It is the pulse of the universe, the song of creation, as unstoppable as the tide, as irresistible as the sun rising. The beginning, the end, the centre of every orbit and the home to which all things return. It is an invitation to explore who we are and where we fit in the history of everything. It is the story of all that has ever been and ever will be. It is the story of the Bible, the story in which we find ourselves, the story of God, the world, and you.
Refreshed and reworked for 2025, Long Story Short tells the story of the Bible in its own words – from Genesis to Revelation. Over twelve episodes, Long Story Short offers an intriguing pathway through the most important story ever told, a journey through the sweeping story of salvation. It is a story to enter into.
Twelve Words
Over time we develop new resources and refine existing ones – even revisiting and revamping old titles – to provide you with top-quality, engaging, and relevant Bible-based literature.
Long Story Short was inspired by and builds on a couple of our previous resources, You Are Here and TWELVE. Each of these resources invite us to engage with the whole landscape of the Bible, to look at the story it tells and to reflect on our place in it. Each strives not to be a study or discussion, but a story to enter in to.
In the introduction for Long Story Short, we are invited to explore the role of stories in our lives. One of the opening activities centres around choosing twelve words that come to mind when you think of the Bible.
This idea was at the heart of TWELVE, which mapped the panorama of the Bible, using art, film, and story-telling, all framed by twelve words that are woven through the story – participants were also invited to choose their own twelve words. Let’s be honest, no twelve words will ever adequately sum up the whole story of the Bible. But this activity, which appeared in different forms throughout each resource, helps us to consider the story of the Bible as a whole.
Tips for the Journey
Long Story Short can be engaged with individually or in community, and is best read aloud. The resource is adaptable to your context, but here are some ways in which you can make the most of Long Story Short:
- Think of your time together as storytelling events rather than Bible studies. Sessions should be engaging and creative. If you've got natural actors and storytellers in your community, let them take the lead, but offer opportunities for everyone to get involved.
- Take time to engage, reflect, discuss, make notes, or respond creatively. What inspires or challenges you? What do you want to explore further?
- Make use of the map spreads and encourage doodling and drawing as the story is read. At the end of the series, you'll have an artisitc record of your community's response to the story of the Bible
- Accommodate people engaging the story in a way that is natural to them, whether that’s lying down with their eyes closed, crafting as they listen, or taking notes.
- It’s all about the overarching story, so resist breaking up to discuss every intriguing verse or challenging section you come across.
- Throughout the journey, reflect on what it would mean to live out the story. How can we take what we hear and live it out in our own lives, and in the world around us?
Long Story Short is available on our online store to download for both groups and indviduals. Producing, developing and updating resources takes careful thought, time and expertise. If you would like to donate to the work of Lifewords, please feel welcome to head to our giving page.
