Sometimes the challenge is not reading the Bible, but finding our way into it.
During a Bible study series Dell was leading on the book of Acts, something became increasingly clear to us. Many Christians—people who sincerely want to read and understand the Bible—have difficulty holding together the places, events, and movements associated with the Apostle Paul.
Even the task of tracing Paul’s missionary journeys on a map felt intimidating. The names blurred together. The distances were hard to picture. For some, the story of Acts began to feel fragmented—not because of disinterest, but because of disorientation.
What we were seeing was not resistance. It was a genuine desire to understand, paired with uncertainty about how to begin.
When Theology Loses Its Bearings
For many years, much of our attention in church settings has rightly been given to theology—what the New Testament teaches and how it shapes belief and life. But in this particular study of Acts, we were reminded how easily theology can become detached from history.
When readers lose their sense of where events happened, when they occurred, and how people moved through the world, the Bible can start to feel abstract. The text is still there, but the story becomes harder to follow. What we witnessed was frustration, not indifference. People wanted to read the Bible. They simply needed help locating themselves within the story.
Seeing the Story Come Together
Over time, we found that visual tools were often the bridge people needed. A range of video resources—some created for children, others for adults—helped place names, routes, and distances into a coherent picture.
On one end of that spectrum were animated overviews designed for younger audiences. On the other were animated summaries created for broader teaching contexts. Though different in tone and audience, these tools shared a common aim: helping viewers see the story of Acts as a whole.
By making geography visible and movement traceable, they removed a layer of intimidation. The names, places, and journeys associated with Paul became understandable rather than overwhelming.
The response was consistent. When people could see the story, they were more eager to read it.
Why This Shaped Our Writing
Watching that shift strengthened a conviction we had already held. People really do want to read the Bible. They are not discouraged by depth or complexity. What they need is orientation—help entering the story without feeling lost.
That realization reinforced our determination to pursue historical fiction rooted carefully in time and place. Story, when grounded in history, can become a bridge rather than a barrier. It can help readers imagine the world of Scripture more clearly, not replace it.
Our desire has never been to simplify faith, but to make the world in which faith was first lived more intelligible.
Author Note
That season of teaching reminded us how closely storytelling and learning are connected. When people can see the terrain—geographical, historical, and human—they approach the Bible with greater confidence and curiosity. That insight continues to shape why we write and what we hope our stories can offer.
Explore More
You can explore related posts across the remaining areas of the St. Hans blog: Behind the Books, Characters & World, Faith & History, and Updates & Releases.
Written by D. D. Shiell — Authors of the Nightingale Mountain Trilogy