He is co-author of a new interactive Bible study. The Chosen Ones Her goal, she says, is for fans to gain a greater understanding of the Bible than the series itself. The Chosen Ones As additional content, he is the co-author of four interactive Bible studies based on the series, including one tied to season four. God's Mercy to the Chosen OneAlthough the series includes clips, she is quick to point out that “we're studying the Bible, not the show.” Her husband Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen One director.
“It's so important to me to draw viewers back to the Bible,” she told Crosswalk Headlines. “Dallas and I love making this TV show. I love good TV. This is a fun thing we can do, and we can share the Gospel, and that's great. But if this show doesn't draw people back to the Bible, then we've failed. So my goal with Bible Study is to use our love for the show as a springboard to what our love really should be, which is the Bible.”
“We want to bring people back to the Bible, because the Bible goes on beyond the seven seasons.”
With a shift to a heavier tone in season four, Jenkins and her co-writers faced new challenges in producing the study. One of the much-discussed scenes involves a female character dying and Jesus choosing not to resurrect her, surprising followers.
Jenkins said the theme of the season and the accompanying Bible study is suffering.
“Suffering is not the suffering itself,” she says, “but God is in the suffering, and His goodness covers it. [remove the suffering]That's wonderful. That's amazing. But sometimes we don't. … I know a lot of people think that if we have a strong enough faith, Jesus will do anything we ask. I don't think that's true. I don't think that's theologically true. … We're all going to die.”
The issue is personal for Jenkins, she said.
“We have a daughter who is chronically ill,” she said. “We have asked and pleaded with the Lord over and over again to heal her, but He has decided that she is not worthy of it. So this past year has been really tough.”
Photo credit: ©The Chosen
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
