“We want to dub ‘The Chosen’ into 600 languages, for a billion to know the authentic Jesus”

The premiere of the fifth season of The Chosen, the series about Jesus and his disciples, took place in Madrid in March.

Along with some of the cast and crew, there was also the ‘lung’ of the series, the management team of Come and See.

Come and See is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the global expansion of The Chosen, whose mission is to make the series accessible in multiple languages and to create resources that enable more people to know the story of Jesus in an authentic and transformative way.

“The Chosen is much more than a series. It's a movement, and we believe it is because people not only watch the series, but they appreciate it, they spread it, and they want others to have the opportunity to discover Jesus as it has happened in their lives”, said Come and See CEO James Barnett in a meeting with donors.

The organisation has been instrumental in enabling millions of people to access the series in their own language, bringing the message of Jesus to life on screen and making his story and example known in a fresh way around the world.

The series is currently available in over 120 languages, making it the most translated tv series in history, but the ultimate goal is to reach much further, with the aim of remaining a free product through The Chosen app.

In Madrid, news websites Protestante Digital, and Evangelical Focus, spoke to Kira McCracken, vice president of development at Come and See, about the challenges and opportunities they face amidst the success of the series, which is having an unprecedented impact in the audiovisual sector for a religious product.

Question. You are leading the donor engagement for the program. You were at Biola University for 13 years before. What happened in your life that led you to get involved in this project?

Answer. I’ve spent my career in nonprofit fundraising. I was working at Biola University, which is an international Christian university located in Los Angeles.

I love people, and I love applying the generous resources that people give to important projects that serve God’s work. Higher education was a great way to do that.Then God called me to this project, The Chosen, and I quickly said yes.

I was actually the first team member hired at the Come and See Foundation. I believe in the show. I love it, it’s been such a special project.

Q. It Is an economic miracle in Hollywood.

A. Yes, and even though it’s based in Hollywood, it’s not supported by Hollywood, it’s crowdfunded.

Q. What do you think makes this possible?

A. There is a a scene that portrays the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000—with five loaves and two fish, which God multiplied. That’s what’s happened with this show.

Fans have brought what they can, and there’s been a kind of miraculous multiplication. Since the beginning, the production has been entirely funded by the generous giving of people around the world who believe in this project and want to make it possible.

Q. What has been most moving about your interaction with donors?

A. I once received a letter with a $20 bill and a note that said: “Here’s $20 from my grocery budget so that people in North Korea can have the opportunity to see the show.” That really showed me the sacrificial generosity of someone willing to give from their own grocery money to support the show.

That kind of heart is what drives our supporters, they want to reach the world with Jesus through this amazing series. Even children are preparing and donating their money… It’s like the widow’s mite.

Q. The show is currently available in 100 languages, but the goal is to reach 600. Tell us more about that.

A. Yes, the goal is to reach at least a billion people with an authentic portrayal of Jesus through The Chosen. To do that, we need to translate the show into 600 languages so that people can access it in their native language. Right now, we’re working on about 100 to 125 languages.

Q. Besides translation, what other goals does Come and See have?

A. In order to translate The Chosen into 600 languages and reach a billion people, we first need to finish producing the series. Come and See is committed to making sure production is completed, then translating, distributing, and marketing the show globally so it’s truly accessible everywhere.

Q. There are tens of thousands of donors for The Chosen worldwide now.

A. Yes, Come and See has almost 200,000 donors from over 150 countries. To sustain the show, we do need to grow our supporter base. That’s part of why we are here at the premiere, so people understand that if they love the show and want to help make future seasons possible, the best way is by donating to Come and See.

Q. How can people donate?

A. They can visit our website, or download The Chosen app, where donations can also be made.We are so excited to be here for the global premiere of The Chosen. It’s a celebration of how far we have come, and we are thrilled to debut season 5 to this international audience. We are incredibly grateful to the staff, crew, fans, and supporters for making it all possible. Thank you so much.