Are you a teal fish? While the question might sound weird, it is one that is posed to the viewers of a show called The Chosen. The show’s opening credits show a school of gray fish. As the credits play suddenly, fish start turning around and swimming against the stream. They go against the pattern of what every other fish is doing. While this happens, they change colors as well. The gray fish turn into a bright and vibrant teal. The Chosen inspires students to go against the current and stir up the water with their faith. It takes its viewers on a deep dive into Jesus’ character and life while encouraging them to read the Gospel and learn more about the Christian faith.
The Chosen is a television show produced by Angel Studios and directed by Dallas Jenkins. Since the show’s beginning, it’s become one of Christian media’s most popular entertainment pieces. The show follows the timeline of the New Testament while making an interesting and captivating experience for viewers. It depicts Jesus calling His disciples, casting out demons, turning water into wine, and more!
Starting again in the Spring semester, The Chosen will be shown for on-campus viewing while online students are encouraged to view the same episode. Students participate in a group discussion or fill out a questionnaire that allows them to think more in-depth about the episode they watched. They are presented with questions that encourage them to consider characters or situations from the show that might be seen in their own lives.
Robyn Heineken has planned these events, and when asked about her thought process regarding these nights, she said “I got the idea to show The Chosen after watching the documentary, Unfiltered: Gen Z Reacts to The Chosen. The documentary showed me that this show has a way of reaching Gen Z about the gospel in a way that hasn’t reached them before. I wanted to see if we could get the same reaction from the Gen Z students at Jacksonville College. It was slow at first getting them into it, but we just wrapped up season 1 and I now have a group asking to do a binge-watch party for season 2!”
Of course, the students’ reactions to The Chosen are what really matters. When asked about the show many students have given insightful and meaningful responses. Students stated in the questionnaire things like “God does not only expect us to keep what we know to ourselves. He expects us to spread it to the rest of the world so that Heaven will be filled,” and “We are all children of God and it may take one of us to make a difference in a person’s life to encourage them to follow in the name of the Lord.” In all the responses from the students, one thing was evident, the show is inspiring. It inspires people to ask themselves hard questions, oppose the ways of the world, and learn more about the Bible.
From the opening sequence to the final song, this show is a powerful tool for sharing the Gospel. If you want to learn more about this series, join the students at Jacksonville College in viewing The Chosen and answer the question: Are you a teal fish?