Bible? Check. Spiral? Check. [High]lighter? Check. Now dig in! You wanna know Him? You gotta dig in!

Those were the words that were constantly on repeat when I first got my copy of 13 Letters back in 2007. It was one of those albums that remained in heavy rotation and was constantly on repeat as I soaked up the lyrical presentation of Reach Records' biblical survey of the Apostle Paul's epistles. Even to this day, two years later, the album has heavy replay value. It was one of those projects that I felt could play such an impact that I purchased a dozen copies or so just so that I could give them away and bless people with them.

One of the things that had me excited about the 13 Letters project was that I knew what was coming down the pipeline. The label had emphasized that they weren't just going to stop with the album, but their ministry ReachLife was working on a curriculum to accompany the album. Lecrae and the rest of the 116 Clique recognized the uniqueness of this project and knew the far-reaching impact that it could have on believers, turning them into disciples.

Now after spending countless hours and dollars, ReachLife Ministries is pleased to present the 13 Letters Curriculum; a 13 week survey of the Pauline epistle, 1-1-Six style. The purpose of the curriculum is to walk students through each of Paul's letters, showing how they relate to life today and urban culture, as well unpacking general biblical truth.

So, what we're going to set out to do is give you an overview of what you can expect to get from this 13 week study, and to let you know whether or not it lives up to the hype.

Overview of the Curriculum

The 13 Letters Curriculum is a multimedia experience like none other, especially when it comes to the urban and hip-hop communities. It's a Bible study series that not only comes with a study guide, but also has an accompanying music CD (13 Letters compilation) and a series of video lessons on DVD to help bring home the lessons in a practical manner. To quote from the 13 Letters website:

Over 13 weeks, artists such as Lecrae, Tedashii, Sho Baraka, Trip Lee, Flame, and Shai Linne will present a brief survey of each of the Pauline Epistles, while highlighting each of the major themes from each book. Voices from the street will also give their input on these truths. Students will leave this study with a better understanding of each Pauline Epistle as well as how it applies to them in their daily life.

With that, the idea of this curriculum is that an individual will get together a group of people and go through this 13 week study with them. For example, a youth leader at a church would purchase a copy of the curriculum and go through it with his youth group. He would lead the study, have the group listen to the corresponding song, go through the lyrics & commentary, discuss the material, and finally watch the video. They would do this for each of the 13 weeks, and by the time they're done, the students will have a good understanding of the Pauline epistles and how it relates to their lives. The great thing about this curriculum is that it doesn't have to be done in a church setting. Someone could very easily do this in their home with a group of friends or youth from their neighborhood as a means of making disciples in their community. Whatever your sphere of influence, this curriculum fits the bill.

The Setup

The setup is basically as we just described. Whoever is going to lead the study gets a group of students together who will agree and be dedicated to going through the 13 week study. The location can vary, whether it be a church, someone's home, or at a youth center, it doesn't really matter. As long as you have a television and DVD player (or even a computer with a DVD player) then you can have a class.

Since the curriculum is based off the 13 Letters compilation album, the music CD is an integral part of the study. Each song on the album corresponds to one of Paul's epistles, so a leader would play that song for his group as a means of getting things started. Personally, I would even kick off a class with "Dig In" as the theme song and a means of getting everyone hype and focused on the task at hand.

Once the song has been played (i.e. "It's Yours" for the 2 Timothy lesson), that's when the actual study begins, as the class begins to discuss the lyrical content and the corresponding biblical commentary. This is where the teacher and students go through their notebooks and look at the lyrics & commentary that have been highlighted, as well as interjecting any of their own that they think are relevant. This is where much of the meat of the study will come from, as you flip open your Bible, highlight key verses, and discuss the key points from Scripture.

After you're done working through the song, lyrics & commentary, pop in the video and watch a 10-15 minute video that hits on the key themes from each epistle. At this point, your students can take notes as 116 Clique members share their heart concerning these epistles. Also, watch as random individuals are interviewed and share their worldview about the different points being discussed. This is definitely the highlight of the study, as the production quality is top-notch. When the video is done, the leader will dive into the rest of the study armed with a series of discussion questions for the group to go through and discuss.

That's the curriculum in a nutshell and how a typical study would look. Of course, it can be modified and adjusted to suit your audience in order to keep them engaged. The main thing, though, is that this isn't merely for entertainment value, but to teach them the principles and truths from God's Word so that they can be God-fearing disciples who love & serve Jesus Christ.

What Do You Get?

We've talked about the curriculum and what it looks like, but what all do you get with it? Well, that all depends on what package you're getting. There is, of course, the Leader's Kit, which contains all of the course material; but, there is also a basic Student Pack and a Deluxe Student Pack. Below, we detail what is contained in each.

Leader's Kit

• 3 DVD's packed with 13 weekly video lessons that will give a survey of each Pauline epistle and engage discussion from students on issues facing them in today's culture.
• A 116 Clique 13 Letters CD.
• A Leaders Guide which includes a lyrical commentary and application questions to help you teach through each book in depth.

Student Pack

• A 13 Letters notebook with song lyrics, lyrical commentary on each book, and sections for note taking on each theme. Each Student Notebook also includes a 13 Letters CD inside the cover.
• An ESV New Testament Paperback Bible.

Deluxe Student Pack

• A 13 Letters notebook with song lyrics, lyrical commentary on each book, and sections for note taking on each theme. Each Student Notebook also includes a 13 Letters CD inside the cover.
• A 13 Letters backpack.
• A 13 Letters Pen + Highlighter (Check!).
• An ESV New Testament Paperback Bible.

Each of these materials can be purchased @ ReachLife's online store (link @ the bottom of this article), with discounts available when purchasing in bulk quantities.

Video Images

Overall Thoughts

What are my thoughts on the 13 Letters Curriculum? Simply put, it's needed, a lot. Over the years in the Christian hip-hop community there has been a good deal of talk about getting people saved and having them grow in Christ, but no one has taken up the mantle to produce resources that are relevant to the culture and community they're trying to reach. In many respects, it has been left up to the local churches to raise up these people, many of which are not equipped to reach an urban culture in their own language. With that, I think that ReachLife Ministries has taken a monumental task and done a phenomenal job of putting together a biblically sound resource that doesn't cut corners in any area.

The videos are high quality and the resources are well thought out. Did I mention that you even get a copy of the 13 Letters CD?! I mean, really, what more can you really ask for? Reach has a heart for raising up disciples and putting out resources like this makes it all the more evident. It shows where their hearts are and that it's much deeper than just releasing hot CDs. The best part is that this 13 Letters Curriculum is only the beginning and there will be plenty more to come in the future.

If you're wondering if this is worth the money, it definitely is. Sure, the Leader's Kit is a bit pricey, but when you take into account all that went into putting it together, it's worth every penny. Also, consider how much you'd pay for something similar from a larger & more well-known Bible publisher; you'd probably pay double or triple that price. So, in that regard, it's a bargain. Plus, the Student Packs are affordable for everyone, especially when you remember that every pack comes with a CD, which you'd easily pay $15 for at your local retailer.

Who Is This For?

Finally, who is this for? I'd say that it's for anyone who is influenced by hip-hop and urban culture. If you're a church with youth who are a part of the urban culture, then this is something that is worth owning and doing at least once a year with the youth. It's also great for families who want to train up their children in the Word and get them grounded in the Scriptures (i.e. I plan on going through this with my eldest son). This is also something that would be extremely valuable for campus ministries on colleges & universities. Even if you have a group of people in your neighborhood who could benefit, it's worth having. Frankly, it's for everyone who is open and willing to learn more about the Pauline epistles, young and old.

If you're a leader, it's worth owning & teaching through it. If you're a student who wants to have it taught to them, then recommend it to someone who can teach it to you. Hey, it's even worth having if you want to go through it by yourself!

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