The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids

by Jonathan Gibson, Timothy Brindle, C.S. Fritz (Illustrator)

The Acrostic of Scripture gives parents and teachers a unique way to teach theology to children and makes catechism fun! An alphabet of words introducing biblical theology, written to a rhyming beat, paints a detailed and varied portrait of the unfolding story of the Bible, as it is fulfilled by Jesus.  Authors Jonathan Gibson and Timothy Brindle have created The Acrostic of Scripture , to help children ages five to eleven learn theology so their “knowledge of God’s big picture is better.” The fourth release in the Acrostic Theology for Kids series, this book is fun to read, simple to memorize, and features illustrations from C. S. Fritz that shine with creativity. The Acrostic of Scripture includes a QR code in the back that can be scanned to listen to the audio version of the book which Timothy Brindle reads in rap style.

64 pages, Hardcover

Published February 27, 2023

About the author

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Gibson (PhD, Cambridge University) is associate professor of Old Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Gibson previously served as associate minister at Cambridge Presbyterian Church in England.

He is a contributor to and co-editor (with David Gibson) of From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective. He is also the author of historical and biblical articles in Themelios, Journal of Biblical Literature, and Tyndale Bulletin, as well as “Obadiah” in the NIV Proclamation Bible. His PhD was published as Covenant Continuity and Fidelity: A Study of Inner-Biblical Allusion and Exegesis in Malachi (Bloomsbury).

Dr. Gibson’s academic interests include biblical theology, covenant theology, Genesis chapters 1–3, inner-biblical allusion and exegesis within the Old Testament, Pauline soteriology, and the doctrines of grace.

Reviews

[Michael Philliber · Rating 4 out of 5]

To take a fun and thoughtful approach to passing on Scripture and what we believe to our children and grandchildren is a great way to go. That’s what the new, brightly illustrated 64-page hardcover book, “The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids” works at doing. The authors, Jonathan Gibson who is ordained in the International Presbyterian Church (UK) and serves as Associate Professor of Old Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, and Timothy Brindle who is a Pastor at Olive Street Presbyterian Church (PCA), have pulled together an artful and creative way to present our kids with the story of God, full of Scripture and doctrine. This is the fourth installment in New Growth Press’s Acrostic Theology for Kids Series.

After a brief prologue from the authors, the book jumps in, moving from A to Z. Each alphabetic section is brightly illustrated by C.S. Fritz, has a cadenced summary of the subject for that letter, and then is backed up with several quotations from the English Standard Version of the Scriptures. For example, “A” covers Adam, “I” touches on Israel, and “N” takes a peak at Nehemiah and the New Jerusalem. And the metrical summary is only a few lines long, some four and others a little more. The topics include biblical women and men, as well as Scriptural episodes. The final pages of the manual include “Basic Truths to Memorize with Children” and has the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Ten Commandments. Lastly. Also, to make things even more interesting, there is a QR code at the back of the book that if you scan it will pull up an audio version of one of the authors rapping each topic. Quite fun.

It’s clear that the authors spent some serious brain-cell energy on making many of the additions to the book fit. Though not every rhyme is as poetically pleasing as others, nevertheless, the overall approach would make a delightful read with one’s kids or grandkids. Having spent many hours reading to my four children over the years, and now to my grandkids, I can see how this book would be quite enjoyably useful. This is a book I can happily recommend.

My thanks to New Growth Press for alerting me to this book and sending me a free electronic copy. They made no demands on me, other than that I write a review. Thus, my evaluation is freely made and freely given.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest installment of The Acrostic Theology for Kids series by Timothy Brindle and Jonathan Gibson, The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids is a great complement to the series. In The Acrostic of Scripture, the Authors use the alphabet to teach children about stories, people, or concepts that are in the Bible. Each word with its corresponding letter has a brief description of what the word means/is and Bible verse(s) to back it up. Some of the letters have Bible verses from both the Old and New Testament. There is a QR code of a rap of The Acrostic of Scripture in the book as well as other basic Biblical Truths.

Timothy Brindle and Jonathan Gibson have done a fantastic job with the entire Acrostic Theology for Kids series and The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids continues the same level of fun and knowledge that readers have come to know from the series. I love the approach of The Acrostic of Scripture and how it can be rapped. I love the concepts, people, and Bible stories that the Authors bring out and that each letter is backed up with Scripture (some even with both Old and New Testament references). The illustrations by C.S. Fritz also complement The Acrostic of Scripture well. I believe you could use The Acrostic of Scripture to aid in Family Devotion Time or to create a series of lessons for your Kids Church. I highly recommend The Acrostic of Scripture and believe it will be a great help to you and the children in your life as they seek to learn about God’s Word and grow to understand it.

Have you read The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids? Have you read any of the other books in the Acrostic Theology for Kids series? What do you think of it?

I would like to thank New Growth Press for giving me a copy of The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My review is also on my blog Leslie's Library Escape.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Gibson and Timothy Brindle have combined their talents to write acrostic verses that will teach children more about the Scriptures. The verses and scripture passages included point children to 26 people, places, events, or books found in the Bible. The verses are short and would be fairly easy for older children to memorize. The scripture passages help tie the story to the Biblical record.
C.S. Fritz illustrates each two-page spread with a monogram which in some way shows more about the word represented on that two-page spread.
The Acrostic Theology for Kids series was inspired by John Calvin’s Catechism for the children of the Genevan Church (1537). Each book in the series ends with some Bible truths to memorize with children.
The Acrostic of Scripture would be a great resource for a K-12 Christian school library or a middle or upper elementary classroom.
I received a complimentary copy of The Acrostic of Scripture. This is my honest review.

[Sean Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth of these Acrostic books and another brilliant book that takes you through scripture and what it means.
A book that is helpful and leads you to Jesus and if a young person could learn this they would be well on the way to having an established faith.