New startup redesigning the Bible for millennials
Alabaster Co. co-founders Bryan Chung and Brian Chung on the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and their new take on the traditional Bible to make it more welcoming to young people.
A millennial startup that redesigned the Bible with a modern touch is now on a mission to bridge the gap between "faith and creativity" for the next generation.
Brian Chung, 30, and Bryan Ye-Chung, 25, co-founders of Alabaster Co., told Fox News their latest project, a book called "All That Is Made," is written by a collective team of writers geared toward Christian millennial creatives, artists, entrepreneurs, makers, and doers. It is closer to a devotional based on concepts and ideas they've learned along the way.
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A recent Barna study shows that while millennials are more adverse to evangelism, or sharing one's faith, more non-Christians in the age group are increasingly curious to spirituality and specifically Christianity, something Alabaster hopes to tap into.
"Humans are creative—it is embedded in the fabric of our being, and a reality that reflects being made in the image of God. Millennials (and those who come next) are generations that move closer and closer to this creative, entrepreneurial reality. We have become a society that values design, invents new things, consumes large amounts of visual media, and has given everyone access to a camera and tools for making," Ye-Chung explained. "We are all creatives."
Alabaster Co.'s new project, "All That Is Made," is a devotional-style guide to "faith and creativity" for the next generation. (Alabaster Co.)
He added: "In the midst of these realities, we must ask how do we show that the Gospel is beautiful? As we move into a more creative culture, we believe millennials are looking for new ways to express their worship of God, and we believe that it will be through our making of good and beautiful things in the world. This book is a guide to faith and the creative life."
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For both Christian entrepreneurs, the new project is a culmination of a personal journey.
Ye-Chung studied art in college and was part of a Christian ministry on campus but each one felt disconnected from the other.
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"I would lead Bible studies and then head to art studio right after, but those two parts of me -- art and faith -- always felt separate," Ye-Chung said. "There were some Christian art books out there, but most of them were written by older writers—it didn't fully feel relevant to my life as a millennial-creative Christian; one where the creative landscape was always changing with new tools, technologies, and aesthetics. In many ways, making Alabaster and this book, "All That Is Made," is an answer to that need."
The other co-founder, who grew up in a Buddhist household and was "intimidated" the first time he picked up a Bible, saw an opportunity to better connect younger generations to the Word of God.
"As an artist, it was important to me to show that our worship to God and contribution to the church could be more than making powerpoint slide or flyers. When I see believers creating beautiful art, it moves my soul, and I don't think that's a coincidence," Chung said. "There's something in our creating and making that reflects and point people to God."
Their new project comes on heels of their much-anticipated redesign of the book of Genesis, which opens up with the account of God creating the world.
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Ye-Chung concluded: "We hope this book encourages readers to be fearless in their creative endeavors, to be thoughtful in the things they make, to grow in their creative practice—and, in turn, help make a more good and beautiful world."