Last Days of Jesus DVD series

The Last Days Of Jesus DVD-based Bible Study Deeper Connections Series ISBN-13: 9781628624328 DVD: 3 hours Publisher: Rose Publishing Released: Jan. 25, 2017

Source: Review video from the publisher.

Series Description, Modified from Publisher Website:
Gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’ last days before his crucifixion and resurrection. While most studies focus on laying out the events of Jesus' final days, this DVD study goes one step further to teach you the deeper connections that are rooted in the New Testament's first century context and provides twenty-first century applications.

This 6-session DVD study contains lessons on Jesus the Messiah, the Transfiguration, the Triumphal Entry, the Last Supper, The Trial and Death of Jesus, and Jesus' Resurrection. Each session features an expert scholar from the most prestigious seminaries in the country: Dr. Darrell Bock, Dr. Gary Burge, Dr. Scott Duvall, Professor Susan Hecht, Dr. Mark Strauss, and Dr. Matt Williams.

Perfect for small groups, Bible studies, or personal use. Leader and Participant Guides are also available which outline the video teaching with room for notes, and include photos, maps, additional information, and a five day personal Bible study guide after each lesson.


My Review:
The Last Days of Jesus is a 6-session DVD Bible study for small groups or personal use. Each session is 25-35 minutes long. It starts with 2-3 minutes of video on location in Israel (Ceasarea Philippi, Mount of Olives, Garden Tomb, etc.) with Margaret Feinberg. This is followed by audio of the study text from Matthew using the NIV Audio Bible. Then a New Testament scholar provides 17 minutes of commentary on the passage and 6-10 minutes of application. They walk you through the text while explaining first century context and cultural background information.

For example, Session 1 covers "Who do people say that I am?" and explained why people thought Jesus might be those people and what they expected of the Messiah. Dr. Williams also explained some phrases like "keys of the kingdom of heaven" and underlying word plays. Each session features a different speaker, so Session 1 on Matthew 16:13-28 features Dr. Matt Williams, Session 3 on Matthew 21:1-22 features Dr. Mark Strauss, and Session 6 on Matthew 28:1-10 features Dr. Gary Burge.

Overall, I thought that the three sessions I viewed were informative and interesting. I'd recommend this series as a small group Bible study.


If you've read this DVD series, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Trailer Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCBeIqv12T4

Patterns of Evidence: Exodus DVD

Patterns of Evidence: Exodus by Timothy Mahoney UPC: 040232271670 Length: 2 hours Publisher: Thinking Man Films Released: 2015

Source: Watched on Netflix streaming.

Book Description from Christianbook.com:
Did the Israelites' exodus from Egypt really happen? There's evidence that it did! Traveling from the United States to Israel and England, filmmaker Timothy Mahoney sifts through archaeological and historical clues, as well as comments from scholars and experts, to determine the truth as he builds a new case for an ancient---and often controversial---story.


My Review:
Patterns of Evidence is an educational DVD. I have a deep interest in ancient chronology, and I've read the books that contain the information that this film is based on. I thought the filmmaker did a good job of presenting the information in a way that someone with a casual interest could grasp the arguments and understand the evidence. It was also very cool to see these places on video.

The basic argument is this: if we look for evidence of the Exodus as described in the Bible, there's actually quite a lot that matches the biblical account. So why haven't you heard about it? This movie shows this evidence and then explains why people have been dismissing this evidence even though it matches up so well. It also explains why the apparent timeline "mismatch" may not be a problem after all.

I'd highly recommend this educational movie to all Christians.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Veil of Tears movie (+free simulcast dates)

Veil of Tears Length: 1 hour 30 minutes Director/Producer: Kenny & Kyle Saylors Release Date: March 28, 2014

Source: Free Viewing for promotion purposes from Gospel for Asia.

Movie Description:
This gripping new documentary film tells the untold story of millions of women in India who are culturally persecuted for no other reason than the fact that they are women. From birth until death, their life is a vicious cycle of poverty and oppression, from the mass epidemic of female suicides, dowry deaths, forced abortion to the high rate of illiteracy among the women and even how more than 46 MILLION widows are being cast aside and ostracized by society simply because their husband died.

But there is hope. Christian women are sharing the Gospel across the entire nation of India, and it's bringing cultural change where government laws could not. Hear the stories of these oppressed women and get a glimpse of how the love of Jesus is restoring hope and dignity to a generation of broken women and rebuilding shattered lives.

Narrated by Natalie Grant, Directed & Produced by Kenny & Kyle Saylors (Kimjongilia, The Gamebreaker, My Finish Line), this film was shot on-location across the stunning nation of India, in some of the most remote tribal villages in the world today. This is more than just a film, it is a journey into a world where few outsiders have gone before.


My Review:
Veil of Tears is a documentary on the conditions that women in India still face, especially in more remote areas. But it's also about how the gospel message is transforming lives and communities to give hope, healing, and worth to these women.

The first half of the movie went all over India, from cities to remote villages, to expose how women in India still face persecution even though laws have been enacted to protect them. Women tell their story or the story of friends who have faced this cultural oppression.

The second half of the movie covers the hope that these women have found as Christian missionaries and pastors have impacted the culture through the teachings of the Bible and through showing Christ's love. It's encouraging to see how God is at work in India and that lives are being transformed. This isn't just a movie about social injustice. It's about how the message of Christ can transform a culture.

I'd encourage you to see for yourself how God is moving to transform a culture. Sign up for your free simulcast at Lifeway for anytime on March 26-30, 2014. You can show it to your women's group, missions group, church, or even just your family or yourself. This film will also be shown in some movie theaters and will later be available on DVD.


If you've seen this movie, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the movie in the comments.


Trailer: Watch the Movie Trailer.
Behind the Scenes: Watch a behind-the-scene video.

Mama Heidi DVD

Mama Heidi DVD Released: 2004 Run Time: 52 minutes

Source: Rented through Netflix.

DVD Description:
In 1994 Mozambique, just after the country's devastating civil war, missionaries Heidi and Rolland Baker arrived to help mend the country and care for its beleaguered. This documentary details the Bakers' selfless African saga as they turn a broken-down orphanage into a safe, clean place where children receive medical attention and education. The Bakers go on to establish three more havens for Mozambique's children


My Review:
Mama Heidi DVD shows the work that God has done through Heidi and Rolland Baker in Mozambique. The viewer does learn why they went there, how they started their orphanage, and so on, but the focus was mainly on the wonderful things God has done there. If you like uplifting missionary movies, then you might enjoy this one.

Something that Heidi said really stuck with me. It was partly in context of the overwhelming needs in Mozambique but also to encourage viewers to reach out where they are right now. She said we can all "just love the one in front of you."


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

To Save a Life DVD

To Save a Life DVD PG-13 Time: 120 minutes Released: 2009

Source: Rented through Netflix.

Movie Description from Netflix:
After tragedy strikes a childhood friend, Jake reevaluates his life. By reaching out to lonely outsider Jonny, Jake risks losing everything that matters most to him, including a college scholarship and his friends.

Cast: Randy Wayne, Deja Kreutzberg, Joshua Weigel, Robert Bailey Jr., Kim Hidalgo, Sean Michael Afable, Bubba Lewis, Steven Crowder, D. David Morin, Arjay Smith

Director:Brian Baugh


My Review:
To Save a Life is a Christian fiction movie. I liked that the people acted realistically. The Christians didn't have all the answers, and the main character didn't get everything right once he accepted Christ. The situations that the teens found themselves in are accurate to what kids currently deal with at school and at home. The movie shows drinking, a bit of cussing, even implied sex, but they also showed the consequences of actions. The actors did a great job of drawing me into the story.

I'm generally not that impressed with the acting in Christian movies, but I think all the characters in "To Save a Life" were well-acted and had depth. It had a good message, too. I'd highly recommend it.


If you've watched this movie, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Movie Trailer: Link to movie trailer.

The Visual Bible: Acts DVD

The Visual Bible: Acts DVD Runtime: 3 hours 12 minutes Publisher: Visual International Released: August 1, 2004 Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Number of discs: 2 Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC

Source: Bought from Christianbook.com.

DVD Description from Amazon:
The Visible Bible: Acts is a dramatization that uses the actual scriptures, word for word, from the New International Version. Journey with the physician Luke (Dean Jones) as he tells the story of the danger, struggles, and triumph that mark the birth of the Christian church. Actors: Bruce Marchiano, James Brolin, Jennifer O Neill, Dean Jones, Andre Jacobs.


My Review:
The Visual Bible: Acts DVD is a visual Bible using the 1984 New International Version translation of Acts. The dialogue and narration are directly from Acts, like an audio Bible. The costumes, settings, and actions attempt to give a visual idea of what it all might have looked like.

I was surprised that some dialogue scenes were told by Luke instead of acted out, but most scenes were acted out and perhaps it would have cost too much to act them all out.

I liked that the actors played the disciples like real people would act. Paul came across as zealous, courageous, and approachable. My appreciation of Silas and the lesser-known "missionaries" grew. Though not Hollywood quality in production value and acting, I still thought this movie was well done and I enjoyed watching it.

I bought the DVD because I plan to watch it once a year. However, you can watch the entire movie on YouTube if you like. I'd recommend this resource as an enjoyable and thought-provoking way to "read" Acts.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Watch the Movie: Acts on YouTube.

The Visual Bible: Matthew DVD

The Visual Bible: Matthew DVD UPC: 804671519393 Runtime: 4 hours 20 minutes Publisher: Visual International Released: 1997

Source: Bought from Christianbook.com.

DVD Description from Christianbook.com:
This powerful and entertaining film is taken word for word from the text of the 1984 New International Version translation. This multimillion dollar production appeals to all ages, and it offers educational, spiritual, and entertainment value. Filmed on location in Tunisia, Morocco, and South Africa, Matthew features a cast of thousands, historically accurate costuming, and award-winning directing. The film stars Emmy award-winning actor Richard Kiley as Matthew, and introduces Bruce Marchiano as Jesus.


My Review:
The Visual Bible: Matthew DVD is a visual Bible using the 1984 New International Version translation of the gospel of Matthew. The dialogue and narration are directly from the gospel of Matthew, like an audio Bible, which means that events that Matthew didn't write about aren't shown. The costumes, settings, and actions attempt to give a visual idea of what it all might have looked like.

I liked that the actors played Jesus and the disciples like real people would act. The actor played Jesus as laughing and joyful when someone is healed, sad when people reject His message, playful when teaching (as some of his teachings contain humor!), and serious when appropriate. This is the type of Jesus that would draw crowds--the Jesus I know from the Bible. It's not perfect, but I really enjoyed watching it.

I bought the DVD because I plan to watch it once a year. However, you can watch the entire movie on YouTube if you like. I'd recommend this resource as an enjoyable and thought-provoking way to "read" Matthew.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Watch the Movie: Matthew on YouTube.

The Gospel of John DVD

The Gospel of John DVD UPC: 183892000157 Runtime: 3 hours Publisher: Casscom Media Released: June 5, 2012

Source: Bought from Christianbook.com.

DVD Description from Christianbook.com:
Featuring word-for-word dialogue from the Good News Bible, this critically acclaimed presentation meticulously re-creates the tumultuous first century, bringing John's Gospel vividly to life. Stars Henry Ian Cusik as Jesus. Narrated by Christopher Plummer. Hungarian and Romanian subtitles. (PG-13). Closed-captioned. Approx. 3 hours.


My Review:
The Gospel of John DVD is a visual Bible using the Good News Bible translation of the gospel of John. The dialogue and narration are directly from gospel of John, like an audio Bible, which means that events that John didn't talk about aren't shown. The costumes, settings, and actions attempt to give a visual idea of what it all might have looked like.

There were a number of small things that I suspect are more modern Western rather than what it actually would have been like in Jesus life, but I think they did the major things very nicely. The actor played Jesus as mostly solemn and serious.

I bought the DVD because I plan to watch it once a year. However, you can watch the entire movie on YouTube if you like. I'd recommend this resource as an enjoyable and thought-provoking way to "read" John.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Watch the Movie: The Gospel of John on YouTube.

Into the Amazon DVD

Into the Amazon DVD 4 DVD set Length: 300 minutes Publisher: Vision Forum Ministries Released: 2011

Source: Bought through Answers in Genesis.

DVD Description from Publishers Website:
Join Doug Phillips and his team of thirty men on an adventure you will never forget — to the Amazon jungle, high into the Andes Mountains, and to the Great Peruvian Desert — and bring your entire family! Explore piranha-infested rivers and vampire bat caves, discover strange insects and fascinating plant life, fly over the strange Nazca lines, and encounter the remains of pagan civilizations that continue to negatively influence modern cultures. Together your family will discover why the Amazon is one of the most controversial places on earth, and your children will learn the truth in the battle between radical environmentalism and biblical Christianity.


My Review:
Into the Amazon follows a tour group of 30 men as they explore the Amazon, the Inca Stones, Great Peruvian Desert, the Nazca lines, and Machu Picchu. The visual was nicely done overall, but sometimes the audio was difficult to hear due to people in the background making noise or when the sound dropped when those speaking turned their head or moved too fast.

The focus of the series was primarily "biblical dominion versus radial environmentalism." Don't expect a creation science focus, though the speakers do come from a biblical viewpoint.

The first disc contained the episodes: "The Mystery of the Meaning of the Amazon" (15 minutes and 35 seconds) and "The Mystery of the Lost Legacy of Adventure & Dominion--Part One and Two" (22 minutes 34 seconds). This disc was mainly aimed at men. Much of it was Doug Phillips standing in front of a tree giving a lecture on some of the history of the exploration of the Amazon and on what he feels is the biblical view of dominion and adventure. (What he qualifies as dominion and adventure seemed very narrowly defined to me.) It also included the group hiking in the Amazon and not turning back soon enough. They ended up lost in the dark and, after having fun being lost for a while, they finally used their GPS to get home.

The second disc contained the episodes: "The Mystery of the Strange Creatures of the Amazon" (34 minutes) which showed some captive animals up close, then we follow their trips out to find some wild animals. They were successful at finding monkeys and cave bats but not at finding anacondas. In "The Mystery of the Plants of the Amazon" (22 minutes), we're shown a variety of plants and told how they are used medically by the locals. In "The Mystery of the Lost Tribes (21 minutes, 21 seconds), we learn about remote Amazon tribes and about missionary efforts to these tribes. We follow the group as they go to a remote village to offer a medical clinic (though we only briefly see the medical clinic).

The third disc contained the episodes: "The Mystery of the Inca Stones, the Nazca Lines, and the Great Peruvian Desert" (25 minutes 9 seconds) which follows the tour group as they study the Inca Stone collection and discuss them, fly over the Nazca Lines and discuss them, and play in the Great Peruvian Desert and look for whale bones there. "The Mystery of Machu Picchu" (29 minutes 38 seconds) gave a detailed tour of Machu Picchu. While Doug Phillips stated some things as fact that archaeologists don't all agree on, he did a nice job of showing the viewer all over Machu Picchu. This disc was more what I had been expecting of the whole series, and I enjoyed it a lot.

The fourth disc contained some bonus clips of other things they saw (mainly things in the cities they went through) and episode trailers.


If you've watched this movie, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Movie Trailer:

Drive Thru History: Greece and the Word DVD

Drive Thru History: Greece and the Word DVD Released: 2005 Run Time: 95 minutes

Source: Rented from Netflix.

DVD Description from Netflix:
As host Dave Stotts travels to Greece, viewers get a front-seat view into the history of Western civilization. From the origins of the Olympics to the mystery of the Oracle and the missionary journey of Paul the apostle, this presentation provides a fast-paced tour of ancient Greece in which the stories of the Bible are made real and relevant.


My Review:
Greece and the Word is a history DVD with some information on the Christian history of the sites. The presenter was rather silly at times (though less so than in Turkish Delight), probably to make it more interesting to teens and tweens. He gave a good overview of the history of the various places. Most of the information was illustrated with maps or "cut out" style drawings, but there was also some good video of the ruins of the ancient sites. If you're not familiar with the history of a site or person and want to know more, this DVD did a good job.

Section One: 34 minutes 28 seconds - Delphi, Olympic games

Section Two: 37 minutes 5 seconds - Athens, Paul

Section Three: 31 minutes 23 seconds - Corinth


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Drive Thru History: Turkish Delight DVD

Drive Thru History: Turkish Delight DVD Released: 2006 Run Time: 90 minutes

Source: Rented from Netflix.

DVD Description from Netflix:
Four wheels turn to four legs when host Dave Stotts trades car for camel to explore Turkey's ancient ruins of Laodicea and Colossae and searches for what historical clues they'll yield. Using the journey to illustrate life in the early Christian church, Stotts also takes viewers to Smyrna and Sardis and explores the showdown between Paul and the Ephesian idol makers.


My Review:
Turkish Delight is a history DVD with some information on the Christian history of the sites. The presenter was rather silly at times, probably to make it more interesting to teens and tweens. He did do a good job of giving an overview of the history of a place, though. Most of the information was illustrated with maps or "cut out" style drawings, but there was also some good video of the ruins (or whatever was visible) of the ancient sites. If you're not familiar with the history of a site and want to know more, this DVD does a good job.

Section One: 33 minutes 46 seconds - Smyrna and Sardis

Section Two: 30 minutes 45 seconds - Hieropolis, Colossae, Laodicea

Section Three: 29 minutes 3 seconds - Ephesus


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

On the Road With Jesus: Birth & Ministry DVD

On the Road With Jesus: Birth and Ministry Length: 51 minutes 14 seconds Publisher: Abingdon Press First Released: July 2011

Source:Review copy from the publisher.

Publisher's Description:
Travel to the Holy Land with New Testament scholar Ben Witherington and experience the birth and ministry of Jesus in this four-session video study.

Filmed throughout the places Jesus walked and dwelt among us, On the Road with Jesus, with Dr. Witherington's knowledge and perspective, will help you see God's grace at work and bring us back to lives of true meaning and purpose. As believers see places such as Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, and more, our faith will be deepened while following along the paths Jesus journeyed during his world-changing life and ministry.

This DVD can be used in small group study with the book by the same name.


My Review:
Birth & Ministry is the first DVD of the "On the Road With Jesus" series. If you've never had a chance to travel around Israel and you can rent or borrow this DVD, then I'd highly recommend you do. It had some nice footage from a variety of places in Israel. Seeing this will help "bring the Bible alive," and the information discussed will help you better understand the gospels.

The host, Ben Witherington III, mainly focused on "Bible background" historical information relating to Jesus' birth and baptism, the Sea of Galilee, the wedding at Cana, and Nazereth. It was good, interesting information. Some of the information is fairly well-known, but some was less so. It was a nice balance. The host gave some of the same information as in the book by the same title, but there was a lot of different information on the DVD as well.

I was impressed with the smooth camerawork. The camera would slowly pan over what the host was talking about or pointing out so you could see the whole thing. It had a sort of "show and tell" format.

Session 1 - 11 minutes 2 seconds long - Talked about Jesus birth. We saw views of a farm field in Nazareth, Herodium from afar, the Judean wilderness, the Church of the Nativity, a shepherds field and sheep pen near Bethlehem, and a first century house.

Session 2 - 16 minutes 9 seconds long - Talked about John the Baptizer and Jesus' baptism. Views of the Dead Sea Scrolls cave, the Qumran community (ruins), the Jordan River, the Judean Wilderness, the Mount of Temptation and the Monastery of St. George.

Session 3 - 13 minutes 29 second long - Talked about Jesus calling his disciples, the Sea of Galilee, and some events in Jesus' ministry that took place around the Sea of Galilee. Views of the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum (statue of Peter, the ruins of Peter's mother-in-law's house, and a synagogue), and water jars that were used for purification.

Session 4 - 10 minutes 34 seconds long - Talked about Sepphoris, synagogues, and Jesus' visit to Nazereth after his ministry started. Views of Sepphoris' synagogue, a first century synagogue in Nazereth, and the Mt. of Beattitudes.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: The Early Church

That the World May Know: Faith Lessons on the Early Church: Conquering the Gates of Hell Length: 2 hours 10 minutes Publisher: Zondervan First Released: 2005

Source: Rented it from Netflix.

Netflix Description:
Learn from first century disciples what it means to conquer the gates of hell. Visit the Grotto of Pan and witness pagan worship, and learn of the dangers the disciples faced at Ephesus. This program will teach you all about the subtle distinctions between a Christian worldview and humanism and how you can to make a difference in today's world. This is the fifth volume of the "That the World May Know" series.


My Review:
The Promised Land is the fifth volume of the "That the World May Know" series. If you've never had a chance to travel in Israel or Asia Minor and you can rent or borrow this DVD, then I'd highly recommend you do. It had some nice footage from a variety of places in Israel and some great footage of the ruins of several cities in Asia Minor. Seeing this will help "bring the Bible alive."

The lessons were filmed like you were a part of a tour group, but with added graphics, maps, pictures, artist reconstruction, and aerial shots when appropriate. This disk had video footage from throughout the entire ruins of the cities. The teacher talked about archeological and cultural background information related to the city then tied that information into the verses in the Bible related to the place to help illuminate what was referred to in the verses. He then gave a brief faith lesson.

The faith lessons were pretty good, but sometimes the teacher got a little carried away (mainly in lesson one) when imagining the unrecorded parts of the scene. Based on speculation, he'd say that "this is how the scene must have been" or what Jesus was referring to, but I didn't agree with some of what he said. However, the Asia Minor cities were very interesting--both the information and visually.

Lesson One: Korazim, Caesarea Philippi, and the Mount of Olives (overlooking Jerusalem) - information on what disciples were, how rabbis taught, and archeological and cultural background information for Korazim and Caesarea Philippi.

Lesson Two: Sardis - archeological and cultural background information about Sardis.

Lesson Three: Pergamum - archeological and cultural background information about Pergamum.

Lesson Four: Ephesus - archeological and cultural background information about Ephesus.

Lesson Five: Laodicea - archeological and cultural background information about Laodicea, Hieropolis, and Colossae.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: The Promised Land

That the World May Know: Faith Lessons on the Promised Land: Crossroads of the World Length: 1 hours 50 minutes Publisher: Zondervan First Released: 2005

Source: Rented it from Netflix.

Netflix Description:
Travel to Israel and draw a whole new understanding of the Scriptures. Wet your feet in the Jordan River and feel the power of the life-giving water, and show your trust in the Lord's bounty by offering up first fruits at Jericho. You'll learn all about how you can cleanse the land by confronting evil and use the tools of society to redeem your world for God. This video is the first volume of the "That the World May Know" series.


My Review:
The Promised Land is the first volume of the "That the World May Know" series. If you've never had a chance to travel in Israel and you can rent or borrow the other disks in this series, then I'd highly recommend you do. It has nice footage of the Holy Land so that you can get a feel for what the land looks like now. It helps to bring the Bible alive.

The lessons were filmed like you were a part of a tour group, but with added graphics, pictures, and aerial shots when appropriate. The format was that at each new site the teacher would give us the history related to the site (usually reading from the Bible), describe what the site originally looked like (if it was now in ruins), and give a faith lesson related to "impacting the culture" based on what we learned at that site.

The Promised Land contained very little cultural background information. The teacher mainly read from the Bible about what happened at the spot and gave a faith lesson that often seemed unrelated to the readings or drew the wrong conclusions (in my opinion) about what was read. The faith lessons on this disk seemed very works-based and "clean up your act so God can work" themed. Also, some of the given historical information and dates weren't biblically accurate.

Lesson One: Tel-Gezer - lesson on city gates and high places.

Lesson Two: Jordan River - filmed just below Sea of Galilee. Mainly what happened at Jordan Rover with varied shots of the river.

Lesson Three: Tel-Jericho - lesson on Elisha's spring and the biblical first fruits festival. The teacher stated that Jericho is 7,000 years old and the oldest city in the world, neither of which is biblical.

Lesson Four: Beth-Shemesh - information on Nazirite vows.

Lesson Five: Tel-Azekah & Elah Valley - read about David and Goliath. The teacher said some things which I believe are incorrect.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens: Explosive Evidence for Catastrophe Length: 58 minutes Publisher: Institute for Creation Research

Source: I own the VHS, but this film is also on DVD.

DVD Description, modified from VHS cover:
Geologist Steve Austin, Ph.D. shares the exciting results of his explorations on Mount St. Helens and its adjacent Spirit Lake. Relive the 1980s eruption, view the geological structures that formed rapidly (strata, canyons, log deposits, etc.), and apply this information to better understand the origins of these features in other places (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, coal deposits, etc.). And, finally, see how this information relates to our understanding of Biblical events, like Noah's Flood.


Review:
Mount St. Helens is a Christian science film about the 1980s Mount St. Helens eruption. Geologist Steve Austin, Ph.D., described the stages of the eruption and its aftermath. While there was video of him doing a live presentation to people in an auditorium, it was mixed with a large number of still pictures taken at Mount St. Helens, video overflights of the area, and video taken of Dr. Austin doing research at Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake. So it's not a "talking head" lecture film.

Dr. Austen explained how geological features that geologists thought had to take long periods of time to form were seen and documented here forming rapidly in a few hours to a few days. Dr. Austen then explained how seeing this helped him better understand how canyons could rapidly form through solid stone, how coal could be formed using a Flood model, how petrified trees at various levels on a hill could have occurred from one event, and how the fine layering of strata in stone could form rapidly.

A 13-year-old girl watched the movie with me. It was late at night and she was tired, but the movie kept her interest the whole time and got a few "oh, wow!" and "huh!" comments from her. She's seen some books and movies that talk about the problems with biological evolution, and she quickly concluded that biological evolution couldn't be true. However, she didn't believe the earth really could be only about 6,000 years old until after watching this movie. Afterward, she made some comments about how she couldn't understand why her public school history and science teachers were teaching long ages for history and that things took millions of years to develop if these things really could happen quickly.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this film to all Christians ages 10 on up. It probably would also be an effective film to show non-Christians on the topic.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: The Mysterious Islands

The Mysterious Islands Length: 1 hours 30 minutes Publisher: Vision Forum Ministries Aspect: Widescreen version First Released: 2009

Source: Review copy from New Leaf Publishing Group (who sells it).

Cover Description:
At the far end of the world, there exists a chain of strange islands, steeped in controversy. The Mysterious Islands is the story of one boy and a team of researchers who take an amazing adventure to the heart of the mystery in search of clues that will expose the truth in a centuries-old dispute.

This beautiful documentary was shot at the Galápagos Islands, "ground zero" for Darwinism. It takes viewers deep beneath the ocean waves, among hundreds of white-tip sharks, to the home of salt-sneezing marine iguanas, on top of volcanic craters, and beside giant tortoises that can live to be more than 150 years of age. Seen through the eyes of 16-year-old Joshua Phillips who joins his father and noted researchers like Dr. John Morris, this film answers the question: Is the Galápagos a laboratory for evolution or a testimony to the biblical account of creation?


Review:
The Mysterious Islands is a Christian documentary film about the Galápagos Island animals. The primary purpose of this movie seemed to be the lovely animal footage and information about those animals. Some of the featured animals include the giant tortoise, the flightless cormorant, the blue bobo, the marine iguana, finches, and sharks & other sea life. The visuals were lovely. They got some amazing shots of the animals. A small amount of the footage was shaky (on purpose--like in a running scene). The music was also very nice.

I liked that the guide brought his 16-year-old son along as well as a scientist. It was interesting to hear their perspectives as well. Since this was a movie with Christian guides, they gave God the glory for the animals rather than evolution. There was some information interspersed throughout the animal footage that very briefly covered: who was Darwin and where did he get his ideas; what precisely does natural selection do (and not do); what do similar characteristics between animals indicate; does geology really point to an old age for the earth; and some history of how Darwin's ideas have influenced history.

Some of the topics weren't as clearly explained as they could have been, but this was partly because the answers didn't seemed scripted and little time was devoted to each topic. So this movie would be useful in reinforcing information already learned or as a brief introduction to a variety of topics. However, it's not likely that this movie will convince a watcher to accept the guides' viewpoint if the watcher already has set ideas against it.

There are two disks: the main movie DVD and a bonus features DVD. The bonus features included deleted scenes, still photos of animals, and more information on topics like early explorers to the Galápagos and the Galápagos Whaling Controversy.

A 13-year-old girl watched the movie with me. She loves animals, and kept exclaiming over the animal shots. She really enjoyed the movie, and I expect she'll end up watching it again.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: Prophets & Kings of Israel

That the World May Know: Faith Lessons on the Prophets & Kings of Israel Length: 2 hours 15 minutes Publisher: Zondervan First Released: 2005

Source: Rented it from Netflix.

Netflix Description:
The wisdom of the Bible will fill your heart as you experience Israel through the lives of its kings and prophets. You'll learn about how far a soul can sink as you witness Baal worship. And you'll wander the wilderness with David and know the heart of the shepherd. You'll learn to fully realize your responsibility to represent God to a troubled world. This video is the second volume of the "That the World May Know" series.


Review:
Prophets & Kings of Israel is the second volume of the "That the World May Know" series. If you've never had a chance to travel in Israel and you can rent or borrow this series, then I'd highly recommend you do. It has nice footage of the Holy Land so that you can get a feel for what the land looks like now. It helps to bring the Bible alive.

I've heard most of this information before in "cultural background to the Bible" books, but it was nice to see visuals for a few of these things, like the temple in lesson 5.

The lessons were filmed like you were a part of a tour group, but with added graphics, pictures, and aerial shots when appropriate. The format was that at each new site the teacher would give us the history related to the site, describe what the site originally looked like (if it was now in ruins), and give a faith lesson related to "impacting the culture" based on what we learned at that site. The faith lessons on this disk were pretty decent and related to the site.

Lesson One: Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley - the group sat in the ruins of Megiddo overlooking the plains and were taught about ancient trade routes, the water system at Megiddo (a tunnel to the spring), and about Baal worship (while sitting near the ruins of an ancient altar).

Lesson Two: Mt. Carmel - the group sat on Mt. Carmel overlooking the plains toward the sea. Related Scripture was read.

Lesson Three: Lachish - the group toured various parts of the ruins of Lachish. The gate and gateway were show as well as sewer channels in the streets. A brief aside showed the tunnel which Hezekiah dug at Jerusalem to bring spring water into that city. He talked about the assault on Lachish by Shalmaneser king of Assyria and showed the frieze and record of this attack which was found in Shalmaneser's palace in Assyria.

Lesson Four: Beduin in Negev - the group sat in a tent of some beduin and watched them herd a group of sheep and goats past. The lesson was on shepherding in the wilderness.

Lesson Five: A temple in Arad - This temple was a well-preserved smaller version of the Jerusalem temple that was built in Arad back before Hezekiah's reign. The lesson was about how the Jerusalem temple was laid out and what went on in the temples. He also explained covenants.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: Death and Resurrection of the Messiah

That the World May Know: Faith Lessons on the Death and Resurrection of the Messiah Length: 3 hours 14 minutes Publisher: Zondervan First Released: 2005

Source: Rented it from Netflix.

Back Cover Description:
Sail the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee, and stand fast before the gates of hell at Decapolis. Travel the dusty road to Jerusalem, where Jesus made His triumphal entry. As you learn all about Jesus' death and resurrection through this fascinating program, you'll discover the power Christ has given to you to confront the evils of our day and change the world. This video is the fourth volume of the "That the World May Know" series.


Review:
Death and Resurrection of the Messiah is the fourth volume of the "That the World May Know" series. If you've never had a chance to travel in Israel and you can rent or borrow this series, then I'd highly recommend you do. It has nice footage of the Holy Land so that you can get a feel for what the land looks like now. It helps to bring the Bible alive.

Even though I've been to Israel and have read a lot of "cultural background to the Bible" books, then I enjoyed this disk as it gave information I hadn't heard before and allowed a closer look at the Jerusalem model than I could get in person.

The lessons were filmed like you were a part of a tour group, but with added graphics, pictures, and aerial shots when appropriate. The format was that at each new site the teacher would give us the history related to the site, describe what the site originally looked like (if it was now in ruins), and give a faith lesson based on what we learned at that site. Sometimes the faith lessons were only lightly related to the site and a couple seemed a bit off to me (though nothing serious). Most of the faith lessons were very nice, though.

Lesson One: Sea of Galilee - the group was on a boat in the Sea of Galilee. The leader read verses about things that happened on the Sea and drew faith lessons from them while we looked at shots of the sunrise and the shore from the boat. A man demonstrated the net casting form of fishing.

Lesson Two: Decapolis - the group sat in an unidentified ruins while verses having to do with Jesus visiting the Decapolis area where read, the history of the area explained, some interesting cultural points were drawn out, and faith lessons were given.

Lesson Three: Caesarea-Philippi area - the group stood near a pagan worship site as the leader discussed the history of this area and how that helped us understand a statement Jesus made while walking past this area. (I don't agree with his speculation that the foundational rock Jesus referred to was this pagan worship area, though.)

Lesson Four: Model of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, the Hasmonean Tunnel, and the Beautiful Gate - Mainly discussed the model while giving nice close-ups of it, but connected that in to the other two locations. Gave history and related verses.

Lesson Five: Model of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, ruins of a priest's mansion, and the Damascus Gate - Mainly discussed the temple, Herod's palace, and the Antonia Fortress on the model. Briefly looked at the ruins of a high-ranking priest's mansion near Herod's palace and gave a view from the top of the Damascus Gate on market day.

Lesson Six: The wilderness and Jerusalem - Footage of the wilderness canyon trail from Jericho to Jerusalem, then the group sat on the Mount of Olives overlooking modern Jerusalem. Discussed the cultural significance of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem that occurred shortly before his death. Very interesting information.

Lesson Seven: Capernaum - Discussed and viewed a demonstration on how olive presses used to work and discussed olive-tree related verses. Also, a briefly viewed a synagogue there.

Lesson Eight: The Garden Tomb - Viewed the outside of the Garden Tomb while discussing the symbolism involved in the timing of Jesus' death and in the Last Supper. Also, cultural information on related topics. Also very interesting.

Lesson Nine: Pentecost/Shavuot Feast - Sat on steps of the southern stairway to the Temple Mount and discussed the verses about God giving the holy spirit on Pentecost, the cultural significance, and the location it happened. Also very interesting.

Lesson Ten: Caesarea - Footage from around the city including a discussion about the pool, palace, baths, port, theater, amphitheater, and via Maris. Discussed the history and verses from Acts that refer to it.


If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.

DVD Review: Life and Ministry of the Messiah

That the World May Know: Faith Lessons on the Life and Ministry of the Messiah Length: 2 hours 35 minutes Publisher: Zondervan First Released: 2005

Source: Rented it from Netflix.

Back Cover Description:
Marvel at the magnificence of Herod's palace and how it shaped the culture of the day, and enjoy an amazing hike among the ruins of Qumran. You'll delight in the beautiful and mesmerizing simplicity of Jesus' parables as you study the events of Jesus' day that impacted His life, ministry and communication with his disciples and the public. This video is the third volume of the "That the World May Know" series.


Review:
The Life and Ministry of the Messiah is the third volume of the "That the World May Know" series. If you've never had a chance to travel in Israel and you can rent or borrow this series, then I'd highly recommend you do. It has nice footage of the Holy Land so that you can get a feel for what the land looks like now. It helps to bring the Bible alive.

If you've been to Israel and have read a lot of "cultural background to the Bible" books, then you probably know almost everything that's on this disk, though you might see a few places not on most Holy Land tours.

The lessons were filmed like you were a part of a tour group, but with added graphics, pictures, and aerial shots when appropriate. Only about half of the 8 lessons on this disk actually focused on Jesus or his teachings (see below). The format was that at each new site the teacher would give us the history related to the site, describe what the site originally looked like (if it was now in ruins), and give a brief faith lesson based on what we learned at that site. Sometimes the faith lessons were only lightly related to the site and a couple seemed a bit off to me (though nothing serious). Most of the faith lessons were very nice, though.

Lesson One: Herod's Palace - the history of Herod and a view of Bethlehem.

Lesson Two: Masada - why it was built and the history of the revolt in 66 AD.

Lesson Three: Qumran - the history of the Essenes.

Lesson Four: Mountain of Beatitudes and the city of Chorazin - cultural information about what houses looked like and about marriage ceremonies at the time of Jesus.

Lesson Five: a zealot city - information on Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, synagogues, and rabbis.

Lesson Six: the city of Sepphoris - what Jesus did for a trade before his ministry and explanations of various cultural references (to the theater, recent history, and tax collectors) that Jesus used in his teaching.

Lesson Seven: the crusader fort called Belvoir - a brief history of the crusades.

Lesson Eight: the wadi of En Gedi - how David came to this place and the significance of living water.



If you've watched this DVD, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the DVD in the comments.