Bible’s Own Story Part 1

“Wouldn’t it be nice if the Bible could actually stand up and speak to us? Of course, it DOES speak to us, but not in voices we hear with our ears.”  These are the words I use to introduce this flipchart. The Bible’s Own Story was published in 1974. Sandra Humphrey and Aline Clevenger wrote it with Sandra doing all of the illustrations. It is no longer in print, but it is too good not to share. It may not be reproduced to be sold due to copyright laws. Christian Communications is the copyright owner.

Below are the beautiful images from the original flipchart. The script is my abridged version of the original. There are actually more pictures than I am sharing here since I feel the flipchart as written is too long for one class teaching lesson.  I break it up into two class sessions so the children can retain more of the details. Present this to your children in chunks they can understand and remember. Never feel you must do everything all at once!

There is a Part 1 and a Part 2 for this flipchart. Part 2 of this flipchart may be found here: https://kidsbibleclassideas.com/the-bibles-own-story-part-2/

Global SeedSowers has updated this in full color in English and Spanish. They send visual aids all over the world at no cost. They may be contacted at GlobalSeedSowers@gmail.com. It is currently available in English and Spanish free of charge. The first photo below only shows all of the images in the set on one page. Each image is shown on one page.

This image above is the front cover of the flipchart. I use this image near the end of the flipchart presentation.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the Bible could actually SPEAK to us in a voice we could hear?  It actually DOES speak to us, but we have to READ it to hear the words. Let’s pretend the Bible has grown arms and legs. Let’s take a walk with the Bible and let it tell us about itself. What would it say?

Way back when God created the world, there was not a book like me. If God wanted someone to know something, he would simply talk to them so they could hear with their ears OR he spoke to them in a dreams and visions. He actually spoke to people like Adam, Noah and Abraham and told them things they needed to know.

There were many, many people in the world, but God didn’t talk all of them. They needed to know things like:

  • Who is God?
  • What is God like?
  • What does God want us to do?

So, God had Moses write down the answers to their questions.

  • On the burning, quaking Mount Sinai God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and many other rules.
  • Moses wrote them down.
  • Those rules told the people how to make God happy and how to live good lives.

God also had Moses write about Creation, the Great Flood and about faithful men like Jacob and Joseph.

  • He wrote the first 5 books of the Bible.
  • They are called the Books of Law.
  • Can you name them?

After Moses died, other men kept records of their families and all of judges and kings. Twelve of these Books of History were written down and became a part of me. They tell the exciting story of the children of Israel from the time they reached the promised Land until they finally returned to it many years later after being released from Babylonian captivity.

Men like David and his son Solomon wrote down God’s wise words and beautiful poems like the 23rd Psalm. Five of these Books of Poetry are a part of me.

God spoke to prophets and told them what to say to the people. Many of those prophets wrote God’s words down. Those words became part of me.

Then God stopped speaking to ANYONE.  I did not have anymore new words added to me. For 400 years God did not say ANYTHING at all.  And then . . . something VERY SP oECIAL HAPPENED. . .. You will have to wait until the next class to find out.

See The Bible’s Own Story Flipchart Part 2 here https://kidsbibleclassideas.com/the-bibles-own-story-part-2/

9 Comments

  1. Kim Powers on October 30, 2021 at 9:30 am

    How can I get a copy for my Bible school class to teach?

    • Kathy Petrillo on October 30, 2021 at 10:50 am

      Since this is not in print, I would suggest doing a copy and paste of each image on this page. Print them out on cardstock. You could then use them as you teach. You could also put a piece of paper over each image you print out and trace over the black lines. You could also copy the images and put them into a PowerPoint type presentation and show them to your class that way. Let me know if you might need more input on this.

  2. Kim Powers on November 1, 2021 at 10:00 am

    Thank you! For some reason, I cannot copy the image to save it.
    I have the lesson to these visuals but I have been looking for these visuals for a while. I am wanting to translate them into the Thai language so the ladies there can use them to teach children.
    Do you have an ideas”?

    • Kathy Petrillo on November 1, 2021 at 10:46 am

      I am not sure why you can’t copy and paste. This is how I do it on my HP, Windows-based computer. I right click on the image and select “copy”. Then I open a Word document and select “paste”. If you have Mac computer, follow the process to do the same thing however it may be done. Let me know if that does not work. Perhaps I could email the images to you.

    • Kathy Petrillo on March 3, 2023 at 10:02 am

      You are certainly welcome to translate them. I am not sure how to do that though. Someone else digitized them for me.

    • Kathy Petrillo on March 3, 2023 at 10:10 am

      On second thought, contact Global Seedsowers. They publish Bible class materials for children in different languages sometimes for foreign missionaries. They redid this visual aid. It is in color but only in English as far as I know. You can contact them at GlobalSeedsowers@gmail.com or mail them at 725 Byrd Drive, Abilene, TX 79601.

  3. Kathy Short on March 3, 2023 at 10:00 am

    I saw where Kim Powers is asking about using your visuals in the Thai language. I am interested in using them in Portuguese in Brazil. Perhaps also adding them to our website for Brazilian Bible teachers: escolabiblicainfantil.com.br
    Would that be ok?

    • Kathy Petrillo on March 3, 2023 at 10:01 am

      Yes, you can certainly add them to your website. God bless your efforts.

    • Kathy Petrillo on March 3, 2023 at 10:10 am

      On second thought, contact Global Seedsowers. They publish Bible class materials for children in different languages sometimes for foreign missionaries. They redid this visual aid. It is in color but only in English as far as I know. You can contact them at GlobalSeedsowers@gmail.com or mail them at 725 Byrd Drive, Abilene, TX 79601.

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