Welcome to the new monthly series, “5 Family-Friendly Things.” Each month Metro Voice will spotlight five family-friendly entertainment choices on DVD, streaming or television.
How long would it take you to memorize five Bible verses? Fifty Bible verses? Even 100 Bible verses?
What about nearly 1,000?
National Bible Bee Competition
Incredibly, that’s what some contestants in the National Bible Bee Competition Show did. The six-week series is held yearly by the National Bible Bee and premiered April 24 on Facebook Live, with a new episode going live each Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern through May.
The National Bible Bee Competition Show leads May’s edition of “5 Family-Friendly Things.”
I watched the debut with my wife and 10-year-old son, not knowing if it would keep his attention. But by the end, he was engrossed in the competition and ready for the next week’s show.
It is co-hosted by Emeal Zwayne, president of Living Waters Publications, along with Jason and David Benham (formerly of HGTV) and Hannah Leary, who won the first season.
The series involves three age groups (7-10, 11-14 and 15-18) competing for a total of $100,000 in prize money and is as convicting as it is inspiring. Sometimes, you even feel sorry for the contestants – like when one was eliminated because she said “was” instead of “is.”
Watch it at BibleBee.tv.
Also worth watching:
- ‘Monster Trucks’
This quirky PG comedy bombed at the box office but was a recent family-friendly hit in my home. Now on Amazon Prime, it tells the story of a friendly octopus-looking monster that becomes the “engine” for a teen boy’s truck. It’s the type of goofy plot that would have made for a hilarious 1970s Disney flick, but it hit theaters four decades too late — in 2017. It has no language. No sexuality. Not even a kiss!
- Amazon Prime’s Kid’s Christian Shows
Netflix and Hulu each have their strengths for streaming fans, but for children’s Christian or spiritual content, nothing beats Amazon Prime, which has at least three series that my children have watched recently: Torchlighters, Superbook and Davey and Goliath. Hopefully, Netflix and Hulu will catch up.
- Netflix’s New Christian Movies
Amazon Prime may shine with its children’s faith content, but Netflix wins in the grown-up category, including with two new selections: Is Genesis History? and A Question of Faith, each of which were in theaters in 2017. Netflix also has The Case for Christ and Little Boy. Search for “Christian” and you’ll discover similar content.
- ‘Lost in Space’
In this new Netflix remake of the 1960s series, the Robinson clan gets stuck on a planet and tries desperately to survive. It’s rated TV-PG and contains mild language – around two to three words each show — so caution is advised. It’s not entirely family-friendly, but it’s oh-so-close. I watched the first two episodes and enjoyed it.
Michael Foust covers the intersection of entertainment and faith for Metro Voice and is syndicated across the nation. He is married and the father of four small children.