Storytelling and the Gospel

From the time we started Come and See in 2022 to make it possible for (at least) a billion people to experience the authentic Jesus through The Chosen, our focus has been the story of Jesus. It’s the centerpiece of our mission: invite everyone to encounter Jesus through world-class, authentic storytelling that brings the Bible to life.

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Storytelling is what the Bible is all about. Indeed, storytelling is at the heart of the gospel. Much more than a collection of 66 books written by 40 authors over a period of 1500 years, the Bible is God’s one true story given to us, so that we would know the plans he has for us — “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

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And the central character of God’s magnificent story is Jesus. 

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The story of His life on earth is the ultimate life-changing story, and thanks to our generous donors and the 152,000 faithful members of the Come and See Prayer Crew, we are taking the story of Jesus to the ends of the earth. 

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Recently I was in Egypt speaking at a conference where 140 ministry leaders from 84 countries (including many where the gospel is not welcome) gathered at the invitation of GO Movement, a movement committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by equipping and mobilizing every believer to confidently share their faith. 

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I showed clips from The Chosen based on specific Bible passages — for example, the woman at the well and the raising of Lazarus. The response of the leaders was jubilant. As the clips were playing, they clapped and praised God for the way these beautiful stories of people encountering Jesus come alive on screen.

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Jesus understood the power of storytelling, which is why he told so many parables, often as an answer to a question. In fact, the Gospel of Mark declares, “He did not say anything to them without using a parable.” (Mark 4:34) 

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Even when Jesus was giving instructions to his disciples, he framed them as a story. The best example of this technique is the Lord’s Prayer, the most well-known prayer in the Bible. Watch how this prayer progresses like a story (Matthew 6:9-13):

• Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name: This is the beginning of the story. The main character, God the Father, is introduced. He is the Holy One, and his dwelling is in heaven.
• Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven: This is God’s mission for us. Through all who follow Jesus as his disciples, the story of Jesus will be known throughout the earth.
• Give us this day our daily bread: This simple phrase shows our constant and total dependence on God. It also speaks to our relationship with God, a daily connection that inspires and motivates us to give generously to others because we can trust God to give us everything we need.
• And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors: At the heart of this beautiful prayer is forgiveness, which we have received from God and is reflected in our forgiveness of others. Forgiveness is an ongoing act of love and grace that we receive and give.
• Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: We acknowledge that we need protection from ourselves and our tendency to disobey God. We also need protection from the Evil One, who will do everything he can to disrupt our relationship with God.

Prayer is such a beautiful, practical, and powerful way to live in God’s story. When we talk with God in prayer, we are living in the liminal space between heaven and earth, between our life on this earth and the reality of the supernatural, eternal life Jesus has made possible for us.

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All of us at Come and See are so grateful for the way you have prayed for our shared vision and mission. Your faithfulness in prayer has made it possible for The Chosen to be produced at the highest level, translated into more than 125 languages (so far), and distributed to more than 300 million people, including those 140 ministry leaders I met with in Egypt.

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As much as you have already prayed, may I ask you to “double down” and pray even more fervently in the coming months? You see, the season that’s coming is the Crucifixion season. The first episode of Season 6 will begin streaming in November, followed by the world-wide release of the Crucifixion feature film before Easter in 2027. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of hundreds of millions of people who will experience — perhaps for the first time — the greatest story about the greatest person in a language they understand.