Red Letter Revolution: A 24-Day Advent Journey

In this immersive 24-day Advent experience, Red Letter Revolution invites participants to reflect deeply on the “red letter” teachings of Jesus—those words of hope, challenge, and transformation that are often highlighted in red in many Bible editions. Each day, we will explore a specific passage where Jesus’ words speak directly to the heart, offering guidance on living a life marked by love, justice, and humility.

This journey is not just about understanding Jesus’ teachings but also about applying them to our lives and the world around us. Through reflection questions, practical applications, and a spirit of curiosity, participants will discover how these timeless teachings can inspire personal growth, deepen relationships, and promote positive change in today’s complex and divided world. Whether you are a seasoned believer or exploring faith for the first time, Red Letter Revolution is an invitation to live out the message of Jesus in real and meaningful ways this Advent season.

Why the Red Letters?

When I was a child, I was fascinated with the red letters in the New Testament, simply because they were RED. I learned to read very early and read everything that crossed my field of vision. I read cereal boxes, cans of soup, even tags on pillows. If it had words, I wanted to read them. But nothing thrilled me more than the words attributed to Jesus because they were the only red letters I had ever read. And so I read them over and over again from our family Bible and later from the Bibles I bought with my own money as a child. Believe it or not, when I was younger, I was so into the Bible and those red letters that I once bought a micro-Bible that came with a magnifying lens so that I could carry the whole Bible around in my pocket. I would just comb through the red letters day in and day out and get as excited as a child would reading Harry Potter some years ago. The words of Jesus were always near me. And then, when I later started reading more of the rest of the Bible, I discovered that, with the red letters at the forefront of my mind, I saw all of the rest of the scriptures in a different light. I could very much sense a coherence that I think is rarely taught in church on Sundays.

With this Red Letter Revolution Advent Journey, it is my hope that participants will get to see the teachings of Christ in a whole new light. But, in order to do that, we will have to see this as simply the first step in the journey. The intention is that after reading and discussing these lessons, you will choose to reread the rest of the Gospels and the Letters of Paul and the other Disciples anew. And then follow those with reading the Hebrew Bible also known as the Old Testament–all in light of the red letters. All the while, asking the question, “How do these teachings apply to my life today?” My belief is that in taking this approach, you will discover that a part of you has been hidden in these teachings–a better part that Jesus came to reveal. It is that which he referred when he said to Martha in Luke 10:38-42, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her.”