When The Chosen set out in 2017 to crowdfund its way to a first season, their goal of introducing “the authentic Jesus to a billion people” was ambitious, to say the least. And while they still have a ways to go to reach that point, they’ve recently crossed the threshold of 200 million viewers around the world.
Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and The Chosen app have contributed greatly to that number. However, their growth has been fueled just as much by the degree to which the show has been translated and dubbed into so many languages around the world.
As Adam Macinnis writes, The Chosen has partnered with Come and See to dub the show into fifty languages, with the hopes of eventually taking that number beyond six hundred. That number far surpasses the previous record holder—Baywatch—which saw its episodes translated 34 times.
And the extra effort to dub the show rather than just make it available through subtitles is crucial for areas where literacy is lacking.
Making the gospel accessible
Macinnis describes how, in Madagascar for example, the nation’s president—Andry Rajoelina—reached out to Come and See to request that the group make the native Malagasy language a priority, even though it is spoken by a relatively small number of people. When it was made available last year, The Chosen became what is believed to be the first show ever dubbed into the language.
And, as Come and See CEO Stan Jantz describes, the impact has been felt throughout the island nation, with the show taken into remote areas, reaching people with the gospel in ways that were previously impossible.
However, the people at Come and See are quick to note that for such efforts to be effective, it takes a lot more than just typing a script into Google Translate. The intricacies of making sure that the message is conveyed accurately and in a way that makes sense to its audience require the ability to hear it spoken through the ears of native speakers.
That’s why the ministry seeks out pastors, Bible translators, and biblical scholars who speak the language when trying to translate the show. Moreover, they also strive to work with people who share their passion for the project. And the ability to partner with people who are not only capable but share their vision for what God can do through The Chosen is a big reason why the show now has more viewers outside the US than in its American audience.
It should also serve as a powerful reminder for each of us.
excerpt from Denison Forum. | 
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