BibleProject Podcast Summary: Looking Back at 2024 (And Celebrating Ten Years!)
Release Date: December 30, 2024

In this milestone episode, the BibleProject Podcast team reflects on a transformative decade, celebrating their 10-year anniversary and exploring significant achievements of 2024. Hosted by Lindsay, Steve, and Tim, the conversation delves into the growth of their patron community, strategic partnerships, expanded educational offerings, and future directions. Below is a detailed summary of the episode’s key discussions, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps for reference.

I. Celebrating a Decade of Impact

The episode opens with the hosts acknowledging the profound milestone of celebrating ten years since BibleProject’s inception in 2014.

• Steve: “Every year at the end of the year, we invite you into the podcast studio here to discuss the year. And I think this is maybe the fourth time.” (00:45)

• Lindsay: “This was a year of milestones because we celebrated our 10-year anniversary.” (01:36)

II. The Power of the Patron Community

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the burgeoning patron community, which has grown to nearly 50,000 members in 2024 and is projected to exceed this number in the coming year.

• Lindsay: “What people see is the invitation at the end of our videos or hear it at the end of the podcast, to just join Bible Project and be a part of this.” (03:24)

• Steve: “We don’t actively go to recruit people to become patrons.” (03:55)

The team emphasizes their non-traditional crowdfunding approach, relying on organic growth rather than active solicitation, fostering a community driven by mutual appreciation for quality content.

III. Strategic Collaborations and Expansions

The podcast highlights strategic partnerships that have expanded BibleProject’s reach and impact.

A. Partnership with Streetlights

Collaborating with Streetlights, creators of the New Living Translation Audio Bible, BibleProject content has been remixed to appeal to urban audiences.

• Lindsay: “Meet these guys and they were talking about our overview series and a number of our theme videos. It just became apparent that we should do something more formal.” (10:03)

• Tim: “In many ways it’s another translation, as it were, into another kind of culture of English.” (13:08)

B. Outreach through the Pando App

BibleProject’s content reaches inmates through the Pando app, facilitating biblical studies within the prison system.

• Lindsay: “We started to upload some of these classroom sessions, which are a much deeper dive than our videos.” (17:02)

• Steve: “We get to show up on other people's platforms... It’s just like it’s free. Use it.” (18:22)

IV. Expanding Educational Offerings: Classroom

The Classroom platform has seen substantial growth, with over 1.17 million sessions completed in the past year. It offers in-depth Bible studies, currently covering books like Genesis and Exodus, and plans to expand further.

• Tim: “My dream... would just be to teach and translate my way through the whole Bible before I die.” (21:58)

• Lindsay: “Classroom's up and running. I think a lot of people are benefiting.” (22:00)

• Steve: “Over the last 12 months, 1.17 million sessions completed.” (23:40)

V. The Growing Prayer Team

The podcast celebrates the expansion of their prayer team to over 70,000 members, underscoring the community’s commitment to supporting one another through prayer.

• Lindsay: “Once a month an email goes out... we've seen God respond in amazing ways.” (18:30)

• Steve: “The number was 20 or 21. We sent the first email out and the team said, hey, how many people do you think will sign up?” (19:20)

VI. Looking Ahead: Upcoming Projects and Themes

The team outlines their vision for 2025, focusing on the themes of Exodus, Redemption, and Wilderness. This includes a new video series titled "The Exodus Way" and deeper explorations into biblical concepts.

• Tim: “We're going to do a series and a video on just the pattern or theme of the Exodus that repeats throughout the Bible.” (37:14)

• Steve: “We’re going to dedicate... connected to the scroll of Exodus.” (36:19)

VII. Personal Highlights and Community Stories

A heartfelt moment in the episode is the recounting of a birthday celebration via a call from astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson aboard the International Space Station, symbolizing the global and far-reaching impact of BibleProject.

• Lindsay: “Tracy invited the whole team to zoom and... she wished me a happy birthday.” (42:17)

• Steve: “She held the camera up out of the portal of the International Space Station and you saw the sun setting behind the Earth.” (43:07)

VIII. Emphasizing Community in Bible Study

The hosts discuss the importance of communal Bible reading, advocating for a paradigm shift back to community-centered scripture study, reflective of ancient practices.

• Tim: “Reading scripture in community is actually a part of the design of scripture itself.” (37:18)

• Lindsay: “As people hear you guys on the podcast talk about the Bible in community, I think we're beginning to see that happen with others.” (40:38)

IX. Expressions of Gratitude

The episode concludes with sincere thanks to Steve for his leadership, to the growing team, and to the 50,000 patrons whose support sustains BibleProject’s mission.

• Steve: “We're so thankful that we get to do this. Every year we get to do this recap and express gratitude.” (45:39)

• Lindsay: “Every morning when I sit down and write my list of things I'm grateful for, God's calling on my life to be here is often close to the very top.” (45:50)

• Tim: “Thank you, Steve.” (46:03)

Notable Quotes:

• Lindsay: “Our hope is that this content we're creating is allowing or providing opportunities for transformation to happen.” (04:04)

• Steve: “We’re not chasing the algorithm. That doesn't have to be our priority.” (09:20)

• Tim: “If you just make something and if it's beautiful and good, and if you're talking about Jesus, you're automatically talking about something beautiful and good.” (14:31)

• Lindsay: “It's this God's generosity ecosystem, he gives to us, we give to others.” (15:14)

This celebratory episode encapsulates a decade of dedication, illustrating how BibleProject has grown through faith-driven content, a supportive patron community, and meaningful collaborations. As the team looks forward to new projects, their commitment to fostering a unified biblical narrative and encouraging communal study remains steadfast.