I was recently sent a copy of the Power Bible, Volume 1 to review. It is a comic book style Bible designed to engage young children. Working with children, I’m always looking for ways to get children interested in God’s Word.
From the credits in the back of the book, Volume 1 of the Power Bible originated in Korea in 2005 and was translated into English in 2011 with the New American Standard Bible being the Bible of reference for quotes, etc.
Volume 1 covers Biblical stories from creation to Joseph. In the beginning of the book they have a few pages that lists the main “characters” and a brief “bio”. I like that concept which helps children understand the people in the following pages.
I received my copy on a Wednesday before I headed to Awana and so I was able to immediately get some feedback and initial thoughts on the Power Bible. As it was shown to 3rd and 4th graders, generally the younger ones, and mainly the girls liked the appearance of book. The book is colorful and has a true comic book style. I am always a little leery when the Bible is put in formats like this, and the publisher seems to have the same concerns. From their website they note,
Our team has fact checked and researched to make sure the Power Bible is faithful to the truths of the Bible. But it is not intended to be a substitute for the Bible. We have also exercised some artistic freedom, so if questions or interpretation issues arise, we encourage you to use this opportunity to engage your children and read the Bible together.
These are always important points to keep in mind. A comic book, or story Bible, may not be 100% Biblically accurate as some creative license is used for graphics or the comic book style. This can be done without removing the truth of the Word, but you must be careful to use the Power Bible to draw children to the complete Bible. For instance in one frame, Potiphar’s wife is shown making a “ninja” move to get closer to Joseph quickly.
The Power Bible can be a useful tool to teach children the Truth of God and interest them in the Bible, but as with anything you purchase for a young child, I would recommend reviewing it before reading with your child.
The Power Bible comes in six volumes to cover the Old Testament, and four volumes to cover the New Testament for a total of ten volumes. I only received volume 1 for review.
If you would like to learn more about the Power Bible, you can visit their website at kidspowerbible.com.
