Our Story
A pastor, an artist, and a passion for sharing God's word with kids
The Epistles for Kids is a new and faithful translation of the New Testament letters, not a paraphrase or a retelling, so that children can easily read and grasp Scripture.
We want to partner with God in His work of giving life through the Bible. We want to help every child experience the colour, emotion, and adventure of the New Tesatment Church, that they too may grow in the living hope and faith of the Gospel.
Discovering the Scriptures together
From the beginning, we've wanted this to sit not only in the hands of children, but of teachers, churches, and parents - something the whole Church could gather around, so as to open Scripture together. There's over 50 pages per book, all filled with hand-drawn illustrations, that are never there simply to deocrate - but as another way in for children to follow and truly take hold of everything that's there in the Bible's text.
We've watched kids respond to the illustrations even before they've read the text. They spark questions and discussions between generations of readers. It's why The Epistles for Kids works as well in classrooms and larger groups as they do for kids curled up on a couch at home. Here is a book to be treasured for a lifetime.
Our Team
Translator & Project Lead
Matt Dodd
Ever since he was young, Matt has loved nothing more than opening up God's word and helping people hear it, read it, and understand it for themselves. The Epistles for Kids grew out of his experience across 20 years of children's and pastoral ministry, including a decade spent translating the Epistles directly from the Greek.
Matt is Senior Pastor at Lakemba Anglican Church in Sydney, where he lives with his wife Erica and their four young kids. He works part time on the project alongside his ministry to a community with more limited resources.
Illustrator
Thom Bransdon
Thom is a cartoonist and illustrator with a passion for storytelling and art for young people. He joined the project in 2023, putting that passion to work visualising a part of the Bible so rarely drawn on the page.
Much of the work is imagining what the early church might actually have looked like, since these historical characters are so rarely pictured, even in Christian tradition.
Thom lives in Sydney with his wife and two young sons, and works full time on the series, drawing every page by hand before they're digitised.
Not a moment, but a movement
The Epistles for Kids was never meant to be a two-person project. When we brought it to Kickstarter, over 500 people, pastors, parents, teachers, and grandparents, backed it before a single copy existed. Their support didn't just fund three volumes. It confirmed something we'd hoped was true all along: that kids everywhere were ready for a translation like this, and that we weren't the only ones who felt the gap. Now, over 75,000 copies have been printed and are being released globally. Watch our Kickstarter video to see how our journey took shape.
Alistair Begg
Truth for Life | Former Senior Pastor
The Epistles for Kids project is terrific. When I was a boy it was clear, accessible, Bible material that led me to Jesus.
Now as a grandparent I covet the same for future generations.
I strongly encourage you to support this project.
Sandy Galea
Founder & Director of Kidwise
These books are beautifully illustrated and lyrically written. They are edifying for both adults and children.
A great resource for a church to use to explore a letter together, for parents to read with their children, or for children to read.
Annabel Nixey
Mother of 3 & Gospel Worker
A joy to read. A gift to share. With beautiful and thoughtful illustrations, these letters spur on kids (and adults!) to keep running, to treasure Jesus and to join the team telling others the good news.
Recommended by pastors, kids leaders and parents
