Rob Bell has joined a bid to "reclaim the Bible in the season of Lent" with the launch of the #30SecondBible campaign.

Thirty Seconds or Less claims to be the "world's shortest podcast and YouTube channel" and has launched a new initiative in an attempt to "help people connect and engage with the whole Bible, especially the parts we are prone to avoid".

Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill Church and bestselling author, will run a series on Leviticus.

Jim Kast-Keat, director of the project, told Christian Today he hoped it will make the Bible more accessible.

"I think Christians struggle to engage with and read the Bible for two reasons: it is too long and is often seen as irrelevant," he said.

"Who wants to slog through page after page of Levitical code? The #30SecondBible series attempts to solve both problems by [using] progressive faith leaders and contemporary voices to summarize each book and reflect on the good news it contains."

Bell will be joined by the likes of Brian McLaren, James Martin, Diana Butler Bass and Carol Howard Merritt.

Kast-Keat acknowledged "liberal Christians aren't typically known for their proclivity to read the Bible" but said his hope "is that the series would spark or reignite a person's passion for the Bible".

However he said the #30SecondBible could not replace in-depth Bible study. Rather it is a "ramp towards Biblical engagement".

"The greatest outcome would be that they go from watching the #30SecondBible video to opening up their Bible to read the whole book," he added.