• Let's pass on the passion
• The Commentary
  Who is misleading who?
• Letter from America
  Haiti: what evangelicals say
• McAtheism
• Notes from the future: evangelical liberalism in the UK
• Kidnapped!
• Isn't conversion just psychological?
  An answer to a common criticism of Christian faith
• Behind closed doors
  On 2 Samuel 6.20-23 - living at home to the glory of God?
• Life's beginning and the incarnation
• Reading together
  A new way of getting people to get to grips with Scripture
• Watching the web
  Sermon vodcasts
• Monthly arts and media column
  Examining the role of journalists in disaster situations
• Stranger and pilgrim
  The real Van Gogh: the artist and his letters at the Royal Academy
• The Music Exchange
  Dealing positively with negative feedback
• Monthly youth leaders column
  Then there were none...
• Third Degree
  Led by students
• Rosemary Elizabeth Bird, 1933-2010
  Obituary

other articles

• Who made God?
• Invictus
• The children's book - Shelf life: Looking at secular books
• In God we trust
• Gospel-centred life - Third of a series of extracts
• Old paths - new shoes - The Westminster Conference 2008
• But is it real?
• Makers of Puritan history
• Crossing the divide
• On wings of prayer - Praying the ACTS way
• Unleashing the Word - Rediscovering the public reading of Scripture
• 100 fascinating Bible facts
• Made to be me
• The expectant prophet - Habakkuk simply explained
• Jesus - a serious beginner's guide
• Freedom in Christ for young people
• Reasons for the Christian hope
• 2 Peter and Jude
• Super Saviour
• God's people in the wilderness - The church in Hebrews
• Predestination - The American career of a contentious doctrine
• A guide to Christian living
• Travel through Egypt

The young ones

100 FASCINATING BIBLE FACTS
By Irene Howat
Christian Focus. 139 pages. £5.99
ISBN 978-1-84550-476-2

The first page of this book, for 4-7-year-olds, gives us a simple definition of facts, and a statement about the reliability of the Bible. This is followed by 100 short facts about the Bible, divided into six sections.

The first and longest section gives a Bible overview, with a brief outline of the contents of each of the books of the Bible. Then come sections on the birth of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and animals of the Bible. The final two facts are promises of salvation.

There are plenty of pictures, and the facts are punctuated at intervals by activities, which are introduced using the device of three fictional characters. These are: Chloe, who appears whenever there’s a quiz; Zac, who produces challenges in the form of word-based activities; and Abi, who offers extra information, including an explanation of the names of Jesus.

This book is thoroughly Bible-based, and includes both facts and opinions. The Bible overview gives the chance for children to put Bible stories in context; there are some omissions, as the facts included are necessarily selective.

The section on Bible animals will captivate the children’s interest, as well as providing some humour, and teaching useful lessons at the same time. The middle sections, in particular, are about Jesus, but much of the book points to him. The gospel is presented clearly several times, in different ways, giving a beautifully Christ-centred approach.

This is an ideal book either for initiating discussions when read together with children, or for children to read independently.

Janet Cordle,
Lower Ford Street Baptist Church, Coventry