Drive Thru History- Homeschool Review Crew Review

Not going to lie- it was EASY to say yes, please to Drive Thru History®'s new DVD series Drive Thru History® – “The Gospels”.  We are a history buff family who likes watching videos together and hey, who doesn't love Dave Stotts?

Don't know who he is?  Dave is a big wig in production and video media, working behind the scenes as editor of numerous video productions.  He now works with ColdWater Media in front of the camera in their Drive Thru History Series.  He is a master story teller with a sense of adventure that draws you in and brings to life whatever historical event he is telling you about.  That, combined with his quirky humor, tends to entertain the whole family, making you forget you are getting a history lesson.  

In this latest DVD series, "The Gospels", Dave and his crew traveled to over 50 ancient sites in Israel in an old, but trusty Land Rover, to bring the story of Jesus alive.  Taking accounts from the first four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Dave walks you through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in a very factual way, citing not only scripture but other ancient writings and history accounts as well.  

Three disks are divided into 18 episodes (almost 9 total hours of watching):

• The Historical Landscape
• The Announcements
• Jesus is Born
• Jesus Grows Up
• Jesus Starts His Ministry
• Jesus Returns to Galilee
• Jesus Begins His Miracles
• Jesus Teaches with Authority
• The Sermon on the Mount
• Jesus Travels the Sea of Galilee
• Jesus Travels North with His Apostles
• A Final Trip to Jerusalem
• Jesus Arrives in Jerusalem
• The Last Supper
• The Trail of Jesus
• The Crucifixion of Jesus
• The Resurrection of Jesus
• Who is Jesus?

Included in the set is also a 118 page study guide.  The study guide begins with a key scripture and summary for each episode.  The following pages have additional pictures from Dave's journeys, additional Bible readings, and 5 study questions for you to use with your family or even in a group setting.  A small section called Side Roads also gives more historical information.

Our Experience-
The timing was such that when these first arrived at our doorstep we were headed out on a long road trip so we popped them in the car for the kids to watch.  That worked for about two episodes.  After that my husband and I called foul, because we actually want to SEE, not just hear, what was playing.  They were that exciting!  We saved the rest until we got home and have been watching them during our family movie nights, usually one to two at a time.  The discussion questions are mostly "were you paying attention" comprehension type questions so we have not stuck to reading those as much.  I do think those questions would be a great addition, however, if you were leading a small group through the series, to help you get the conversations flowing.  What has pushed our conversations truly though have been just the videos themselves.  There is so much information and especially historical facts presented that there has been no lack of discussion on our part.  From Geography, to customs and traditions, we have had a lot of fun discussions.

I love that "The Gospels" series is suitable for all ages.  We are a family of 6, ages ranging from  9 to 47, and we ALL enjoy them.  Finding videos we can all watch and enjoy together is a rare treat for us.  I love that we can enjoy learning history with our our faith based world view, and that while it is presented in a very matter of fact way, it is backed with scripture after scripture.  

I love the these are done with such professional quality.  The videography is stunning and flawless.  No second rate filming here!  The narrative is factual, but easy to understand and the scenery alone is enough to take your breath away.  As one of my children said, it is much easier to envision a particular Bible scene in your head when you are actually looking at the very location it took place. 

We love Dave's humor.  Let's face it, history can get tedious at times.  And when talking about the life and DEATH of Jesus it can also get very heavy at times.  We appreciate that Dave sprinkles in his dry humor here and there allowing for some tension relief.   From when he cooks ribs in foil on his car engine to his video man correcting his pronunciation, he gets you to laugh a little and that is just plain fun.

We love the accuracy.  Because Drive Thru History is not about opinion, but based on historical facts, it is not easily disputed or can really be seen as controversial in my opinion.  When facts are presented they are usually backed with a reference and when the Bible is quoted it always includes the scripture reference.

Can you go wrong with  Drive Thru History® – “The Gospels”?  I think not.  Whether for use in your home or for teaching a small group of any age, I think you will learn a lot, be entertained and most certainly be blessed!

You can watch an episode for free by clicking here!