How the Lord Used Dallas Jenkins’ Hollywood ‘Failure’ for Good
By Movieguide® Contributor
THE CHOSEN creator Dallas Jenkins recently recalled how he was inspired to persevere after a box-office flop left him with no directing future in Hollywood.
“I was home alone with my wife after the biggest disappointment of my career,” Jenkins said. “The movie that I’d made that had gotten Hollywood attention, distributed all over the country in theaters, completely bombed. I went in just a couple hours from being a director with a bright future to a director with no future.”
It was at this moment that the Lord showed up and gave Jenkins hope to continue forward, eventually resulting in the creation of THE CHOSEN.
“My wife felt like God was just laying it extremely powerfully on her heart – almost as clear as though it was an audible voice – to read the story of the feeding of the 5,000,” Jenkins recalled. “We had this phrase in our heads, too: impossible math.”
“So, we are trying to figure all this out and what this has to do with a box office failure,” Jenkins continued. “A random person that I’ve never met Facebook messaged me, and all he said was, ‘Remember it’s not your job to feed the 5,000. It’s only to provide the leaves and fish.’”
Jenkins realized that he shouldn’t worry whether he became a big success or not, that was up to God. Instead, he would create the best loaves and fish that he could, and allow the Lord to do with them what He desired.
Soon after, Jenkins created a short film for his church about the life of Jesus. The production of this short film eventually led to the creation of THE CHOSEN.
Jenkins’ work has now touched over 100 million people worldwide and has enjoyed multiple box office successes.
Movieguide® previously reported on the “impossible math” that led to the creation of THE CHOSEN:
THE CHOSEN is the largest crowd-funded project in Hollywood history, but that’s no accident–it was provision from God.
“The more free, the more accessible, the more easy we made it for people to watch it, the more income came in for future episodes and seasons,” said creator Dallas Jenkins in a Facebook LIVE interview with NRB.
People have been so generous that Jenkins and his team are a year ahead of schedule in terms of funding for season 2. Season 1 released in 2019.
“This is God’s impossible math,” Jenkins added. “It’s not my job to feed the 5,000, it’s my job to supply the loaves and fish.”
Movieguide® said that THE CHOSEN is unlike any other Jesus program you’ve ever seen. Part of the reason for the appeal is the characters’ backstories.
“That’s the secret code of the show. Jesus isn’t the main character,” said Jenkins. “He’s one of five main characters and that allows us to see Him in a different way although the [bible] stories haven’t changed.”
According to Jenkins, the characters in the series inspire viewers to contribute to the series.
“After [the viewers] watch it, they become eager to spend whatever God lays on their hearts,” said Jenkins.
May God continue to bless Jenkins and THE CHOSEN team going forward.
