The Big Picture Story Bible

by David R. Helm

Book Overview

Presents the remarkable true story of God's love for the world. Simple words and striking illustrations unfold God's Word from Genesis to Revelation. All ages will enjoy this exciting discovery of a God who keeps his promise.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1581342772
• ISBN13: 9781581342772
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Crossway Books
• Length: 451 Pages
• Weight: 3.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 9.3" x 9.4"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

The Gospel for Children (a.k.a Biblical Theology light)

How does one start a review of a book like the Bible? How does one review a book written by one's pastor and friend? Well, I can tell you that I am unashamedly proud of this book and wholeheartedly recommend it to ALL. First and most important of all, this is a very fair and generous rendering of the Bible. This book contains all the key episodes of the biblical narrative from Genesis to Revelation (and more), as others have said. Second, it is a book that is easily and enthusiastically embraced by children. Third, while many children's Bibles, like much Sunday School curriculum, take a biblical story and apply it as a moral lesson, the art, language and layout of this book remarkably captures the THEOLOGY of the Bible in a Christ-centered, Gospel-centered, and redemptively-centered way which is such a much better way of teaching children the message of Scripture. What's that mean? Well for classical Protestants and even Catholics, that's the way that the Church has read Scripture for thousands of years. In the Old Testament, the themes about God's people, God's covenant, God's King and Kingdom, (namely, God's plan of salvation for the world), emerge in a promisory, national, prophetic and shadowy way. In the New Testament the themes, promises, hopes and plans of God come to their climactic and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. This is how our Bible as a story fits together in a coherent and exciting whole. Remember when you first really grasped that? For me it was as an adult. I looked back at my art work from Sunday School and found crosses glued together, pictures of Noah and the Arky and that sort of thing. Imagine for a moment what it would be like if we had learned at a young age to undestand the Bible as a story about God's plan of salvation, involving God's people, under God's king and how Noah, Abraham, Moses, Israel, David, the Prophets and all the rest fit into that wonderful plan!? And even more, how Jesus is the glorious Savior who brings all of God's purposes for humanity and the world to their proper end!? What's so remarkable about this book is that the author (David Helm) and the illustrator (Gayle Schoonmaker) do an excellent job of using good language and good artistic perspective to grasp what the Bible is all about. There are repetitive kinds of pictures in the Bible, from a "God's eye view," when there are repetitive events in Scripture - like when the patriarchs enter and leave the land of Canaan, and when Israel enters and is expelled from the promised land, and when Jesus Christ enters and leaves Judah. As such, they are capturing artistically what is typologically happening as the narrative of Scripture unfolds. Another illustrative example would be the similarity in artistic rendering of the 12 children of Israel and the 12 apostles. Where we as adults have come to correctly understand links in the chain of God's redemptive purposes - these authors have created theol

A Kid's Bible that tells the Big Picture

The title of this book is just that - a bible for kids that tells the big picture. From creation to revelation, it tells the story of God's plan of his kingdom and how Jeuss is God's forever king. My little boy who is almost 4 loves this book and wants me to read it. I actually have to say, "okay this is the last story for tonight". If you are looking for a bible that will help kids understand God's redemptive plan this is it. I will say that some times I paraphrase as I read because there are words he doesn't understand yet. But overall I think its excellent and I can see this will be a book he will look forwrd to reading himself when he is older.

The Best Children's Story Bible

This is, in many ways, the story bible I've been waiting for. If I could write a children's story bible, I would want this to be it. (For clarification, a story bible is a collection of bible stories for children too young to read an actual Bible translation.) This book is incredible. It's mission is to tell the Bible story. Yep. The whole Bible as one story. All other children's story Bible's are a collection of Bible stories. Unfortunately with Sunday School being how it is, this is how most kids and grown ups learn their Bibles. Sure they learn about David & Goliath, and Abraham, and Noah, and Elijah, and Jesus. But they don't learn how they all fit together. Finally, there is a Bible that tells God's story as one complete narrative. I was a little skeptical at first. I didn't know if this book could accomplish its mission. It did. And then some. My oldest, Joel (age 4), loves reading this book. He has two other children's story bibles, but this has usurped them. When we first got it, we read over 150 pages. I had to insist that we take a break. He wanted to keep going! This book does indeed have big, beautiful pictures. There are a just a few sentences on each page. But the point of this book is to teach children about God's plan of Salvation. And so it tells the Bible story as one big story! It begins with creation and Adam and Eve. It explains how happy they were "in God's place." This is the only depiction of Adam and Eve I've ever seen that shows them happy! Instead of the standard picture of the two of them standing there covered by leaves....they're shown swimming! They actually look like they are enjoying themselves and each other. After they sin, the book emphasizes that God sent them from God's place because they rejected God as king. It continues humanity's story, explaining how God's people continued to reject him as King and it transitions to Noah. It tells all the stories as one story. It continues to discuss these themes throughout: God's people rejecting God as King, God keeping his promise to return them to God's place and looking forward to God's forever king. In the Adam and Eve story it mentions God's word about how a descendent of Eve will crush Satan's head and get his heel bruised. But it explains it as a hint of God's forever king who is to come and save his people. Throughout the book, it asks questions like, "Would God's forever king come now?" It builds anticipation. This book also teaches. It is filled with questions. I was so thrilled with this book. My four year old now asks theological questions about Jesus dying and sin etc... that I didn't think he would grasp yet. This book does what no other children's book does. It tells the Bible as one story! It does many other things. It even includes the intertestamental period! I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful this book is. I was so convicted by what it does, tells God's story as one story, and how well it does it, that I preached from it. Yep. (I'm

Biblical Overview for Kids

This God-centered story Bible brings out the unifying themes of scripture. One might call it Biblical Theology for Kids. The author presents the stories as moving toward the goal of redemptive history: God's people in God's place under God's rule. The influence of the biblical-theological of Grahme Goldsworthy is noted. I am using with my son David who is four. We can cover several sections each evening, allowing time to discuss the themes in each story. I have also read it two special education boys (3rd and 4th grades) who I work with. They can read along with only minimal help with words like sacrifice, Nicodemus and steadfast. Reading with the boys it took about ninety minutes to read straight through. This book is heavily illustrated and is primarily a retelling of the stories. It should not be confused with a Children's Bible. However, it is idea for a beginner's story Bible. The author has provided an essential overview of biblical history in story Bible format. This could be used as a primer and review during story time. Then after reading a story read a corresponding chapter during family devotions. It would also be useful for older children and adults who need to see the Big Picture of the Bible.

Finally a Children's Bible that is Christ-Centered!

Among chidlren's bibles, this one stands in a league all its own. Helm refuses to treat the bible as a collection of disconnected stories whose main purpose is to get kids to "be good little boys and girls". Instead He lets the bible be what it is meant to be: the unfolding and often messy story of the creator's plan to rescue this rebellious world and bring it back under the rule of it's rightful king. He masterfully pays attention to the details of the biblical narratives, but always connects it to God's promise to bring blessing to the world through Israel, and finally and completely through Jesus. He writes at a level that is simple and accessible to small children and yet theologically informed. The illustrations are done with excellence and in a way that is appealing to small children. My advice: Toss all your moralistic, theologcially weak children's bibles in the recycling bin and buy this one!