Revolve 2010 (New Testament Biblezine)

Revolve 2010GOD’S WORD ROCKS…IN REVOLVE 2010! Now in its sixth edition, the Revolve series has proven effective in reaching teenage girls by featuring the Bible in a cool, magazine design. Interspersed throughout the scriptures, girls find articles and images that speak to their concerns and interests: how-to articles, lifestyle features, beauty tips, quizzes, and more. Everything about Revolve 2010 relates directly to teen girls, making it the New Testament they can understand in a format to which they can relate.

I was invited to my roommate’s 18th birthday party a couple of years ago and I knew of a perfect present to give her. I remember back in our dorm, she’d always have the newest issues of her favorite magazines which all of us benefit from, of course.

But local magazines aren’t always the best things to read, because they don’t always offer the best advices, or even have the content that would help teens in growing as God’s princesses. I wanted to give my friend an option, so I set out to look for the Bible magazine that another friend used to have that we browse through when we visit her.

I didn’t get to find a copy of that magazine, but when BookSneeze put Revolve 2010 in their free books, I immediately took it up so I can have a copy of it. I’m not so sure if it would count as a book, since it’s actually a magazine, but then again it also contains the New Testament Bible…so it’s still a book, right?

Anyway, Revolve 2010 is a Bible magazine — or a Biblezine — for teen girls. It’s a Bible in a magazine, simply put. It contains only the New Testament, translated in an easier to understand language, and there are little reflections and thoughts and other fun stuff littered around the issue. It’s made to look like an actual magazine, as you can see in the cover above, but inside, there are little ads for products, and instead of full articles, all the books of the New Testament are there. It’s a refreshing take on the New Testament — none of the “thy”, “thou” or any of the heavy and hard to understand Bible language. There was enough information on each of the New Testament books as an intro — in a teen-friendly language, of course — for them  to understand the books better.

Introduction to Matthew

Certain verses were emphasized as well, and that’s good because it’s easy to see, and sometimes when you just want to get some inspiration or some comfort, those are the things that immediately jump out at you. I just kind of wish they put the verse numbers there so we know where it came from.

Highlighted verse

Oh, and there were some references to the Old Testament here, too, only they were written in “txt” language…which kind of turned me off. Half the time it’s kind of hard to read, you know? Or maybe its just the writer in me complaining…and who knows how they really text?

Old Testament verse in txt spk

Since this is a girl magazine, there were also a lot of girly stuff inside — things about friends, make-up, fashion, and even about guys. There were no advices about pursuing some online degree programs since the target audience is pretty young, but there were some interviews with some artists, and other real-life inspiring stories that a teenage girl could relate to. It’s fun and relevant, although sometimes I wish that these little articles are connected more firmly to the Biblical message. Some of them just seem placed there out of the blue and not really connected, which could kind of disorient the reader while going through it.

There's Fashion 411

Stuff about dudes.

Making everyday matter

And of course, quizzes!

What I really liked about Revolve is the little boxes that explain some of the verses, “interviews” with some of the Bible characters, and even blog entries! These were laid out in a modern way, taking on the design and familiarity of famous social networking sites and blogs to make it more relevant to the readers. I think that’s a really great thing to help the teens identify more with the characters of the Bible in an easier way, rather than letting them just discover it for themselves. These things also pose questions, things to think about, which makes reading this Biblezine more meaningful, IMHO. :)

Highlights on some verses with some explanations

Some explanations

Something to think about

Blog Entry by the cripple that Jesus healed

Interview with Saul

My favorite - The GoodBook!

I liked going through Revolve, and I think it would be a great gift for teens to get them started in reading the Bible. Parents need not be concerned with the contents of the magazine, although a little guidance might be necessary in case of questions about the characters and the stories. However, this magazine is written for an American audience, so not everything is applicable for the Filipino teens. But this is a good idea for our local Christian publishing houses to pick up on, don’t you think? :)

Rating: [rating=4]

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