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Capturing the rhythms and idiom of the original ancient Greek- writing style and translating it into today’s rhythmatic expression of hip hop presents a perfect way to capture the flow of thought, the emotional wallop of words, and the forcefulness of the letters found in the gospel.

A New Language

Rap has become a major global contender in teen culture. In the past 30 years, hip-hop has gone from ghetto streets to the corporate suites, selling everything from music and clothes to brand name products like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Even in the hallowed halls of academia, hip-hop culture has earned a stronghold. Harvard, Yale and UCLA offer credited courses in hip-hop. Once shunned by the elder gatekeepers of America's mainstream, hip-hop has now become the mainstream for the entire planet. Current studies indicate that major companies trying to advertise to the total youth to young adult population look to trends in the urban community. That’s where the indicators are of what’s going to lead culture in the near future. Many suburban kids shed their preppy look to embrace urban cool. You see it in the clothes, the musical styles, the dance, language and so forth. Rap music’s #1 consumer has been the young white suburban male purchasing 60% to 65% of the art form consecutively for the past 8 years. Because of its strong emotional qualities and it’s ability to convey thought directly and innovatively hip-hop has become the radical poetry of postmodernism; ranging from kids on street corners to school lunch rooms to Hip Hop Operas like MTV’s award winning production Carmen Brown, a modern take from the classic Opera Carmen.

Jesus said, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old." (Matthew 13:52 NASB)
The Gospel is not only the greatest story ever told, but it is truely a never ending story that proves the relevance of a passionate 'right-now' God who is serious about an eternal relationship with his creation. As we share the truth of the gospel, our goal is to bring fresh significance to this timeless message by presenting it in the new light of present history. To take the old and make it new is exactly what Jesus was all about. He gave new meaning to the law and suddenly the dead law became alive and threatening & terrifying!

In a recent survey done by the Gallup Organization for the American Bible Society, some revealing profiles emerged about Bible preferences and understandings. Most American households have at least one Bible (93 percent). By far the most popular version in American homes is the King James Version (54 percent.) The most important concern for choosing a Bible among those surveyed is that it "should be easy to understand" (88 percent). Although there is an abundance of Bibles in our homes, many teens lack a consistent time when it comes to studying the Bible.

WHAT IS THE EPIC? The Epic portrays the gospel of John in a contemporary hip-hop format that appeals to students. It's a simple and unique approach to introducing Christ to students who are searching for answers or struggling with their faith. The goal of The Epic is to engage young people in processing the Scriptures in a fresh new way that helps them understand and apply God’s Word in their lives.
It is not a study Bible, but rather an 'experiential paraphrase' that draws you back to the Bible.
	“The Epic recaptures the passion and potency of the Word of God in a language that teens use today.”
"We’ve combined the greatest story ever told with the strongest medium of communication to kids today to produce THE EPIC!"
Capturing the rhythms and idiom of the original ancient Greek- writing style and translating it into today’s rhythmatic expression of hip hop presents a perfect way to capture the flow of thought, the emotional wallop of words, and the forcefulness of the letters found in the gospel.
A New Language Rap has become a major global contender in teen culture. In the past 30 years, hip-hop has gone from ghetto streets to the corporate suites, selling everything from music and clothes to brand name products like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Even in the hallowed halls of academia, hip-hop culture has earned a stronghold. Harvard, Yale and UCLA offer credited courses in hip-hop. Once shunned by the elder gatekeepers of America's mainstream, hip-hop has now become the mainstream for the entire planet. Current studies indicate that major companies trying to advertise to the total youth to young adult population look to trends in the urban community. That’s where the indicators are of what’s going to lead culture in the near future. Many suburban kids shed their preppy look to embrace urban cool. You see it in the clothes, the musical styles, the dance, language and so forth. Rap music’s #1 consumer has been the young white suburban male purchasing 60% to 65% of the art form consecutively for the past 8 years. Because of its strong emotional qualities and it’s ability to convey thought directly and innovatively hip-hop has become the radical poetry of postmodernism; ranging from kids on street corners to school lunch rooms to Hip Hop Operas like MTV’s award winning production Carmen Brown, a modern take from the classic Opera Carmen.
An Endless Story Jesus said, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old." (Matthew 13:52 NASB) The Gospel is not only the greatest story ever told, but it is truely a never ending story that proves the relevance of a passionate 'right-now' God who is serious about an eternal relationship with his creation. As we share the truth of the gospel, our goal is to bring fresh significance to this timeless message by presenting it in the new light of present history. To take the old and make it new is exactly what Jesus was all about. He gave new meaning to the law and suddenly the dead law became alive and threatening & terrifying! In a recent survey done by the Gallup Organization for the American Bible Society, some revealing profiles emerged about Bible preferences and understandings. Most American households have at least one Bible (93 percent). By far the most popular version in American homes is the King James Version (54 percent.) The most important concern for choosing a Bible among those surveyed is that it "should be easy to understand" (88 percent). Although there is an abundance of Bibles in our homes, many teens lack a consistent time when it comes to studying the Bible.
"While traveling the states and sharing exciting biblical truths to young people, I began to realize that students weren't feeling the vitality and directness that I sensed as I read and studied the gospel story. I knew that the early readers of the New Testament were captured and engaged by these writings, and I want to see today’s generation become impacted in the same way.”		Special message from Fred Lynch
A Roman Road With the force of hip hop making a world wide impact, it becomes a perfect vehicle to translate truth to a generation in a style that they natrually embrace. It may even be that God has preserved this radical style of communication for these last days to share His Word in a way that restores the power of storytelling through rhythm and poetry (or RAP for short). The original books of the Bible were not written in formal language. The New Testament read by the early Christians was not an unapproachable, canonized document; it was simply a collection of honest writings. All of the New Testament was written for people in language that was both informal and forceful. Those early readers were captured and engaged by these writings. No commentaries were required to make the authors' meanings clear. The people understood what was written. All the people who read the letters of the New Testament were dramatically transformed by what they read—not just the educated elite, but the commoner as well. They were engrossed and challenged and acted on what they heard in such a way that the course of history was changed forever. Similarly, The Epic will facilitate a rhythmic and engaging experience of encountering God's Word. That power, forcefulness, and directness of the language is what GodStyle Productions has attempted to recapture in The Epic.
A Fresh Perspective It will give you a fresh perspective on the Bible. You'll begin to see passages and books as whole units of thought. You'll experience the excitement and feeling of the Bible as it felt to its first readers. Teens will follow the train of thought much more easily. The Bible will seem more alive and understandable. And as you encounter passages you've read hundreds of times before, it will be like reading them for the first time.