1. What is the Doctrinal Position of Bible Visuals International?

Please Click here to see our Doctrinal Statement.

2. What version of the Bible do you use in your publications?

 We use the King James Version of the Bible. Please Click here for additional information.

3. I have an idea for a new BVI publication. Whom do I contact?

Please send an e-mail to info@biblevisuals.org and explain your proposed publication. Someone from our Production Department will respond. We welcome suggestions, but do not guarantee that submitted ideas will be accepted. We do not accept or return unsolicited manuscripts.

4. BVI sells its publications. Why should I send a contribution?

BVI is a not-for-profit publishing ministry. We rely on the income from the sales of our literature and the gifts of God's people to cover general expenses, salaries, printing, distribution and international missions projects. It is our desire that BVI materials be available at affordable rates for churches and individuals around the world. We do not inflate prices to cover the full cost of development.

Your contribution to BVI (mail or on-line) allows you to play a crucial role in partnering with teachers, missionaries and national Christians who share the Gospel around the world. And your gifts allow BVI to maintain minimal production costs making it possible for others to purchase BVI materials at fair prices and teach boys and girls about Christ.

Bible Visuals International is a registered, non-profit organization and operates under IRS code 501 (c)(3). Tax-deductible receipts are issued to donors. For more information, please contact us at (717) 859-1131,  info@biblevisuals.org or click here to visit our Contributions page. Thank you.

5. Do you carry or publish Bibles?

No. We recommend that you contact the following agencies:

American Bible Society: www.americanbible.org

International Bible Society: www.gospelcom.net/ibs

Multilanguage Media: www.multilanguage.com

All of BVI's materials carry the International Copyright symbol © for protection against illegal reproduction. Some pages contain permission and directions for duplication for your immediate class; but BVI's copyright line must appear on each duplicated page. If the page does not include duplication permission you cannot legally duplicate without prior, written or verbal permission.

Call the BVI office, send an e-mail, or write a letter explaining the illustrations/text in which book you desire to duplicate. Explain the reason for duplication. Your request will be considered and, if granted, a “Permission to Photocopy” form will be issued to you.

We recognize that sometimes a PowerPoint presentation would meet the needs of groups that are too large to view our hand-held flashcard books. As titles are colorized and printed, a corresponding CD version with supplemental materials is put on the production schedule. For those titles that have not been colorized, an intermediate digital version will be made available for purchase upon request. Please contact the BVI office regarding availability. Be sure to allow at least two weeks for preparation of titles in the intermediate digital format.

7. If a publication is out of stock, when will it be available?

When a publication is out of stock, it is likely due to our plan to update illustrations to full color and enhance teaching text prior to reprint. It is not our intention to allow titles to be out of stock for long periods of time. Because we are a faith ministry, we are moving forward with the True Colors of BVI project as funds become available and will print out of stock items as soon as possible. When an item has been updated, wel notify our database regarding restocked inventory and availability of publications through special mailings.

It is not our intention to allow titles to remain out of stock for long periods of time. We have developed a Print-on-Demand version for out of stock titles. Click here to read more about this.

8. When will your clip art be available on CD-Rom?

The production of  BVI's unique Christian Education Clipart CD has proven to be a lengthy process for BVI's graphic arts department.  In moving into another medium, we have faced a completely new set of technological challenges. Yet we are resolving them before releasing our clip art on CD.  The Lord has guided us through the development and organization of approximately 700 color and black and white images The first phase release in early 2005 of Christian Education Clip Art CD will include .jpg format images suitable for full page printing. Besides purchasing your own CD as a set, we will make the clip art available through our online e-store for downloading.  The content for our Christian Education Clip Art will continue to expand -- more new art will become available to you.  Look for vector-based images (more suitable for large format printing) and expanded religious (missions orientated) categories in the future.

Currently we are developing a new Christmas CD for release October 1, 2004. It contains all Christmas related items – colored and black and white Christmas clipart, a Christmas story, 4 Christmas Bible lessons and 4 visualized Christmas hymns and choruses.

9. I teach pre-school and elementary-age children. Are your materials appropriate for that age level?

BVI publications are written for ages 6 through 12. All of our Bible lessons, stories, and songs have been used with children in grades one through six.

The following titles can also be used with pre-school children (ages 4 and 5):

• Visualized Bible volumes Introductory through 13 NT (Life of Christ)

• Boy Afraid

• Ladi/White-White

• Laraba/Audu

• No Tree for Christmas/Peggy's Christmas Stocking

• Penny and Turea

• The Pink Pig

• The Walking Umbrella

• Whiter Than Snow

10. Can BVI materials be used with middle school – adult age levels?

Teachers of teens and adults have used The Visualized Bible Series from the Epistles through Revelation and volumes on the Major and Minor Prophets.

Those ministering in nursing homes have used our visualized hymns and songs effectively.

Deaf ministries find the flashcard books easy to display while they sign the story or lesson.

Teachers of classes for mentally challenged have found the Visualized Bible Series, stories and hymns easy to use.

Parents who homeschool their children have used our Visualized Bible Series for their Bible curriculum and missionary stories for special unit studies on world religions or countries.

Christian school teachers find our stories and songs helpful in chapel programs.

11. Do I understand that your materials are non-graded and non-dated?

Yes. Unlike many major curriculum houses, our materials are not graded specifically for pre-school, early elementary, middle elementary, later elementary, etc. All of our publications have been used successfully with children in grades kindergarten through grade 6. A teacher needs to adapt the lesson based on the comprehension level, vocabulary level, learning style, etc., of the students.

You need only to purchase our publications once. This makes our curriculum very cost effective for you as you will save hundreds of dollars normally spent on dated curriculum. After a teacher has completed the study of a particular volume, the publication may be filed and reused in a teaching cycle (i.e., repeated every 4 years ). See below for the Visualized Bible teaching cycle. You do not need to continue ordering quarterly or annually. Our publications are subsequently designed so that you can develop your own curriculum or use them to supplement your present curriculum.

Visualized Bible Series Teaching Cycle

Cycle 1 (48 lessons) – Genesis through Leviticus: OT volumes 1-2

Cycle 2 (64 lessons) – Numbers through 2 Samuel: OT volumes 13-28

Cycle 3 (56 lessons) – Job, Psalms through Major Prophets, Life of Christ: OT volumes 29-32; NT Intro-Volume 9

Cycle 4 (48 lessons) – Life of Christ, Acts, Romans [chapters 1-11]: NT volumes 10-21

Cycle 5 (48 lessons) – Romans [chapters 12-16] through Philemon: NT volumes 22-33

Cycle 6 (48 lessons) – Hebrews through Revelation: NT volumes 34-45

12. Do you carry flannelgraph?

No. All of BVI's Bible lessons, stories and songs are in the flashcard format: illustrations and text bound into book form. They vary in size from 9”x12” to 10”X14”. However, we are soon releasing publications in other media such as CD-ROM .

13. Do you carry overhead projectors and supplies?

No. Consult your local office supply store.

14. Do you carry videos?

No.

15. Do you have plans to move into other media (such as CD-ROM, video, etc.)?

Yes. Products in other media will be announced on our website as they become available. See question #8.

16. Do you offer teacher training?

BVI staff offer a variety of Christian Education workshops for teachers of elementary school age children. These sessions are available for churches on the East Coast. Please Click here for more information.

17. Will you ever offer on-line teacher education?

Our Information Technology Department is in the early stages of preparing our website to host Teacher Education sessions. Please watch for notification on the website.

18. How do you use flashcard materials?

Visualized flashcard Bible lessons, stories and hymns are among the easiest visual aids to use! Here are some tips:

• Consult the assigned Bible reading for the Bible lesson and meditatively read the Scripture. Take notes and learn the facts from the Bible. Let God speak to you as you prepare to teach. Seek His guidance as you think of your students needs. Now consult the teacher's lesson notes (outline, main aims and body of lesson) and review the lesson until you feel you are able to teach without being stuck to your lesson booklet. As with Bible lessons, so too for story and song lyrics - become familiar with their content prior to teaching the children. Most teachers “make the lesson or story their own.” They do not just read what is written in the book. Bible lessons are written as guides to help the teacher in study. Story texts may be read aloud to the class, but we encourage teachers to learn the story and tell it in their own words.

• Put yourself into the lesson or story: feel the situations and emotions of the characters. Reflect appropriate facial expressions and body movements that match the emotions of the characters in the lesson or story. (E.g.: If a person is sad, look sad. If something wonderful has happened, make your voice sound happy. Use different tones for your voice to convey personalities or communicate a conversation style format.)

• Show/hold the correct illustration at the appropriate time so that all children can see the picture. Keep your hands from covering big portions of the illustration. As the story progresses beyond the actions shown in the illustration, lay the book down until it is time to show the next scene/illustration.

• Maintain good eye contact with your class as you teach the Bible lesson. Explain the words or concepts of hymns prior to singing by using the coordinating illustrations.

• When telling a multi-chapter (or continued) story, use the illustrations to review previous chapters before beginning a new chapter. Ask questions about the illustration you are holding. Select only key illustrations for review.

• Some teachers prefer placing the flashcard book, turned to the appropriate illustrations, on an easel as they teach.

• When singing from a visualized song, you may prefer having another person help you hold the book to make it easier to turn the pages of the stanzas.

19. Are BVI materials translated into other languages?

Yes. Please Click here to go to the list of languages.

20. Does BVI conduct children's programs for churches?

Yes. Children love our dramas and missions programs! Please Click here to go to the Outreach page describing available programs.

21. I have questions that your website has not answered. How can I contact BVI?

• Send an e-mail to: info@biblevisuals.org .

• Phone the BVI office: 717-859-1131 (Hours 9 to 5, Monday through Friday)

• Write: Bible Visuals International, PO Box 153, Akron, PA 17501-0153

• Visit the office: Please Click here to be taken to the map and directions.

22. Do you have a catalog that I could have or send to a friend?

Yes, we would be happy to send a free, postage-paid catalog to you or a friend. Please Click here to place your catalog request.

23. What is Print-On-Demand?

This allows you to order out of stock titles that are in the process of or waiting to be updated to full color. Please Click here for more information