. I want to, but it always feels so daunting. Like, where do I even start? I’ve tried several plans that have you read the Bible in one year, but it never quite clicked for me. Until now…

BibleProject’s app breaks down the Bible into reasonable chunks that include one of their many videos, the passage, as well as a psalm. Having the video helps me understand what I’m going to be reading about in that section’s passage, and the psalm is a grounding way to end the reading with meditation and prayer. 

The app itself is also really well-designed. Filled with BibleProject’s signature animation and neutral undertones, it’s visually appealing, and completely user-friendly.

Video Study Notes

Now, the 5-10 minute videos are wonderful, but it’s so much information in such a short time. How on earth can you possibly remember all of it? That’s where the video study notes come in handy. 

The study guides are great for reinforcing what you learned in the videos and serving as an easy reference point when reviewing different themes and ideas.

Classroom Beta

And finally, BibleProject’s newest project is its “Classroom Beta” program. As the name suggests, it is in the beta stages still, so it hasn’t been officially launched yet. But BibleProject’s “Classroom” program is intended to be an online learning program, where Tim Mackie will lead and teach seminary-level courses on the Bible.

The classes will not count as graduate credit, but the depth of information is meant to match the quality found in graduate classes. It’s a free learning opportunity for church and ministry leaders to deepen their understanding of the Bible as a unified story so that they may better teach and minister to others.

Right now, the beta version offers one course, “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.” You can take the prep class if you’re a beginner and just starting out, or you can take the full class if you feel you have enough background information on the topic. BibleProject is in the final beta stage before launching, so helpful feedback is requested and appreciated. 

BibleProject’s Classroom program will fully launch later this year.

Now Go Study (& Support) BibleProject!

BibleProject is an excellent resource for seasoned or beginner Bible readers of all interests and learning styles. But they are not without their needs.

If you find that you love BibleProject just as much as I do, I would encourage you to help fund their work and future projects. They are 100% crowdfunded, which means that they rely entirely on donations. This is how they keep all their resources free. You can donate as little as $5, or as much as you desire—one time or monthly.

If you want to see BibleProject continue to create new videos, resources, and help speople all around the world better understand the Word of God, any donations, while not required, are appreciated and valued.