App Offers New Way to Experience and Share Bible Videos

  • 9 December 2011

The Bible Videos app is currently compatible for iPads, with plans to expand to other tablet platforms.

Article Highlights

  • “Explore” – View a map of where certain stories from Christ’s life took place.
  • “Read” – Read or listen to the scriptural account related to a particular Bible video.
  • “Watch” – View all the Bible Videos currently available on the website.

On Thursday, December 8, 2011, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos free mobile app for iPad.

The app is based on BibleVideos.ChurchofJesusChrist.org—a repository for original short videos that depict scenes from Christ’s life, ranging from the angel foretelling Christ’s birth to the Savior's Resurrection.

The app, which is faithful to the King James Version of the Bible, is a new way to experience Bible stories by exploring, reading, and watching.

“The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos app is a wonderful gift to be used by individuals and families to give them a new and meaningful way to experience the stories of Christ from the New Testament,” said Elder Per G. Malm, assistant executive director of the Church curriculum department. “Members are encouraged to share this resource with friends and family this Christmas season and throughout the year.”

In the “explore” section of the app, users can access a map that includes Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. Users can explore where certain stories from Christ’s life took place by tapping on different sections of each city, which brings up a still image of the story.

Interactive features such as hotspots on the image give more information about the scene. For example, in “An Angel Foretells Christ’s Birth to Mary,” additional information on betrothal and women’s clothing is offered.

The images are altered to give them a new, animated three-dimensional look. Users can look for and tap on hidden hotspots in the images, which open the relevant Bible video.

In the “read” section, individuals can read or listen to the scriptural account that relates to a particular Bible video and includes links to the videos. The storybook look of the “read” section is particularly appealing for children.

The “watch” section of the Bible Videos app opens up a list of all the Bible videos currently available on the website, which users can tap on to begin playing. Further down, extra photos from the original filming of the videos are available.

Other interesting and interactive features of the Bible Video app include background sounds—such as crickets and chirping birds—that plays when no video is active.

As new videos are added to BibleVideos.ChurchofJesusChrist.org each month, and as new features become available, the App Store will automatically notify users that an update is available.

The website is designed to allow individuals to watch these videos on their mobile device of choice. Plans to expand to other tablet platforms and languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, are in the works.

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