the word on the street
by By Lacey, Rob
Category: Religion , Biblical Studies , General

'the word on the street is far from a dry read. It brings the word of God to life for those who have never read any version of the Bible before and provides fresh insight for those who have read it a thousand times.'--Mike Pilavachi, Soul Survivor'Here is Rob Lacy communicating the truth of God to a world that desperately needs to hear, but finds it so hard to understand.'--Rob Parsons, Care for the Family'Rob Lacey is a man of many languages. He has mastered the language of the stage and is fluent in the language of the street. But most of all, he speaks the language of the heart.'--Gerard Kelly, Cafe.net'The Bible with street creed: Lacey has a refreshingly down-to-earth attitude to the Bible and a wry sense of humour.'--Publishing News'Very different! It makes the Bible as easy to read as a tabloid newspaper. It's great fun if you know the Bible fairly well. But it's also, of course, aimed at people who've never ever opened it. And maybe we do underestimate just how difficult that is if you don't know where to start. I could read it all morning, actually!'--BBC National Radio 2The stories, poetry and music of Scripture come alive as never before in this 75-minute performance based on the award-winning book the word on the street. It's the bible as performance art, inspired by the critically acclaimed live show featuring actor Rob Lacey and musicians Bill and Rachel Taylor-Belaes.'Rob helped me discover angry and sad voices in passages of the Bible that had left me indifferent, and he made me laugh at other passages so familiar that I had never seen the healthy irreverence, humor and irony they expressed.'--Dr. David Trobisch, Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, Bangor Theological SeminaryFor those who've never read the Bible, and for those who've read it too much.Rob Lacey's 'dangerously real' retelling of Scripture vividly demonstrates that the Bible is packed full of stories/poems/images that resonate with the big issues of today. This fresh paraphrase with running commentary brings the text alive: Bible stories are retold as mini-blockbusters; psalms as song lyrics; epistles as emails; Revelation as a virtual reality. Out with stale religious terms, here's a 'Bible' that talks today's language---gritty, earthy, witty. Enough of starting at Genesis with good intentions but getting lost in Leviticus. Lacey succeeds in revitalizing a classic work by focusing on the big picture: fast-forwards through the 'slow-moving' bits with pace, passion and energy to make the Bible a page-turner again.What's more, Lacey's award-winning* tour de force was created during a remarkable personal journey through terminal cancer: the stuff the Bible stories are made of. This life-experience injects Lacey's take on Scripture with authenticity and authority---resonating with Bible characters who also wrestled with the big questions. Purist alert: This is not THE Bible (capital B) ... but it might just get you reaching for one.*Book of the year (2004), Christian Booksellers Convention Ltd. (UK)