Theo Presents - Check Out This New Animated Series to Teach Kids Theology - DVD Review & Giveaway

Theo Presents
www.theopresents.com

2011 Whitestone Media of Burbank, CA


I recently received a free copy of the the new Theo Presents DVD to watch with my family in the hope that I would provide a review on this blog.  This DVD is great!  Let me share a bit about it with you.

This is a fun animated series centered around the adventures and teachings of the main character, Theo (animated theologian), a student of Godʼs Word. Theo lives in an English village, in the heart of the Cotswolds, and entertains many guests, including two mice, Belfry and Luther -- one on the larger side and one skinnier.

The series guides children and adults through a systematic study of theology.  Sin, God's character, the Bible, salvation and godly living are some of the doctrines presented with easy-to-understand illustrations. These stories are cute, funny and wonderfully animated. Belfry and Luther help viewers learn about the Gospel of the Christian faith. This multi-media resource includes a DVD series, curriculum, books and iPhone/iPad app. This DVD is great for kids of all ages and can be used for Sunday school lessons, Christian school curriculum, missions, evangelism and homeschooling.

This great educational series was created by Michael Joens, a producer and director of animated commercials and producer/director of McGee & Me and Adventures In Odyssey for Focus on the Family. Mr. Joens' hope is that God uses Theo to present the Gospel message all over the world.

I received a copy of this DVD to watch with my family to provide an honest review. I have to say that the DVD was short, but filled with excellent information. My 6 year old loved it! As soon as it was done he asked if he could watch more. When he was told that it was done he asked if we could start it again. He watched it 4 times in 2 days--each time soaking in the Gospel message. He still keeps asking for it!  The whole family really likes this DVD!  We loved the mice characters. I really liked the animation in the DVD--fun but not overly silly.

Here's a short note about the episodes (as shown at www.theopresents.com):

Episode One: Saving Faith
9 minutes

Meet Theo, a kind English gentleman who knows a lot about the truths of God's word. Theo is a theologian, and in this episode he teaches us what it means to have faith. There are many things people can believe in, but not all things are faith-worthy. To illustrate a life dedicated to believing in the right thing, Theo shares the example of Abraham. The Lord had favor with Abraham, and because of his faith he was greatly blessed.

Bonus Episode: Good News - Free
5 minutes
In this bonus episode, Theo shares the good news – the gospel. He explains that we all fall short because of a problem called sin. All human beings have sinned and are in desperate need of a Savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior that came to redeem mankind from our sin which separates us from God. We must accept this free gift of salvation in order to have eternal life.
Episode Two: Loving Obedience
9 minutes

Luther and Belfry are two field mice that have befriended Theo, and really want to please him. They usually get mixed up in all sorts of mischief where ever they go. In this episode, Theo tries to instruct the young lads in obedience, and uses the story of Jonah to illustrate the consequences of disobedience, but also to show the many blessings that come when we obey.
Episode Three: Forgiveness
10 minutes
Forgiveness is not an easy thing to do, especially for Luther and Belfry. Theo tries to help his little furry friends understand what it means to forgive and why it’s so important. Theo shares the parable of the “Unforgiving Servant”, and how that story is such a great example of why forgiveness is a special act of love that Christians should show one another,

God's Love contains the first three Theo episodes in a single volume. Episode 1: Saving Faith. Episode 2: Loving Obedience. Episode 3: Forgiveness.

Total Running Time:  28 minutes
Episode Four: Armor of God - Coming Soon
10 minutes

Can you name all the pieces of the armor of God? In this episode, Theo gives us a lesson in what each of the pieces represents as well as how we can use them in our Christian life to fight against the enemy of our souls. In addition, we see that Luther and Belfry find themselves faced with a different kind of enemy, a sly and devious cat named Scratch.

Each Episode costs $4.99.  The Bonus Episode is FREE.

**Notice that the first 3 are also available together on one DVD.

You can find coloring pages from Theo at the Kids Corner here
You can visit the Theo Presents Blog here

Lifeway Christian resources has also created curriculum to use with the Theo series. The curriculum is designed for small groups and appropriate for elementary age children.


Each volume contains a DVD with 4 Theo episodes, 4 printable teaching plans, worksheets, and parent pages. Each volume also includes the bonus “Good News” episode and teaching plan on the gospel.


Volume 1 – Theo: Foundations of Faith – $39.99
Volume 2 – Theo: Foundations of Salvation – $39.99
Volume 3 – Theo: Foundations of the Christian Life – $39.99
Go here to go to Lifeway to order curriculum.

To check out this series on Facebook click here
To get more information and purchase Theo Presents from Amazon click here
Click  here to go to the Theo Presents website
To find more multimedia resources from the Theo Presents series check here

This DVD is now available having been released yesterday, September 13th.  You should really go get your copies now.  Maybe one for you and one for a friend?

Would you like to get a free copy of Theo Presents?  Read on to find out how to have a chance to win the DVD.


Here's the great part about reviewing Theo Presents --  Instead of giving away 1, I get to giveaway 2 copies!!  Two lucky winners will receive a DVD with Episode 1 - Saving Faith and the Bonus Episode - Good News.

To Enter the Giveaway

1.  Leave a comment on this blog telling me your favorite Christian series for kids.
2.  For a second entry visit Theo Presents on FaceBook and leave a comment on this blog.  Click on "Like" too if you like what you see.
3.  For another entry follow me on Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know or tell me you already follow.
4.  For another entry find Pondering on the Prairie on FaceBook and tell me how many people "Like" it.

Two winners will be randomly drawn at noon on Sunday, September 18th.  Winners will be announced here and also contacted individually to confirm a mailing address.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Opinions and comments are my own.  I will not receive further compensation for this review.