Long Story Short is for anyone curious to learn more about the story of the Bible and why Jesus is at the very heart of the plot line.

You can watch the series on your own, with a friend, or in a group.

The “Explained Series” is a nine-episode video series introducing the viewer to the primary storyline of the Bible. As we travel all over the world, we discover how the Bible is both God’s story and ours, and why Jesus is at the story’s very centre. Alongside each episode in the series, short Q&A videos provide clear answers to many relevant questions.

Long Story Short is a relaxed journey through the biblical backstory that ends up leading to Jesus. So it's a great way for churches to introduce people to the Bible’s redemptive story and the good news of the Gospel. This can be done individually, one-on-one, or in a small group with a Leader’s Guide. See the Church Leaders section for more information.

The Explained series is a fresh update of Long Story Short’s original eleven-episode series which tells the story of the Bible even better than before. Now just nine episodes, the Explained series contains brand new footage, is faster-paced and even more clearly-focused on the key themes of the biblical story than before. We think you’re going to love it!

Long Story Short is absolutely free to anyone, any time, anywhere. Why? Because we believe everyone should have an opportunity to hear and understand the greatest story ever told.

Yes. The Bible can be trusted because it is historically rooted, textually well-attested, spiritually coherent, and centred on Jesus Christ.

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The Bible has copying variations, as all ancient handwritten texts do. But the manuscript evidence allows scholars to compare copies and identify most variations. The core message of the Bible has not been lost.

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The Bible contains historical claims that can be investigated. While not every event can be independently verified, many biblical people, places, customs, and events fit known historical contexts.

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Different translations use different translation philosophies. Some aim for word-for-word accuracy, while others aim for thought-for-thought clarity. Most modern translations use Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscript evidence.

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There are difficult passages and apparent tensions, but many alleged contradictions can be addressed by understanding context, genre, ancient writing conventions, and differing eyewitness perspectives.

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The early church recognised the New Testament books based on apostolic connection, consistency with the Christian message, and widespread use among early Christian communities.

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There are good historical reasons to take the Gospels seriously. They are early, rooted in eyewitness testimony, connected to real places and events, and centred on the public life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

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Yes. Jesus quoted the Hebrew Scriptures, treated them as authoritative, and understood His mission as fulfilling them.

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No. Christian faith involves trust, but it is not blind. It is grounded in historical evidence, fulfilled biblical themes, the reliability of Jesus, and the transforming message of the gospel.

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Bring your doubts into the open. Read the Bible carefully, ask honest questions, explore historical evidence, and consider starting with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

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The Bible was written by many human authors, including prophets, poets, kings, scribes, apostles, eyewitnesses, and companions of eyewitnesses. Christians believe God inspired these human authors so that Scripture is also God’s Word.

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Christians believe God is the ultimate author of Scripture, but He wrote through human authors. Inspiration does not mean the human writers became robots. God used their personalities, language, culture, and historical settings.

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A common estimate is around 40 human authors, though the exact number depends on how anonymous books, edited collections, and scribal involvement are counted.

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The Old Testament was written and compiled by many authors, including Moses, prophets, poets, sages, scribes, and historians. Some books name their authors, while others are anonymous or traditionally attributed.

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The first five books, called the Torah or Pentateuch, are traditionally associated with Moses. Many scholars also discuss later editing, compiling, and source material in the final form of the Torah.

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The four Gospels are traditionally attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Matthew and John were apostles; Mark is traditionally linked to Peter; Luke was a companion of Paul and also wrote Acts.

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Paul wrote many New Testament letters. Thirteen letters are traditionally associated with Paul, though some are debated in modern scholarship.

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The author of Hebrews is unknown. It was traditionally associated with Paul in some early Christian circles, but many scholars believe it was written by another Jewish Christian author.

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No. Church councils did not write the Bible. The biblical books were written earlier, copied, circulated, read, and recognized by God’s people. Councils and church leaders later clarified which books were received as canonical.

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The Bible is about God, humanity, sin, rescue and renewal. It tells the story of God creating a good world, humanity turning away from him, and God working through history to bring salvation through Jesus.

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The Bible is one unified story made up of many books. It includes history, poetry, law, prophecy, wisdom literature, biography and letters. Christians believe these diverse writings are held together by God’s purpose and fulfilled in Jesus.

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You do not need to understand everything in the Old Testament before reading the New Testament. Many beginners start with a Gospel. However, the New Testament makes much more sense when you understand the Old Testament storyline of creation, covenant, Israel, promise and hope.

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No. The Bible contains commands, but it is not mainly a rulebook. It is first the story of who God is, what he has made, what has gone wrong, and how he saves. Christian obedience is a response to God’s grace, not a way to earn God’s love.

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Yes. Some parts are difficult, but the main message is clear enough for ordinary people to understand. Beginners should read with humility, patience, good guidance and a focus on the big story.

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The most efficient way is to combine a beginner-friendly overview with actual Bible reading. Start with Long Story Short’s free Bible Explained series, then read a Gospel such as Mark or John.

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The main message of the Bible is that God is redeeming his fallen creation through Jesus Christ. The Bible tells the story of creation, human rebellion, God’s promises, Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and the hope of new creation.

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Jesus is central because Christians believe he fulfils the promises of the Old Testament, reveals God perfectly, deals with sin through his death, and begins new creation through his resurrection.

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Yes. The Old Testament gives the foundation for understanding creation, sin, covenant, sacrifice, kingship, prophecy and the hope of a coming Messiah. Without the Old Testament, the New Testament loses much of its depth.

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It is a simple way to summarise the Bible’s plot. God creates a good world, humanity falls into sin, God redeems through Jesus, and God will restore creation in the end.

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It includes all nations. God chooses Israel not because he is uninterested in the rest of the world, but because through Israel he intends to bring blessing to the nations, ultimately through Jesus.

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A beginner-friendly overview can help. Start with Long Story Short’s free Bible Explained series, then read Genesis, one of the Gospels, Acts and selected Old Testament passages with the big picture in mind.

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A beginner should usually start with a Gospel such as Mark or John. These books introduce Jesus directly and give you the centre of the Christian faith before you work through more complex sections.

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Start with the New Testament, especially a Gospel, then go back to key Old Testament foundations such as Genesis 1–12, Exodus and selected Psalms. The Old Testament is essential, but Jesus gives the clearest centre point for beginners.

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Start with a manageable amount, such as one chapter a day or one short section. Consistency matters more than speed. It is better to read thoughtfully for ten minutes than to rush through several chapters without understanding.

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Many beginners find translations such as the NIV, NLT, CSB or ESV helpful. Choose a translation that is readable and reliable, and do not let the translation question keep you from starting.

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Keep reading, note your question, check the context, use a reliable study resource, and ask a mature Christian or pastor. Not understanding everything immediately is normal.

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Yes. Many people read the Bible while exploring Christianity. A good place to begin is a Gospel, where you can consider Jesus’ life and claims for yourself.

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A big-picture guide is very helpful. Start with Long Story Short’s free Bible Explained series, which gives a clear overview of the Bible’s storyline from creation to Jesus’ resurrection.

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Christianity is the faith centred on Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is God the Son, the promised Messiah, crucified for sinners and raised from the dead.

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The gospel means “good news.” It is the message that God has acted in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection to deal with sin, reconcile people to himself and begin the renewal of creation.

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Yes. Historic Christianity teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully human. This belief is central, not optional, to Christian faith.

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No. Denominations matter, but they are not the starting point. Start with the central claims of Christianity: who Jesus is, what he has done, and whether you will trust and follow him.

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Yes. Christianity is grounded in the Bible’s story and witness to Jesus. Christians believe Scripture is the authoritative revelation of God’s redemptive work.

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Christianity is not simply belief that God exists. It is trust in the God revealed in Jesus Christ. The New Testament calls people not merely to believe in God’s existence, but to follow Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

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Yes. Honest doubt is not a barrier to exploration. The Christian faith invites people to ask questions, examine Jesus, consider the resurrection and respond thoughtfully.

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The Bible was written by many human authors, including prophets, poets, kings, apostles and early Christian leaders. Christians believe God is the ultimate author who inspired those human writers.

A common estimate is around forty human authors, though the exact number depends on how anonymous books, collections and editorial processes are counted.

The first five books are traditionally associated with Moses. Christians differ on the details of how those books reached their final form, but conservative Christianity has generally affirmed Mosaic authority and foundational involvement.

Jesus did not write a biblical book during his earthly ministry. The New Testament was written by his apostles and their close associates, bearing witness to his life, teaching, death and resurrection.

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Some parts involve direct divine speech, but inspiration is not usually understood as mechanical dictation. God worked through human authors with their own vocabulary, style, memory, research and personality.

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The people of God recognised the books that bore divine authority. For the New Testament, apostolic connection, consistency with the gospel and broad reception among churches were especially important.

The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, with some Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek.

Yes. Questions about authorship should be treated honestly, but they do not automatically undermine the Bible’s trustworthiness. Christians trust Scripture because of God’s inspiration, the reliability of its witness and the centrality of Jesus.

Christians trust the Bible because they believe God inspired it, because its text has been carefully preserved, because it is historically grounded, and because its central message is confirmed in Jesus Christ.

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The Bible was copied by hand for centuries, so manuscript variants exist. But scholars can compare manuscripts, and the core message of Scripture is not dependent on uncertain readings.

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Archaeology does not prove every theological claim, but it can illuminate and confirm the historical world of the Bible. It is one important part of a wider case for trust.

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Christians trust the New Testament because it is rooted in early apostolic testimony about Jesus, preserved in a strong manuscript tradition, and centred on the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

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Yes. Trust does not require knowing everything. It means there are enough good reasons to take the Bible seriously while continuing to study difficult questions with humility.

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Start with Episode 0: Bestseller, then read one of the Gospels, such as Mark or John, and explore the Bible Explained Series.

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