In the Bible, God relates His plan of redemption, not as a set of truths leading to a logical conclusion, but as a grand story. The HOPE presents the drama of this story, from the beginning of time to the promised return of Christ. This is very significant for two reasons.

1. The need to build a foundation. Many people in our world today lack the influence of a Biblical worldview. This can be just as true in a postmodern western culture as in a remote pagan culture. Without a basic foundation to understand concepts like the holiness of God and the reality of sin, a Gospel presentation that moves too quickly toward a decision for Christ is often ineffective. The HOPE builds this foundation -- in the order that it was built by God.

2. The need for culturally relevant communication. Many cultures in the world today are based on oral communication rather than written communication. In some cultures this is due to the influence of tradition; in others, to high rates of illiteracy, or “functional illiteracy,” which is often attributed to a dependence on electronic media for the flow of information.

In oral cultures, storytelling is a primary means by which values are passed from generation to generation. The HOPE is a perfect tool for such cultures in that it combines storytellers and dramatic scenes in a chronological overview of the Bible… which is, after all, revelation from God in story form.