Jesus is beautiful. Connect with His story.
The Bible is a collection of ancient manuscripts that tell a timeless story pointing to Jesus. No matter where you’re at in your faith - totally new and filled with questions, a long-term Christian looking for reinvigoration, excited to learn and grow, or anywhere in-between - we want to help you along your journey. With that in mind, there are many great resources we could list, but we’ve created a guide for you with lots of practical advice and curated some of our favorite free content that we think may help.
Resources in This Guide:
The Story of Jesus
For Beginners
Get Started with the Bible
Bible Reading Best Practices
Advanced Resources
The Story of Jesus
The human brain craves stories. It’s the way we were made. We love living life through someone else’s eyes, and feeling what they felt. As far as TV series, one of our favorites (with an eye-popping 9.8/10 on IMDB!) is The Chosen.
The Chosen - Season One (YouTube)
Website - The Chosen (download app & more info)
This show tells the story of Jesus as he met his disciples. What really stands out to us is how The Chosen makes Jesus and the disciples so relatable, and how those events from 2,000 years ago come alive today while keeping the original context in mind. For the film buffs - the acting is great, the cinematography is outstanding, the set is authentic, and overall (if we may be so bold) this show is able to talk about Jesus in a way that feels on par with any other modern show from an artistic standpoint.
Want to get excited about Jesus? This show has touched many people and helped their faith come alive in a new way. We hope you’ll check it out!
Get Started with the Bible
Want to learn about the Bible? Has it seemed intimidating in the past? The below is a starter to help you know what the Bible is all about! Understanding the Bible is a lifelong journey. We believe that if you start with some small steps in the right direction, it could be much easier to get going than you think!
Check out the below video for a video that goes along with “Get Started with the Bible” and “Bible Reading Best Practices”.
Main Points:
Get a Bible
Learn how to Navigate the Bible
Get a Bible
Need a Bible? Talk to one of our staff and we will get you a hard copy for free. You can also get a Bible by completing our Crash Course online - it’s our overview of Kalos values and culture (by the way, you get other free swag on completion!).
In the meantime, and as a resource to understand different translations, check out the below resources!
Online Bible Verse Lookup
Wondering why there are different versions of the Bible? The simple explanation is that language changes over time and so God has inspired different people to create different translations. We’d love to talk to you about some of the differences between versions if that’s a topic you’re interested in! Comparing different versions can help you understand things from a different angle.
The two main sites we use for comparison are Bible Hub and Bible Gateway.
The Bible App
This app is super helpful - you can have a digital Bible at your fingertips, easily switch between translations, and access some great built-in Bible reading plans (more on that below!).
YouVersion - The Bible App (and website)
Learn how to navigate the bible
What does it mean to open your Bible to John 3:16? Let’s break it down:
Open the Bible to the book (section) titled John (these sections are not in alphabetical order - more on that below).
Look for Chapter 3 (there will be a big number 3)
Go to Verse 16 (there will be a smaller number 16)
These books are ordered a specific way for convenience based on a combination of factors - mainly literature type and when they were written. The major sections are the two Testaments of the Bible.
Old Testament - this was the time before Jesus. These are the first 39 books.
New Testament - these books showcase the time during and after Jesus’s Earthly Ministry. These are the last 27 books.
Bible Reading Best Practices
research the historical context
The Bible was written for an original audience - not just for the United States today
Expect to meet with God
God desires a personal relationship with each of us. If you want to hear from God, the Bible is a primary place for that to happen.
Document what God is speaking to you
Journal - or write down somehow - what God is saying to you. Writing in your Bible is okay, and even recommended.
Do the Word
The Bible is not just for hearers, but for doers.
Follow a reading plan
Have a “balanced diet” of Bible reading.
Read with Others
Read aloud, in a group, and learn together. Small Groups are a great place to practice this.
Accompanying resources
A Quick Online Bible Course
We love the Bible Project for a resource to give people a boost in reading and understanding the Bible. These videos have great information on the purpose of the Bible and the different styles of literature contained within it.
Introduction to Reading the Bible - BibleProject
Bible Reading Plan
Are you stuck where you’re at reading the Bible? Have you always wanted to try to read the Bible the whole way through, but you need extra help? Try the Read Scripture app! (Or the print adaptation!) The Read Scripture app has a beautiful interface that helps leads you through a Bible plan (in less than a year or at your own pace). Several of the daily readings are accompanied by a video, and every day includes a Psalm and prompts to do breathing exercises and prayer as you jump into the reading for that day.
Interactive Bible Reading Plan - Read Scripture App
Bible Reading Plan PDF - BibleProject
Advanced Resources
While no one is ever truly a master of scripture, there is a need for increasing levels of content for people who really want to dive deep into their faith. One excellent resource we’ve come across is a free - yes, free - online platform for graduate-level theology courses. Newly launched in 2020 with two courses (one short-form and one long-form), we expect lots more great content to come in the future.
Free Graduate-Level Bible Courses - BibleProject Classroom
Thank you!
Best of luck on your journey - we have been praying for you and hope you find these resources helpful! Remember - never do it alone. We hope you’ll dedicate yourself to finding community within Kalos who can go with you on this adventure.