Recently I had the opportunity of reviewing the Next Generation New Testament MP3 CDs. This is a dramatic version of the New Testament with a cast of young talent like Cody Linley, AnnaSophia Robb, Jordin Sparks, Cobin Bleu, Alyson Stoner, and Sean Astin. Also part of the cast are Max Lucado and his daughter Jenna who present the various books of the New Testament. Jenna is also a speaker of the Revolve Tour.
Today's youth is wired like there is no tomorrow. The media is part of their culture. They live, eat, sleep with the internet being part of their life. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, texting, you name it, they know about it. When I look at teenagers or young adults almost all of them have a MP3 player. At age 40, I still have to say I don't own one myself. We do have one in our truck but I don't carry it around. Anyhow, this new version of the New Testament is perfect for this generation of multi-tasking and very entertaining. The producers taught of using artists they would know from various hip shows that they watch. How genius is that? To complete the production of this new version of the New Testament, you will have many Hollywood special effects like water splashing on a boat, fire crackling in the night, and many more.
I must admit I was very impressed with what I heard so far. It is well done and it brings you directly in the stories in the New Testament. My kids are not quite at the age of listening for an extended time but they were listening during our 2 hours trip over the week-end. We are planning to use these wonderful resources during our trips to go to the trailer or during our yearly trip with the trailer. This version of the New Testament brings a breath of fresh air while you listen to it. It is very dynamic and easy to understand even for our own children. And it presents the gospels and the letters of Paul in simple words. It actually uses the International Children's Bible (ICB) as a base. We own the comic book version of the ICB and my oldest really enjoys it.
We haven't had the time to listen to the whole Next Generation New Testament because we don't own a MP3 player in the house. However, both our vehicles have a MP3 player so we can listen to it while driving. I think it is a wonderful way to spend time with God don't you think?
The set includes 24 hours of audio drama going through the whole New Testament. There are 3 MP3 CDs and a bonus Behind-The-Scene DVD containing interview with the actors. This version is also available in a CD format.
The website of the Next Generation Bible (http://www.wordofpromisenextgeneration.com/html/index.html) contains many interesting information for your youth. Casts bios, freebies, 40-day listening plan and even a downloadable sample, there is lots of goodies for everyone! I think Thomas Nelson is offering a wonderful product for the youth and the young at heart. Hey! I am enjoying it and I am forty years old. Check it out!