No Work Is Mere Work—God Is Present in Everything You Do

Long after the final season of “The Chosen” has come and gone, Come and See will continue the work of translating it into 600 different languages. 

We’ve been given the chance to participate in one of the most important acts of contemporary storytelling I’ve ever seen. In a moment where media and technology have powerfully equipped us to share the story of Jesus, we can now reach deeper into cultures and people groups that have not yet encountered the Gospel story in their native languages. 

But to complete this task, this incredible, redemptive narrative can’t make a difference unless people pay attention to it. Therefore, we chase excellence in the translation and adaptation of every language version, hoping to capture the attention—and the hearts—of local consumers.

Through excellent storytelling and translations, my hope is that “The Chosen” will not only introduce these individuals to God’s redemptive work, through his son but also inspire them to explore the Scriptures and connect with a local community of believers, who will teach and encourage one another as outlined in God’s word. 

One of our local translators and producers in the Middle East often says, “art opens hearts.” And it’s true. Due to the artistic nature of “The Chosen,” the show can be distributed and consumed in unreached regions worldwide, hoping that its message—played out dramatically and artistically—will transform hearts. Art is a fantastic tool to introduce the Gospel in the most hard-to-reach and, frankly, Christian-adverse locations. Good stories told very well have the potential to change lives, especially the greatest story of all time, the story of Jesus.

This project is a privilege that comes with the responsibility to achieve excellence in all aspects of translation and dubbing. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” If we are to glorify God, excellence is the chief responsibility of anyone with a mindset to worship him in their everyday tasks, vocations, or ministry. We are to take the talents God has blessed us with and use them for His glory with excellence.

But excellence isn’t exclusive to the work of great men and women.  Doing life with excellence should be taken seriously and chased with joy, humility, and creativity in all areas, so that we, as 1 Peter 2 suggests, might “proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Through excellent work, we not only glorify God and proclaim his excellence but are a testimony to the world by the pursuit of it.

But for all of its merit, the pursuit of excellence is often difficult. It requires steadfastness if we are to attain it. Translating, casting, dubbing, mixing, and mastering eight episodes into just one language takes three to six months. We pray that global consumers find the story of Jesus compelling, see and hear the quality and creativity in this production, and continue to stay tuned.

The gospel story is worth telling; it is worth telling in as many languages as possible with the highest quality standards. God is present in every task we are called to do. This is why I view technology and media—even with its many argued downsides—as a blessing, a gift to be carefully stewarded with excellence. We’ve been blessed to live in a time where technology allows us to tell the story of Jesus’ life, love, death and resurrection to audiences who might never have heard or listened. It’s a privilege to have been allowed to serve God in this way. 

Amid many hardships, none of us labor in vain. Instead, we are all called to serve the Lord excellently in whatever task he has befitted us. For those of us in the media and tech space, we must ask ourselves: How can we use this medium to glorify God and best tell his stories? How can we steward it faithfully and willingly with creativity and excellence? When we get it right, God receives the glory and our joy is complete.