Paul: Apostle of Grace is a DVD presentation that invites the viewer to “experience Paul’s message in its original setting.” Hosted by Ron Kelly of Plain Truth Ministries, the film traces the travels and ministry of Paul from the time of his first missionary journey to the end of his first imprisonment in Rome. This period covers, of course, the events that Luke recounts in Acts and the period during which Paul wrote the various epistles. Rather than simply describe the locations of Paul’s journey, the presentation travels through Greece, Turkey, Israel and Italy, recording footage of the remains of the roads, buildings, temples and cities that played a prominent role in Paul’s life and ministry. At each stop, Kelly recounts what the Bible tells us about what Paul preached in each city and why he felt it necessary to preach a particular message to a particular city.
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The video is well made and quite enjoyable. The narrator does a good job of interweaving Scripture with history and generally avoids speculation, dwelling primarily on the facts presented within the Bible. He is sure to point out that Paul’s message was one of grace and faith and he invites the viewer to know and love the God that Paul so loved and so willingly served. My only objection to the film is the assertion made on the cover of the DVD that this presentation will “make the Bible come alive.” This is a common claim for books and movies and one I object to on the grounds that the Bible already is alive. We should not consider it our task to make the Bible come alive, for the Word of God is already living and active, whether or not a person expresses faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul: Apostle of Grace, which clocks in at just about an hour and includes no bonus features, is available from Vision Video, currently at a price of $15.99. It is a good video and one that does a good job of allowing the viewer to understand the difficulties Paul faced, the people to whom he ministered and the world in which he lived. I am glad to recommend it.