This year, Christmas brought snow to Alpharetta, GA. A white Christmas (mostly)!! My 6 year old son very much enjoyed the snowball fight with his dad out in the front yard. Unfortunately my wife was still sick, and wasn't able to enjoy it Tonsillitis makes it difficult to enjoy most things, it turns out. We had actually opened presents about a week ago in preparation for a trip we were planning which ultimately had to be canceled. So having spent some time with my gifts now, I thought I would brag on a couple of them. I love all of my gifts of course, but there are two that I am especially excited about:
Gift #1: the Word of Promise Audio Bible (New Testament)
I have been wanting one of these ever since I saw it in the Christian bookstore. This is actually not just a Bible where someone sits and reads the text. This is a dramatic rendition, where actors and actresses play various characters who speak in the Bible. Examples are Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene, Stacy Keach as Paul, Luke Perry as Stephen, Ernie Hudson as Peter, Louis Gossett, Jr. as John, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Mary (Jesus’ mother). I really like Lou Diamond Phillips as Mark as well. And of course Jim Caviezel reprises the role of Jesus. This comes complete with sound effects, crowd noises, etc. According to the bonus DVD which has cast and crew interviews, their goal was feature film quality audio to actually put you there in the scene. It’s great for those of us with long commutes who want to experience the Bible in a completely different way.
Gift #2: Two tickets to a “sing along” performance of the Messiah (and sheet music to go with it)
When I was in high school, I was lucky enough to have learned and performed two of the choruses from the Messiah (“Hallelujah” and “For Unto Us a Child Is Born”). In addition, I had also had exposure two a couple other choruses I didn’t even know were part of the Messiah. So earlier this month, I was able to enjoy singing the Messiah with at least 1000 other voices. It was a great experience. Michelle and I are currently negotiating to make this an annual event.
I saw this as well (audio bible) and wasn't sure if it was going to be any good. That is quite a cast. I wonder how many of them are Christians. It would be interesting to find out. I hope your Christmas next year is a little less exciting!
ReplyDeleteJim came and spoke at our church (The People's Church in Franklin, TN) in the middle of November 2010 and spoke on the creation of the audio Bible and gave his testimony. He was raised Catholic but he definitely believes Christ is his Savior. He said Hollywood is difficult on actors/actresses, who are strong in their faith,and movie roles are few and far between. Jim mentioned The people that were asked to provide their voices all recognized the value of what they were providing the entire world with. He mentioned it was translated into multiple languages as well. I do not owe it, but I am giving serious thought to purchasing the set.
ReplyDeleteHaving spent a lot of time listening to it now (almost daily on the way to and from work), I can say it's way better than I expected. I especially like the narratives (Mark, Luke, and Acts were particularly well done). They did a really good job with Revelations as well. Paul's letters are a little on the dry side. I would rather it be done in more of a conversational tone. But it's still great, especially for those of us who are auditory learners. You can actually listen to sample excerpts online at the link below.
ReplyDeleteAudio Bible Excerpts
Take a listen and see what you think!