Gem State Adventist Academy students enjoyed a Q&A chapel with The Chosen cast members and collected canned foods for a community event in Nampa, Idaho.
The ministry of Jesus has come to life anew as a result of the multi-season series The Chosen. Top-notch actors are part of what makes this series so successful and popular. To learn and grow spiritually from the experiences of such actors, Christian Outreach Multimedia Events Inc. invited four cast members for the second time to the Boise area for The Chosen: A Celebration of Jesus Christ at Ford Idaho Center in Nampa on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. It was a free event where ticket holders were simply asked to bring canned foods to support local food banks.
The day before the event, GSAA students were honored with an on-campus visit. As Elizabeth Tabish, who plays Mary Magdalene; Kirk Woller, who plays Gaius, the centurion; Luke Dimyan, who plays Judas; and Shaan Sharma, who plays Schmuel the Pharisee, entered the building, they seemed genuinely interested in meeting and interacting with the staff and students.
The cast’s down-to-earth personalities came through as they answered student questions during a special chapel event. All four cast members were asked general questions about acting, make-up, costumes and previous roles in which they have starred. Questions specific to The Chosen were also asked, such as what each actor’s favorite episode was, as well as what miracles they witnessed while filming the series.
Lastly, character-specific questions were asked. Sharma was asked what it’s like to play the Pharisee who sought to end Jesus’ ministry, and Dimyan was asked what it’s like to play a role with an inevitably bad ending. Students saw both an inspirational and humorous side of each actor, making the visit both a learning and enjoyable experience for all.
Students were clearly impacted by the chapel and had very positive responses. One student wrote, “It was so amazing having the cast members visit us; it was one of the coolest things I’ve experienced. Seeing them on the screen and then meeting and getting to know them was absolutely surreal and I feel extremely blessed by the event.”
The cast members also helped students grow in their faith. Nathan, GSAA student, noted that he could see Jesus in them on screen and in real life. Zach, another GSAA student, enjoyed hearing the cast talk about how the show impacted their faith.
The next day was GSAA Church’s Jeans Sabbath. On such days, students and church members go into the community for outreach activities after the church service. This particular Jeans Sabbath provided a great opportunity to do a canned food drive for the evening event in Nampa. To accomplish this, groups of students were separated into four nearby neighborhoods.
They went door-to-door asking for nonperishable food and giving tickets for the evening event to those who were interested. Students learned skills in relating and making connections with neighbors, and neighbors were generous with their donations. The day culminated with a group of students delivering the collected food donations to the Ford Idaho Center entrance before attending the evening’s event where they gained further insight from the personal testimonies of the cast members.
Brinley, GSAA student, shared words to the cast members that wrap up the blessings that were felt by the weekend’s events: “You all were so friendly and kind! For a small school, your participation meant the world to us! Thank you so much!”
Students gather for a group shot with four The Chosen cast members.
Shaan Sharma, who plays Schmuel, shares wisdom about his character.
Luke Dimyan, who plays Judas, enjoys some time interacting with students after chapel.
