The Chosen – An Internet Success

Because I deal so much with the negative side of technology, I think people sometimes wonder if I believe there is anything good about the Internet. So I can understand why some might think I’m down on technology.

But I’m not.

I admit I deal so much with the dark side of technology because most people, including the majority of Christians, tend to drift into the murky waters of pornography, video game, and social media addiction, to name a few. Nevertheless, there are tremendous blessings on the Internet as well.

For example, on November 22, 2022, the online conservative newspaper, the Washington Examiner, ran the headline, “The Chosen Shocks Box Office with No. 3 Open.” In case you’re not familiar, The Chosen is a multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. So how do the first two episodes of a series on the life of Jesus gross almost 9 million dollars in one weekend in the US alone?

If Hollywood had its way, a series on the Savior of the World would not see the light of day. But the Internet has gone around Hollywood. The Chosen has been made possible by crowdfunding. In case you’re unfamiliar, Internet crowdfunding is a way to fund a project, venture, or product by raising small amounts of money from many people who believe in the cause. As it turns out, 16,000 people invested $11 million for season one, which is the most successful crowd-funded campaign in history.

Despite its cynicism, the left-wing New York Times admitted the venture’s success in its head headline, “Jesus Christ, Streaming Star: The Chosen, a TV series about the life of Jesus, pulls off a crowd-funded miracle: a hit with a Christian fan base that is breaking into the mainstream.”

It was Jesus who said, “For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”

In a world seemingly dominated by and funded to support the LGBTQIA2S+ movement, The Chosen has clearly shown that all is not as it appears. By going around traditional film-making methods, a vast segment of the population has demonstrated what they stand for and believe in.

Not only has the hit series generated income from a loyal following, but the series is also made available, via the Internet, for free. You can download and watch, at no cost, The Chosen app on both the Google Play store and Apple’s app store. You can also watch at no charge at angel.com, and Seasons one and two are available on some paid streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Peacock, and VidAngel.

So, why is The Chosen so popular? I think Rusty White said it best in an opinion piece in the Washington Examiner titled “Why is The Chosen, a Show About Jesus, So Popular?”:

Surprised by The Chosen series' popularity, I decided to check it out. The episodes portray Jesus's life with believable dialogue and characters whose genuine, heartfelt emotions — pain, confusion, fear, exhilaration, contentment, awe — help viewers relate these stories to their own struggles and joys.

While the Internet can be a huge blessing, I still have to remind you of the countless evil land mines on the Internet. Therefore, my advice is to be intentional by deciding in advance what you will do and how long you will stay on the Internet. In other words, visit the Internet, not live there.

Check out my new book, Digital Rehab: Learning to Live Again in the Real World.