'Jesus Came for Everyone': 'The Chosen' Transforms Inmates' Lives in Prisons Across America

"The Chosen" is changing inmates' lives, bringing the Gospel message to a population desperately in need of hope and transformation. Heather Rice-Minus, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship, a ministry serving the incarcerated and their families, explained the impact the Bible-inspired TV series is having on prisoners. Rice-Minus said the Come and See Foundation, the group responsible for trying to get "The Chosen" in front of one billion people, has joined forces with her organization. "The Come and See Foundation really wanted to expand their audience to reach everyone with the authentic Jesus from the palace to prison, if you will," she said. "And, so, we said, 'Well, we would love to help with that.'" Prison Fellowship has been working to set up screenings at facilities where the ministry has chaplains and programs. The organization has also made "The Chosen" available on Floodlight, a streaming platform Prison Fellowship created for outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the recent announcement about delays in the streaming release of "The Chosen" season four, one of the bright lights has been the reality that the new season will still be viewable in prisons and select churches. "The chaplains are able to set up their own screenings if they want ... inside facilities," Rice-Minus said of the digital offering. "We also have several hundred prisons where Prison Fellowship runs in-person programming, and, so, in some of those facilities we've been able to set up special screenings and watch parties of 'The Chosen.'" Rice-Minus shared some of the specific ways the series has impacted lives, citing the Carol S. Vance Unit, a Texas prison where inmates are going through what she called a "year-long transformation process" to dig into the issues that landed them in jail. The show has helped them connect the dots and dig deeper into faith.