There’s no escaping the fact that some Bible stories are harder to teach than others. Some stories in the Bible are not only hard, but downright gory. Not-So-Nice Bible Stories: Gory Deaths is not a book of fairy tales. Readers will not find many happy endings. It is a book of history—true stories of people who lived long ago.
“I was scared to write this book because I was afraid it would end up being all Law and judgment,” admits author Jonathan Schkade. “As I got into the stories, the larger redemption story kept poking its head up. Each story in unexpected places was constantly pointing forward to Christ.”
Written for readers ages 11 and up, the eighteen true stories included in Gory Deaths show how God’s justice smashes the sinful, the sinister, and the sneaky. Most significantly, the stories show how Jesus conquers death and gives life to all believers. Each chapter also provides trivia, fun facts, and things to think about, including the following:
- Why the story is in the Bible
- How it can guide your life
- What it shows you about Jesus
For more information, please contact Lindsey Martie, Public Relations, at 314-268-1303 or at lindsey.martie@cph.org, or to purchase Not-So-Nice Bible Stories: Gory Deaths visit cph.org/gorydeaths.
Praise for Gory Deaths
Schkade’s writing style is entirely honest, introducing hard biblical truths, while utilizing humor and lightheartedness when helpful, and always leaving room for God’s abundant mercy to shine through. I especially enjoyed the sidebars and sections like “Just wondering!” and “That reminds me” to introduce connecting Scripture passages and fun (and sometimes creepy) historical facts. Gory Deaths gives us an out-of-the-box vantage point of some of the messier stories of Scripture, drawing in kids and adults alike. Our family gives it a 10!
—Heidi Goehmann, writer
When addressing difficult passages in the Bible, it can be tempting to do one of two things: gloss over it and skip to the easier, happier verses we like to place on posters and scarves, or exploit the ick factor to shock others into listening. Jonathan Schkade, in his new book, does neither. Gory Deaths, the first of Concordia Publishing House’s Not-So-Nice Bible Stories, could easily have become a book to make kids and adults alike squirm just for the fun of it, but Schkade knows that this book has a greater purpose.
—Lisa M. Clark, author of The Messengers: Discovered
About the Author
Jonathan Schkade is a procrastinator, pardoned sinner, and author of several children’s books. He is a regular contributor to the Arch Book series, My Devotions, and Portals of Prayer. Jonathan has a degree in elementary education from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska. He lives with his wife, Kristi, and their two daughters in Jefferson City, Missouri.
About the Illustrator
Gleisson Cipriano is an illustrator and comic artist working from Bauru, in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. Most of his time is invested in studying, drawing, and consuming creative content.
