Each month, we take a moment to fill you in on everything that’s happening with Phil Vischer and the What’s In The Bible? team! Read below to find out about the new Church Edition design, JellyTelly announcements, Phil’s Christmas tour, and more!
Church Edition Makeover
In the past month, we’ve launched an improved version of our Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? Church Edition. Though the content inside has stayed the same, we’ve made major improvements in the packaging and instructions. The videos, Go Home Cards, and outside packaging have been updated on each volume. You’ll also notice that the discs are color-coded in each volume, making it easy for you to find the right disc when you need it.
We’ve also included PDF versions of the Leader Guides for Volume 3 for the first time, you can download Volume 3 Leader Guides here. If you already own the Church Edition, you can download updated versions digitally by entering your password for the correct volume here. You can download updated versions of the Go Home cards here.
Never tried the Church Edition? In a recent survey, 93% of Church Edition users gave it a 4 or 5 out of 5 when asked much how they like it. Download a free sample week here.
New shows now up on JellyTelly!
Junior’s Giants, Jesus Storybook Bible, The Nature of God, Hermie & Friends, Gigi: God’s Little Princess, and Hillsong Kids
Looking for the best in kids’ Christian media? JellyTelly is your one stop shop! Over the past month we’ve added Junior’s Giants, Jesus Storybook Bible, The Nature of God, Hermie & Friends, Gigi: God’s Little Princess and the Hillsong Kids series, so we encourage you to explore and subscribe! Enjoy your first month free when you use coupon code WITB1113.
Curious what other shows you can find on JellyTelly? We just released a brand new JellyTelly Show Guide that provides details about each series available so you can decide what is right for your children to watch, at the right time.
JellyTelly App News
Since the launch of the JellyTelly iOS app last month, we’ve had over 2,500 downloads, more than 80 reviews and an average 5 star rating! We’re so thankful for all the positive feedback and hope your family is enjoying the opportunity to access JellyTelly on-the-go. If you have subscribed to JellyTelly and haven’t downloaded the app yet, you can find it by searching “JellyTelly” in the iTunes app store on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.
Still wondering about the Android app? We’re in the final stages of testing, so it’s not far behind. We’ll continue to keep you posted as we have news! And if your family has a Roku player, we’re very close to the release of the official JellyTelly channel, too. We’re thrilled to continue providing ways to access positive, faith-based, ad-free children’s programming at your fingertips and hope you are, too.
The Grand Finale: Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? Volume 13
Mark your calendars for March 2014! Phil and his team have been hard at work wrapping up the Buck Denver Asks..What’s in the Bible? series with Volume 13. The DVD will officially release in March 2014 and cover the general Epistles and Revelation.
Phil at the Allume Conference in Greenville, SC
In October, Phil was invited to speak at the Allume Conference in Greenville, South Carolina. Every year, the Allume Conference meets as a gathering place for bloggers and other online contributors. The goal of the conference is to go beyond the surface level, bringing glory to God via real life living through faith and family. Phil led a great talk on narrative and story. What story are we living in? Denise and Jamie from the What’s in the Bible? team joined him at the conference and had the opportunity to talk with many moms and bloggers about the series.
Phil Vischer Interview on The Gospel Coalition
We’re excited to share that Phil was recently interviewed by The Gospel Coalition! Read The Gospel Coalition article to hear Phil’s take on what makes Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? unique, what his concerns about kids’ television are and more.
What Can We Learn From Paul’s Letters?
If you’ve reached Volume 12 in the Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? series, you may have recognized that it covers some big topics that can be tricky to navigate with your kids – topics like justification, sanctification and the fruits of the spirit. We’ve shared a recent blog post gathering videos covering the Epistles to help your family better understand the nature of these topics as shared by Phil and how you can better arm yourselves for a fruitful family discussion.
Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? Radio Promotions
Keep your ears perked over the next month for a chance to hear a few interviews with Phil via Talk Radio! Some of the interviews won’t be online until the air date occurs, but you can reference the links below to find them on the date given:
- November 21: Focus on the Family (*available now!) or on November 21st on their homepage
- December 8: Keep the Faith
- November 29 and December 2: Haven Today
In addition to the Talk Show interviews, over the next month, several radio stations have partnered with us to let their listeners know the true meaning of Christmas. They’ll be giving listeners the chance to win copies of Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? volumes 10-12 and Buck Denver Asks…Why Do We Call it Christmas? Here’s a glance at the participating stations so you can tune in!
- K-Love (national) – Nov 29-Dec 2
- American Family Radio (national)
- WAKW – Cincinnati, OH
- WCVK – Bowling Green, KY
- WBSN – New Orleans, LA
- KZKZ – Fort Smith, AR
- WCTL – Waterford, PA
- Christian FM – Vero Beach, FL
- The Fish – Nashville, TN
- K-Light – Coos Bay, OR
- The Fish – Sacramento, CA
- New Life 91.9 – Charlotte, NC
- WGRC – Lewisburg, PA
- The Fish – Atlanta, GA
- Family Life Network – Bath, NY
- WJQK – Grand Rapids, MI
- WJIE – Louisville, KY
The Phil Vischer Podcast
What’s the buzz on Phil’s podcast lately? You can find his podcast on his website or via iTunes under The Phil Vischer Podcast. Here’s a look at the latest topics…
+ Episode 77: Women, Christianity, and the Gospel?!
+ Episode 76: Religious Illiterates and an Evangelical “Hell House”!
+ Episode 75: Religious Billboards, Christian Movies, and Japanese Youth!
+ Episode 74: Disneyland, Vegas, Hobby Lobby and OJ Simpson!
+ Episode 73: Christian Billboards and the Idolatry of Family
+ Episode 72: Politics, Atheism and the Pope!
Phil Vischer Christmas Tour
This Christmas season, Phil will be traveling to three different cities. Based on the popular DVD Buck Denver Asks…Why Do We Call It Christmas?, Phil will be hitting the road to share stories surrounding the true meaning of Christmas and how families can experience a more meaningful holiday together. Purchase your ticket today! We look forward to seeing you.
- December 1: Woodmen Valley Chapel in Colorado Springs, CO
- December 8: Faith Bible Church in The Woodlands, TX
December 15: Adventure Christian Church in Sacramento, CA
Buck Denver Asks…Why Do We Call It Christmas?
Cutting down trees? Hanging stockings? Santa Claus? What do any of these have to do with Jesus’ birthday? Watch Buck Denver Asks…Why Do We Call it Christmas? with your family this season and share in learning the story of Christmas. Not only is it a great resource for your family, but makes a great gift, too! Buy Why Do We Call It Christmas? it in our store today.
Everyday Emmanuel
Are you looking for ways to introduce your family to Advent this Christmas? Check out Everyday Emmanuel, a simple and fun Christmas Countdown experience to help your family go deeper in the meaning of Christmas. You can find more gift ideas in Buck Denver’s Gift Guide.
Church Event Packs for the Christmas Season
Interested in taking your church through Buck Denver Asks…Why Do We Call it Christmas? With the Church Event Pack, your church can purchase the license to show the DVD to your congregation or set up a Christmas party and stream it there. The Church Event Pack comes with a special talk from Phil, Christmas sing-along videos and coupons for $5 off Buck Denver Asks…What’s in the Bible? Volume 1 to pass out to families and friends.
…and the Team Spotlight
Last month we started introducing you to the team of people who work alongside Phil on the What’s in the Bible? team. This month, we want to spotlight Susan Manes.
Susan is the Senior Manager of Community Engagement. Chances are, if you’ve left us a comment on Facebook or Twitter, she’s had a hand in the thoughtful response. Prior to working on the WITB team, Susan was involved on street teams for Christian artists through a company called Grassroots Music/StreetLaunch and then spent six years at Ground Force Network managing word of mouth marketing campaigns for a variety of Christian books, albums, movies and events. Susan graduated from the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota. She’s lived in Nashville for 11 years and has been married to her husband, Matt for 4 years. Susan and Matt lead the youth group and volunteer with AWANA at their church. In her spare time, Susan also enjoys baking and sewing. Matt is an Algebra 1 & 2 math teacher at a local high school and they just gave birth to their first child, a daughter, last week!
