COVER STORY 33 MARCH 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition g , d t e e , n g y k n y u n g , a y o y f o n s s o , m t , e w f e s - 2 e f - t s a thirst not just to learn Scripture, but to walk where Jesus was, as the group hopes to travel to Israel together sometime soon. Creative license William “Bill” C. Davell, a director at Tripp Scott and member of Brothers on a Mission Bible Study, has watched every episode of The Chosen through Season 5 and said it has strengthened his faith by making the scriptures come alive for him and “filling in things we really don't have answers to.” “They’ve done a fabulous job casting the characters, and the knowledge of the writers to be able to weave all that together is pretty astounding.” Davell said that during their Bible study, the question was often asked: What do you think it was like walking along the road with Jesus? “That’s what The Chosen shows us,” he said. “It gives you a little glimpse of maybe what it was like. “ Davell mentioned that Warren Gage, a Bible scholar and founder of Watermark Gospel, pointed out during their Bible study that Jesus would not have had women traveling along with him as is shown in The Chosen because women were treated differently in that time. “But it doesn't bother me that it shows that,” Davell said. As with any visual production, The Chosen adds backstories and some characters or dialogue with artistic imagination designed to support the truth and intention of Scripture. “This can be great to reach more people by putting it in story form,” said Steve Daigle, campus pastor at Calvary Chapel Parkland, “but I would always rather you read the Bible for yourself.” It’s the creative liberty that causes him to pause, saying “Whenever they add stuff that's not really there, you don't know if that was really the way things were. So, as a supplement to reading Scripture, it’s great. If it replaces the Bible, then not so much.” Encouraging faith However, Gary Colboch, lead pastor of Grace Church in Pompano Beach, said, “I think overall The Chosen has been deeply encouraging and faith-awakening for many people. My wife and I watched the entire series last year leading up to Easter, and we truly enjoyed the way it drew us in and brought humanity to the people in the Gospels. The scenery and visual effects were tremendous!” While some have criticized the series for taking too many creative liberties, Colboch said, “I remind people that it never claimed to be a formal documentary. We felt the creators did a wonderful job in taking the stories of Scripture and remaking them for the restrictions and time constraints of television – that was quite an undertaking! Certainly, I would encourage everyone to watch the series with discernment and compare it to Scripture. I read somewhere that the creator himself stated, ‘The Chosen is a narrative drama meant to spark interest in the Bible, not replace it.’ Realizing that, I think the creators hit the bullseye of drawing people in, sharing the gospel, and whetting people’s appetite to read the Scriptures more. Overall, I feel the series aligns with the heart of the gospels and so, I would encourage people to watch it leading up to Easter. If you watch it with the right mindset, it will be very uplifting, thought-provoking, and will move people to a place of reflection.” Stanley Goldenberg, a meteorologist and promoter of Christian films, said he’s watched every episode of The Chosen and really enjoys it. “For me personally, it makes me go to the Bible to see what they changed and what they got right. One of the ways I use it for outreach is to ask people if they’ve heard of The Chosen series. Many haven’t, so I encourage them to look up or download the app. It's a way to expose them to the gospel message in a unique way!” In describing why he chose the series name, Dallas Jenkins said “The Chosen represents Jesus as the Chosen One, the Jews as God’s chosen people, and those whom Jesus chose to follow him. The whole point of the show is that if you see Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him, perhaps you would be impacted in the same way they were.” 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 " ( 0+$# 1-.).$() /0!&$/ 0). 3210/.-,+*2)(0 2 .&(-.) -0#+ ("0$ &#&1(.#,-0!( . .,&"( "$ 0#" $"(.#& 0-' &%0+( &$ 0-#"$&-' $ & ' ( . 0+ &"$0,. .$() 0!&$/ 0). / +-).0, ")(0-' )( &(,0-. .- &$ . ,&"( "$ 0#" $"(.#& .# 3 3 2 3 2 I think overall The Chosen has been deeply encouraging and faith-awakening for many people. - Gary Colboch, lead pastor, Grace Church Mary and Nicodemus, from The Chosen, Season 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2MjU=