Customer Reviews

Inspired By . . . The Bible Experience: New Testament: A Dramatic Audio Bible Performed by 400 of Today's Biggest Stars

5 star:		(151)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Finally. Not just a reading or recitation of the Holy Scriptures but a re-enactment of them. The words leap and dance off of the page due to the passion infused into every word. What a wonderful project. This is indeed a sight and sound generation. Try getting kids to sit down and read a book these days. Impossible! But now we have The Bible Experience. It's packed with more stars than a blockbuster movie. Although the cast is entirely African American, it makes no difference because when God speaks, he speaks to every person.

The set includes 19 CD's which hold the complete New Testament. There is also a CD which includes bonus features. That's where you will find the Making of Video, pictures and cast list and what characters they play. The really nice thing about this set is that the discs are already tucked into a nice cd case, ready to take with you as soon as you open the box.

The talent used here is a smart move. It creates an audience that may not have been attracted to a project like this. What a cast: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Blair Underwood, Yolanda Adams, Shirely Ceasar, Faith Evans, Kirk Franklin, Hill Harper, Levar Burton, Tisha Campbell, Loretta Devine, Kim Fields, Eriq Lasalle, MC Lyte, Glynn Turman, Garrett Morris, James Avery, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Donnie McClurkin, etc., etc., etc. There are too many to name here.

The cast re-enacts from the new testament of Today's New International Version of the bible. Not only is there acting but wonderfully scored music and sound effects to make the listener feel as though he is at the scene. You may have noticed that some of the cast aforementioned may not be known as being Christian but many of the people in the bible were not people of faith. It is hoped that in taking part in this awe inspiring project, at least some of the unsaved might become saved.

I emplore you to buy this Audio Book for yourself and give it as a gift to others. Especially the young people. It will be a blessing. The Old Testament is being workd on and will be released in 2007. There will also be a CD of all the music released in 2007. Many of the original cast will return to work on the Old Testament. The voice of God is still to be cast as I understand it. I vote for James Earl Jones! Is there anyone better to play God? I think not.

Fantastic! When I first heard of this product, I expected something very much like my NIV on CD - clearly presented, but still having that "reading-a-book" feel. However, the Bible Experience accomplishes exactly what its name implies. In the Gospels and Acts, you feel the action taking place. In the Epistles, you get the experience of the letters actually being written.

I read an earlier review that criticized the production quality of this project. As a former professional editor in radio and video and as a current pastor, I can assure you that I was thoroughly satisfied with both production and content. The fact that there is little pause between narrator and actor keeps the momentum moving and eliminates the "wooden" feel of more traditional readings. However, even with this more realistic pace, nowhere do you feel that the text is being treated with anything but respect.

I also thought that the background sounds were very well done. Two of my favorites were the marching soldiers panning slowly from right to left in Romans and the dank, dripping feel of the prison in 1 Corinthians. Never overwhelming - just enough to create the "experience".

Finally, I thought the scoring was very appropriate. That was one of my criticisms with the NIV recording, where it seemed that the background music was on a continuous loop and would rise and fall at random times. In The Bible Experience, the music fit the scenes - and there are many times when there is no music, just the ambient sound that would surround a 1st century letter being written.

I have been recommending this project in my church, and will highly recommend it on this website. It treats the NT with reverence, while realistically animating it from an oft-times lifeless page. I can't wait until next year's OT release - the history books are going to be a blast!

I have waited for this release since last year when I first got the email from Gospel.com. As soon as it came out in October I brought it. I love this CD, I have purchase 4 copies already for family and friends. This is on the top of my gift giving list.

I have read many versions of the bible since 2003, and to be honest this is the best. I can see the story as it is being told to me. The drama that is accompanied by the reading is fantastic.

I love the way the executive producers surround the angel "Gabriel" with such a voice and the speed of it "wow" very exciting, you can truly feel his sense of urgency when talking to Zechariah about the birth "John" YES Lord!!
This is such an anointing project and I am sure many who NEVER would pick up a bible or attend church services WILL be blessed by this audio version of the bible.

As God inspired in the four gospels he meets everyone right where they are and then waits for us to get there. The Bible Experience is living testimony of just that...

Missy

The words of Jesus come to life with Blair Underwood in The Bible Experience. Hear the Beautitudes spoken to you from the mouth of Jesus. I am in awe of the power of the Bible experience. The words, music, background take you to the place where the words are spoken. I have been blessed with comprehension and study of the KJV of the bible, I am having a more enlightened experience with the audio.
This is a must have for any family, African American or otherwise.
I am presenting this to my family members for Christmas presents. What better way to honor the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
I listened to the book of Matthew on my daily commute, and received powerful revelations from God's word.
I recommend that you read the New Testment Chapters before you listen to the tape to realize the blessing of the Bible Experience.
Wonderful casting of the Books of the New Testament.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

This is my first "audio book" and what an inspiring purchase. I've always only read bits and pieces of the Bible, but with this I have committed myself to read along as I listen. Thank you for this blessing.

I've owned a copy of the Zondervan NIV Audio Bible for a while, so I was excited to check out this new TNIV series. The star-studded cast was very appealing, and I think overall I was really happy with the voice-acting in this new release. However, I think the background sound effects kind of ruined the "experience" for me. I just didn't agree with the decisions to have sounds of "writing" and "prisoners coughing" during the reading of Paul's letters, or random horses clomping and ambient crowd noises when it wasn't directly relevant to the content of the reading. Paul's thoughts were probably *away* from his immediate prison environment when he was writing, so why does the listener have to hear the chains dragging on the ground or the dripping water from the leaky ceiling? The background music was acceptable, but I think the producers tried a little too hard to add sound effects here. Just my opinion.

If Zondervan released a version of this production without the extraneous sound effects, I think I would be interested in buying it again.

A Biblical Greek teacher of mine had a saying: in some sense, all translators are traitors. I believe God's Word in its original form is perfect. Since we have no originals, I rest assured that God, in all his power and wisdom transmits (and slowly reveals) as much of his Word to us as he thinks we can now digest and comprehend.

This audio recording/performance of the TNIV New Testament is the best I have yet heard. Like a previous reviewer noted, there are added words in the background in Acts 5. There are also several words (usually a "Jesus said" in the midst of long pieces of dialogue) that are missing. As a previous reviewer noted, we are not to add or subtract from God's word.

Therefore, I feel the added background dialogue in Acts 5 is problematic. One would hope it would be subtracted from future releases of this work and that missing words--even seemingly incosequential ones--would be added back.

While still bearing this in mind, and not in any way letting Zondervan off the hook, I have to say that the overal product is very faithful to the text of the translation.

I find listening while reading along allows me not only to reference what it is being said (and to then have confidence in its fidelity to the translation,) but it also helps me to focus.

This is a performance. It is not perfect. Who knows if an actor's inflection or tone will mesh with our view of scripture or if either (their inflection or our view) is correct?

What the Bible Experience does for me is to get me a little more engaged. The use of multiple senses helps me to tune in better to the Word. More than that, these performers help to shake me out of any false notion that I "know" or have any of this text "down pat."

The Bible is a page-turner. It is an edge-of-your-seat ride. It is living and active. It is God's declaration of his glory and his love for us. It has the power to save and the power to transform.

This performance, "Inspired By: The Bible Experience," is very good. If not for Acts 5 and a couple of other instances, I would even say it is great.

Absolutely Awesome - A MUST TO BUY!! I got the most benefit by listening and reading along in the bible at the same time. Brings THE WORD alive.

First, I want to say that I purchased 3 copies of "Inspired By...The Bible Experience," one for myself, my parents and my Pastor and I have been truly blessed listening to it. I love the way that the characters are portrayed by a different person and that you can actually FEEL the experience, just in the listening.

The Word of GOD, is SO great already, but to have it told to you the way it is told in your product is a new and even more wonderful experience. So I want to thank you all, the creators, directors, actors/actresses/singers and all the other people involved, for providing such a wonderful way to spread God's Word.

My only complaint, which is not really a complaint, is that I'm unable to tell, in listening, what person is portraying each character. I am wondering if there is a cast listing that shows what person is portraying what characters.

I brought the cd not really expecting much from it, but I was wrong. I have several versions of the bible on cd and this is pretty good. Although there are a couple things I do not like (like the intro music at the beginning of each cd) it seems like nothing compared the overall product. I am writing this review and only listened to the book of Matthew and Acts and this cd is pretty great. I even brought one for a Christmas gift and suggest that you bless yourself and someone else by buying these cds for the both of you. As you listen, May God bless you all with spiritual insight and understanding. GOD BLESSES AND HE IS GOOD!