The Good News Bible – Family Edition  

The Good News Bible - Family Edition is a brand new Bible that has been designed to get your family engaging with, and experiencing the Bible together. By Jack Imbert-Terry

The what 

Using a diverse range of exciting features, we have created a way of interacting with the Bible that provides space, and tools for your family to find your own confidence and rhythm in exploring the Bible at home.


The why 

The Faith in Nexus report published at the end of 2020 and commissioned by the National Institute for Christian Education Research (NICER), highlighted the desire for family Bible reading at home, and a need for the Bible to be ‘you and me, exploring the Bible together’ as opposed to individually. 

But we were already working on the Bible before this was announced, knowing that the single biggest influence on a young person’s faith is their family. This was initially highlighted in Youth for Christ’ national research project ‘Gen Z: Rethinking Culture’, and then echoed again in their most recent research piece ‘Z-A of Faith and Spirituality’. 

Exploring the Bible and having faith talk together as a family will help to create Bible confidence, as well as create positive memories that will help to cement the faith of all involved. The Bible will become part of your family story, and our hope is that The Good News Bible – Family Edition will not only bring your family closer to God, but closer to each other as well. 



The how (challenges & solutions) 

Challenge 
Families are incredibly diverse and that the word ‘family’ can mean a variety of different things to different people. My family will experience the Bible in a different way to your family, and even within our own family units, each member will have their own preferences as to how they would like to take part. 

Solution
The Good News Bible – Family Edition has a huge amount of interactions and tools to help your family to find a path that best works for you all as you engage in the text together, based on five different themes of: THINK, CHAT, DO, CREATE and WATCH. There is something for everyone, whether you are someone who likes to reflect on what you have read, openly discuss questions and opinions, draw and journal, take some kind of action, or watch some video content – it is all here in this Bible. 


Challenge 
How do we find the time in what is already a hectic schedule, and then how can we keep everyone focused on the same thing? 

Solution 
This is where we need to be kinder in terms of the expectations we place on ourselves. Whereas we might love the idea of an hour of ‘Family Bible time’ each day, the reality for most of us is that won’t be possible. But even if you can scramble 15 minutes, there are activities and resources you can use. 

Also, there is no need to put pressure on you all engaging on the same thing at the same time. Notice how the landscape pages both face outwards? That is intentional! We want your family to truly engage around the Bible. While one person is reading a passage of scripture, another might be watching a video on their phone, perhaps while someone else is drawing and doodling on the pages opposite. You will all be together and engaging in the Bible – and that is pretty amazing. 


Challenge 
I struggle with understanding some parts of the Bible on my own – I don’t feel qualified leading it at home, and I don’t feel confident in answering questions about it. 

Solution 
The Good News Bible – Family Edition requires no profound theological knowledge beforehand. It isn’t about any one person leading it and it isn’t about already having the answers. It IS about journeying through the Bible together – taking the time to explore what it means to your family, and discussing the differences in interpretation. 

It is about discovering the answers together, and gaining insight into how you each perceive the truths found in the Bible. The additional content found in this Bible isn’t about trying to give you the answers – it is about supporting you all, as you discover them yourselves. 

Maybe you aren’t an expert on the Bible – but you are THE expert on your family. This Bible is designed to support your engagement in the way that best suits the wonderful uniqueness of your family. It’s the Bible your way, for your family. 


Key Features: 

• Unique opposing landscape page layout, allowing for multiple ways of engagement 
• Over 400 interactions throughout, based on the themes of Think, Chat, Do, Create and Watch 
• Removable and reusable ‘whiteboard’ jacket, for writing, drawing and being creative 
• Loads of space inside for writing, doodling and drawing 
• 26 online videos that help guide, support and unpack the tricky bits as you journey through the Bible 
• An online community of Family Bible users, where you can share ideas, stories and offer each other support 
• Regular new content that can be downloaded or printed for free, with content based on feedback and suggestions from active users of the Bible 

The Good News Bible – Family Edition has been created by Youth for Christ and Bible Society. For more information or to buy, visit yfc.co.uk/familybible.

More information and additional resources can also be found here: gnbfamilyedition.com 

Jack Imbert-Terry, Key Accounts Executive, Bible Society