Amanda Jenkins Seeks to Lead ‘The Chosen’ Fans Back to Scripture

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The co-author of a new interactive Bible study featuring clips from The Chosen says her goal is for fans to leave with a greater appreciation for Scripture than the series itself. Amanda Jenkins, lead creator of The Chosen's additional content, co-authors four interactive Bible studies based on the series, including one tied to Season 4, God's Goodness for the Chosen. Although the series includes clips, she is quick to note: "We're studying the Bible, not the show." Her husband is Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen director. 

"It's so important to me to connect our viewers back to Scripture," she told Crosswalk Headlines. "Dallas and I love making this TV show. I like good TV. This is a fun thing that we get to do, and we get to give the gospel, and it's incredible. But if this show doesn't point people back to Scripture, we've failed. So, my goal for every Bible study has been to use the love of the show as the jumping-off point for what truly our love should be, which is Scripture. 

"We want to get people back into the Word because that's going to go on beyond the seven seasons."

Season 4 shifted toward a heavier tone, presenting new challenges to Jenkins and her co-writers in creating the study. In one often-discussed scene, a female character dies, and Jesus opts not to raise her from the dead -- sparking surprise from His followers. 

Jenkins said that the theme of the season and the accompanying Bible study is suffering.  

"Suffering isn't really about suffering," she said. "It's about God in it and God's goodness eclipsing it. Sometimes, He does [remove the suffering], and that's great. That's amazing. But also, sometimes, He doesn't. …I know a lot of people think Jesus does whatever we ask Him to do if we have a big enough faith. I don't believe that is true. I don't think that's theologically true. …We all die."

The subject is personal for Jenkins, she said.

"We have a chronically ill daughter," she said. "We were asking and asking and pleading with the Lord to heal her, and He has not seen fit to do that. And so that really was heavy in this last year."

Photo Credit: ©The Chosen

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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