Try Jelly Telly!

In the vast majority of American households PBS, Nickelodeon, The Disney Channel and Cartoon Network get more than their fair share of our children’s time.  Although some of the programming is educational it does not assist us in teaching our children Biblical principles.  But, never fear, once again Phil Vischer, creator of VeggieTales, has come to our rescue with something new as well as innovative.  He calls it Jelly Telly.

Jelly Telly is an internet based television network. It’s updated everyday with new content and shows.  Unlike the computer generated animation that we have become accustomed to seeing with VeggieTales, Jelly Telly offers puppets.  It sort of reminds me of the Muppet Show (only better).

Vischer said, “Kids need to see what God’s love looks like in action.  If they watch a lot of television, they see pop stars, sports stars and celebrities.  They see kids driving around Hollywood in nice cars – recording albums and buying clothes.  They don’t see a whole lot of missionaries or Christian relief workers or, even more vital, kids just like them sacrificing their time to show God’s love to others.  So this sort of thing will be a major focus of JellyTelly.”

Most areas of the website are free however, there is a small monthly subscription fee associated with the site, but its worth it. It’s only $2.99! If you have tried it let us know what you think! If not, take a look at the clips below. You won’t be disappointed.

VeggieTales Legend Releases All New DVD Series

From Chicago-based Jellyfish Labs, Vischer and team open the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, to new generations: how the Bible formed, its major themes and leading figures, even terms such as Vulgate, Septuagint, Canon, and Apocrypha.

“I picture the kid in the back of Sunday school class–with the questions teachers dread. I know that honest answers now help solidify faith long-term,” Vischer said. Select theologians comb every script to accurately present the Bible on ground common to the broadest number of believers. “We work hard to show respect all around,” Vischer said.

VeggieTales has sold more than 50 million DVDs and produced two theatrical films around Bible stories. WITB plugs in the entire Bible. This comes in a groundswell of new concern for Bible literacy and because today’s kids learn visually.

Bestselling author Randy Alcorn emailed Vischer: “[My grandson and I] watched together and again the next day and the next, bonus features and all, until we had to leave. Matthew is now a devoted fan of Buck Denver and the other characters.”

Alcorn also liked, “the depth of biblical background and commentary on God’s great drama of redemption.”

Episodes one, two, and three?

1. In the Beginning — Kids learn God’s big story and how Genesis’s first 11 chapters set up the whole Bible–and life.

2. Let My People Go! — Kids meet Abraham and learn how God used him to start a great nation called Israel.

3. Wanderin’ in the Desert–goes into Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, joining Genesis and Exodus in the Law Books and setting up trials and victories of God’s people.
“We must learn the language of our audience,” said C.S. Lewis, who connected children to God. “For this generation, visual is fundamental to learning,” Cambridge scientist Alister McGrath said. “By the time kids see the final DVD,” Phil Vischer said, “they’ll know the entire Bible.”

www.WhatintheBible.com

Have you watched any of them yet?  Let us know what you think!

Are you plugged in?

 

If you are like me, watching television and movies leave me a bit wary. Shows and movies today view little resemblence to the healthy, family oriented shows that once provided a little entertainment for families. Watch movies for the first time have become like Forest Gump and the box of chocolates–you never know what you’re going to get.  Between home, school, church, and sports–I am  not quite up on the latest movies, shows etc. So by the time our family does settle in to purchase or rent a dvd, it can be a bit daunting. Initially my husband and I previewed movies, before watching together with the family.  I would sit on the edge of my seat with my hands at the ready to fast forward some inappropriate word or action  that came on screen. It is amazing some the the material and content the ratings deem appropriate for small children. Previewing the movies worked great–except many times we were so tired we fell asleep on the preview and our kids were anxiously awaiting to see if the movie was going to make it in the dvd for them to see.  We found this gave us the opportunity to become proactive in our movie watching–rather than running damage control after the fact. However, it was a bit time consuming previewing the movies beforehand–and if the movies weren’t appropriate for our smaller children, we could not get that time back. Recently we came upon a great website of Focus on the Family, in which plugged in reviewers phave viewed movies, television shows, cds, video games etc for you. The website is called Plugged In, and the plugged in reviewers preview the movie, cd, video game etc. and gives you the reader the whole scoop. I was delighted to see several reviews of movies that my children were interested in watching, and even more delighted to see the plugged in reviewers covered every angle. I also appreciated that they did not dress the movie up or down–but told it like it was. 

Focus on the family encourages, nurtures, and defends God’s institution of the family and biblical truths of His Word. “We believe that children are a heritage from God and a blessing from His hand. Parents are therefore accountable to Him for raising, shaping and preparing them for a life of service to His Kingdom and to humanity.” Focus on the Family helps equip parents in rearing godly children, and Plugged In is a website that educates parents on exactly what their child will watch for that 1-2 hour movie.  Plugged In also prepares parents for topics and discussions to address that the movie, cd, video game etc. might raise–it is a great teachable moment for parents and children.

The website is www.pluggedinonline.com and their mission….

” to help equip parents, youth leaders, ministers and teens with the essential tools that will enable them to understand, navigate and impact the culture in which they live. Entertainment is a potent influence on our culture for both good and evil. Through our reviews and discussions of that entertainment, we hope to spark intellectual thought, family discussion, spiritual growth and a strong desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

The movies are reviewed for positive elements, spiritual content, sexual content, violent content, crude or profane language, drug and alcohol content, other negative elements, other negative elements, and the conclusion or the review.  By the end of the review, parents are fully informed–the only decision left is if your child will watch that particular movie or not. If so, then perhaps it is a great leadway into God’s word. Best of all, there is no need to sit through a bad movie–thanks Plugged In Online!I hope that you take advantage of this resource and the other great links on the site, as a parennt we can never be too informed or too interested in those things that involve our children.

Be blessed!

 

View more movies, television, music, video games and information on the mission of Plugged In at www. pluggedinonline.com.

Gospel Dream 2009

Season four of Gospel Dream, Gospel Music Channel’s talent search, premieres on June 24th at 10:00 p.m, exclusively on GMC.  This season’s celebrity judges will be J. Moss, Mitchell Soralek and Michelle Williams (formerly of Destiny’s Child).

Last year’s winner, Melinda Watts will release her debut album, People Get Ready, on July 28th.  Take a look at a clip from last year’s competition below.