After eight years of bringing the story of Jesus to screens worldwide, “The Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins has officially wrapped filming. His reaction to the end of the journey is perhaps surprisingly simple: gratitude.
“I have been asked, ‘How do you feel?’ thousands and thousands of times over the last eight years,” Jenkins said. “And this is the first time that I’m actually answering and going, ‘I feel awesome.’”
For Jenkins, the moment wasn’t filled with regret over what could have been done differently. Instead, he pointed directly to God’s provision.
“We’ve done the work that we set out to do. God provided everything we needed,” he said. “There’s not a single thing I can think of that I wish would have gone differently or I wish I would have had more of.”
But perhaps the most striking part of Jenkins’ reflection wasn’t about ending “The Chosen.” It was about what he hopes remains long after the cameras stop rolling.
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Jenkins said the production’s mission stayed remarkably consistent as its audience exploded. Whether virtually no one was watching during the first season or more than 100 million people were watching by Season 7, Jenkins said the heart behind the project remained the same.
“We’re still trying to do the work for God,” he said. “We’re still humbled. We’re still surrendered. We’re still grinding. It’s still about the work and not about how many people are going to watch.”
And ultimately, Jenkins said there is one legacy that matters above everything else: that people encounter Jesus.
“I want when people think of ‘The Chosen’ that they think more people knew and loved Jesus because of it,” Jenkins said.
Eight years of telling Christ’s story didn’t just affect the millions watching. It transformed something within Jenkins himself.
A lifelong believer, Jenkins said he has always known God’s power and understood Him as Creator. What changed was his understanding of just how intimately God knows His children.
“I don’t think I knew quite as much as I do now from doing this show how intimate of a God He is, how personal of a God He is,” Jenkins said.
Whether God is “calling us, rebuking us, or healing us,” Jenkins said, He knows precisely what is happening within the human heart.
Then came the statement that perhaps best summarizes what eight years of “The Chosen” left behind in its creator:
“Yes, He’s the God of the masses, but He’s the God of the individual.”
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
