I’ve just come back from attending the Scottish launch of the new Christianity Explored course. I thoroughly recommend that you look into what they are doing there – some great additions to what was already an excellent evangelism tool.
Christianity Explored’s focus on the Gospel of Mark has made me focus on some children’s books that feature that Gospel.
Topz Gospels Mark is a good option for your 7–11-year-old to introduce them to the person of Jesus Christ. In this book, the Topz gang get to find out the real meaning of some of their favourite Bible stories. (ISBN: 978 1 782 593 553)
The Best News Ever is also available on Kindle and will take your 9–12-year-old on a 100-day journey through Mark’s fast-paced, action-packed story. This book brings them face to face with Jesus Christ, the one who changes everything. (ISBN: 978 1 784 984 373)
The two Adventures Through the Gospels books give a harmony of all the Gospels as the author works through these books in a synoptic way. Each story includes helpful explanations that connect Biblical events to their deeper spiritual significance, with “Look Back” sections that reveal God’s redemptive plan throughout Scripture. (ISBN: 978 1 527 112 193 and 978 1 527 112 209)
An interesting read-aloud book for younger children would be Mark’s Marvellous Book. I like how each Bible story begins with fun observations from modern life, and the illustration style reflects this. Check out the picture of snails driving the school bus! The author points out that things have to be true to be really amazing—and that when Jesus came, He did things that were absolutely amazing. (ISBN: 978 1 781 916 070)
Now I have to say that I haven’t read the following title, but it is in my Amazon wish list for a future purchase: The Gospel of Mark in the “Word for Word Bible Comic” series. It’s a graphic novel approach to the Gospel and has NIV text. If you were thinking of going through Mark’s Gospel with youngsters—perhaps in a kids’ ministry version of Christianity Explored—this might be a good option for you. (ISBN: 978 1 914 299 063)
