I want to take this opportunity to share a free resource with you today. Our Daily Bread Films has a short series about the 7 Churches to whom Jesus told John to write letters in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. The video is narrated by Joe Stowell.

I have been watching these videos with my children, aged 9 and older. The first video is an introduction which lays the foundation to understand the times, the emperors, how some of the symbolism was relevant to the churches, and prepares viewers to learn more about each church. In discussing each video as we go, all of my kids have had a good understanding of what is covered, and it also serves as a spring board for us to talk about how the lessons apply to our lives today.

These are wonderful for anyone who wants to understand Bible history more.

So many families are home-schooling this year out of necessity to cope with Covid-19 regulations. Resources like these can provide an opportunity for learning that can be inexpensive and fun, while covering bases necessary for a well rounded education. These videos can be stand alone, or provide a foundation for something we call a Unit Study. The time we spend on these videos and family discussion count as Bible, History, and many times we’re practicing Reason and Logic. Scripture Memorization and Writing provide us with Spelling, opportunity to discuss Punctuation rules, label Parts of Speech, practice handwriting and Recitation. Older children can also write a summary of what they learn. Getting out our maps to look at what the world looked like then, and which countries these churches would be located in today, touches on Geography. We can spend more time reading about what life in these countries is like today, and we can pray together for these people and the missionaries in these lands. Do you want to include more Science? Do a study of the landscape, vegetation, and animals in the area. Math, Phy-Ed, Music and other pursuits can be addressed separately.

I hope this is encouragement for you!

Here is the Link for the free videos.

Each video is approximately 26 minutes long. When you go to the web site, it opens as a video player that will play each video in succession. If you click the X in the upper right side of the screen, the player will close so you can scroll down and pick each “episode” as you are ready for it.

Video summary:

It’s been almost 2,000 years since the apostle John was instructed by Jesus to write letters to the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. These timeless letters reveal a message of God’s love through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus, identify and provide correction for problems in the church, and offer hope and encouragement for the future.In this 7-part presentation, you’ll travel to what remains of the ancient sites of the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Join host and president of Cornerstone University Joe Stowell as he takes a closer look into the struggles of the New Testament churches that are just as apparent in churches today.The Seven Churches of Revelation is a perfect resource to help individuals or small groups gain a new perspective on the book of Revelation. Discover how you can find courage to face challenges with the confidence of knowing that in the end, Jesus wins!