When you think of popular Bible stories, like the Christmas story, you might imagine particular things — that Mary and Joseph were poor, that they traveled through the desert to get to Bethlehem, or even that Jesus was born in a dirty barn. But are those things really true? Sometimes we approach Scripture with Western eyes and English translations that don’t give us a complete picture of the historical and cultural reality of these stories. Wow! I Didn’t Know! dives deeper into the Scripture to shine a light on common misconceptions and reveal the more likely facts that can not only deepen our understanding, but change the way we view the stories that many of us know by heart.

Professor Craig A. Evans is a well-known New Testament scholar, prolific author, popular teacher, and sought-after speaker. He has taught in North America and around the world, published more than 90 books, authored more than 700 academic and popular publications, and has consulted for the National Geographic Society, the Museum of the Bible, and many others. He is best-known for his contribution to work on the Gospels, historical Jesus, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and archaeology of the New Testament.

Ginny Evans holds degrees in home economics and library science and has actively supported and managed her husband’s ministry for over 50 years. As an amateur genealogist, she has authored a dozen books of memoir and family history. Ginny and Craig have two daughters and two grandsons. After living 35 years in Canada, they now make their home near Houston, Texas.