Chosen

As many of you know, my entrepreneurial life has corresponded with my spiritual life, aligned in time since 2001. Sometimes I take a beat in December to reflect back and share some of how my life as a startup leader and my faith walk intersect.

My faith grew more muscular over the past few years as I navigated challenges and transitions by ever more firmly grasping ahold of God’s hand and listening to his voice. I leaned more fully into his leading and trusted more deeply in the goodness of his heart towards me. I have seen him move me and my family members through epic transitions and be with us we traveled through what felt like dark valleys full of frightening uncertainty even as he guided us into new places and blessed us mightily. Often it was only the benefit of hindsight that helped us see the ways he is strengthening our relationships with him and showing us how to integrate our faith more fully into our life journeys. All I can say to all of those who read this is that I encourage you on your own spiritual lifepath and to note that I am eternally thankful for the hard times, for the spiritual lessons, and for the love God gives so freely. Most of the time I can rest in the certainty that I am beloved, cherished, and chosen.

Which brings me to a gentle recommendation…Might I suggest that, if you have not discovered the TV Series The Chosen, you might check it out?

The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus, seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set in first-century Israel, the seven-season show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ friends, life, and teachings. The production quality is outstanding. The focus is on character development, with fascinating multi-season character arcs describing the realistic and plausible lives of many-dimensional people who we have often only thought about as images up in stained glass.

I love many things about this show – and am an unabashedly avowed fan. Of the five seasons of eight episodes each that are out so far (Season 6 filming has wrapped and the editing and translation work is underway, with the initial episodes expected to air in late 2026…), I have watched every episode multiple times – and probably all of the supplementary content available in The Chosen App and even attended a ChosenCon in 2024. Here are some of the things that stand out to me:

• This is a show that connects for people who are believers AND for people who are not. In fact, it is a historical drama with fascinating storylines that draw you in. Each character is unique, with a complex background and set of motivations that leads to remarkable relationships amongst the ensemble cast. The show appeals to those who enjoy a good show, well beyond those who consider themselves Christians.
  
  
• In addition to illustrating stories from the Bible with remarkable realism, this show fills in backstories and side details to bring the context to life and make the emotional impact of those stories much more resonant. As one example, there is a story of a paralytic man being healed by the Pool of Bethesda. While the Biblical story unfolds in just a few verses in John 5:1-15, in Season 2 of The Chosen, the writers provide a backstory of highlights from the man’s 38 paralyzed years that help us get to know him before his miraculous healing that really highlights the challenges a first century paralyzed man would face. This is the kind of textured story that I love – and it does not feel like a stiff, wooden video recitation of the Bible, but like a narrative that has been updated for a 21^st century audience. This is what brings the drama to life.
  
  
• I am a lover of binging multi-season shows. The Chosen fits right into that model. There is enough time to get to know the characters, to watch them develop as they struggle through real-life challenges, and question the path they are on. Jesus becomes a relatable friend who laughs, cries, dances, and relates with vivid humanity – and we come to see him through the eyes of those around him, just like we relate to others in our own lives. The span of the seven-season show focuses on Jesus’s lifetime as told by the Gospel writers books in the Bible (Matthew, John, Mark, and Luke).
  
  
• This long-form show is built around unique individuals, with a focus on the interactions amongst the people ranging from the Romans, to the Jewish leaders, to the followers and almost-followers of Jesus. Each character is complex and nuanced with their own set of motivations, backstory, and humanity – with a splash of humor to keep it real.
  
  
• The show is being translated into more languages than any TV show ever produced (yep, they already have been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most-translated show). The goal is ultimately to have it fully translated into 600 languages to reach 95% of the world’s population. They have already achieved the milestone release of over 50 language translations in the [FREE] Chosen App, and are continuing to enable more people to experience this high quality show directly.
  
  
• Crowd-funded using donations from over 100,000 supporters globally, The Chosen is the highest-funded media project ever via the non-profit Come and See Foundation whose goal is to keep the series produced, free and accessible, while avoiding traditional ad-supported or subscription models. The show is available to all for FREE in The Chosen App (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Apps), and on Prime Video. The app also includes all the extra content including behind-the-scenes clips, After Show interviews and discussion, and Bible Roundtables where a Catholic Priest, Jewish Rabbi, and Evangelical Professor talk with the show’s creator about some of the choices made in bringing the show to life.

In recent days, I have been reminded of how much I enjoy this show while watching some of the Christmas specials, so I wanted to take a moment between Christmas and New Years to put it on your radar screen. You can “taste” the show with by watching Season 1, Episode 1 and decide for yourself if you want to explore these stories. You can learn more about the fascinating business model choices that have enabled this project to thrive from its tiny pilot in 2017 to now a global phenomenon.  

Personally, I have found the stories in the Chosen to be an invigorating reminder of the importance of relationships – and how some relationships are especially life-transforming. Thanks for reading these reflections and considering my recommendation as you enjoy your holidays. May you be blessed this coming year!