Novel-like New Testament Created for Teens Who Don’t Read the Bible
Group Publishing will release Pierced: The New Testament, a fresh approach to Scripture-reading for teenagers and young adults, on September 1, 2016.
According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, 80% of 18- to 29-year-olds are reading more than older generations. In fact, seventy-one percent of these young adults read a book in the past year. While reading is popular among younger Americans, Bible readership is down.
In fact, only 7% of teens are “Bible engaged” and 45% of teens are either “Bible neutral” or “Bible skeptics,” according to a 6-year Barna study produced in partnership with American Bible Society.
“That’s because we’ve often treated Bible-reading like an intimidating chore,” explains Rick Lawrence, General Editor of Pierced, “not an invitation into an epic adventure.”
Pierced serves as an open door for teenagers to no longer avoid Scripture. This New Testament narrative immerses readers into the greater story of Jesus through an intentionally simple yet personal design.
Contextualized for youth from Biblica’s The Books of the Bible, which strips away centuries of added formatting included in most modern Bibles, Pierced reads more like a novel than a textbook. Complicated chapter and verse numbers or footnotes are replaced with artwork, and real-life “margin notes” and highlights, from teenagers from all over the world.
“By combining the actual notes of ten teens into one Bible, we give the reader an opportunity to journey through the story of Jesus with his or her peers,” shares Veronica Preston, Interior Design and Production Artist of Pierced. “It allows them to know that they are not alone; wrestling through God’s Word with others…feeling free to be vulnerable in the process.”
Pierced is written in New International Version translation, and is likely to be widely purchased by youth leaders, parents, grandparents, and other mentors as a gift for the teenagers and young adults in their influence.
Pierced is available now for pre-order on Amazon.com and will be released on Group.com and sold by other Christian retailers beginning September 1, 2016.
(Source: Christian Newswire)
