Brennan McPherson: Q&A with “Light of the World: Josiah’s Story” Creator
Tyndale: What is the mission of the Light of the World movie and associated books?
Brennan McPherson: To draw people to fall in love with Jesus and serve him faithfully. Light of the World is a powerful film that tells the gospel in a way that a child who’s never heard the name of Jesus can understand. But the film doesn’t just stop there: It invites the viewer to follow
Jesus just as the disciples did and to serve God with their life and heart.
You are offering a variety of free resources, including curriculum, to follow up the message of this film. How can listeners find and use these tools?
Go to our website Lightoftheworld.com and tap on ‘Resources.’ There are also free minigames and associated materials on the website.
The art in the film and the books is stunning. What is one of your favorite scenes and why?
One of my favorite scenes is the baptism of Jesus. It’s a beautiful representation of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the visuals and music are mesmerizing. It’s consistently pointed out as one of the scenes that makes people cry when they watch it.
Josiah befriends John (one of the apostles) in this story. John is younger than we normally imagine him. Why is he portrayed as a teenager?
Because scholars agree he likely was a teenager. John seems to have been the youngest disciple, and many of the disciples were probably teens. Culturally, children began following a rabbi at the age of 13, and some clues in Scripture point to the disciples’ youth (Peter was the only one that needed to pay the Temple tax in Matthew 17:24-27, which we know everyone 20 years and older had to pay, implying that the rest of the disciples were younger than 20). Nothing in Scripture gives us an accurate age, but they certainly weren’t 40-year-old men with beards. Remember, Jesus himself was in his early 30s during his public ministry.
Josiah’s Story is a new story from the Light of the World franchise. What do you hope this book adds to the Light of the World message?
I hope children see that no matter how small or unseen they feel, Jesus cares for them and is calling them to follow him.
What is the message of Light of the World Family Devotional?
That if we examine Jesus’ life and teachings, we will learn to live a life filled with God’s spiritual blessings.
There are also two coloring and activity books coming out this fall. Please describe what young people can find inside.
A whole lot of fun engaging with the Light of the World art, learning how to draw the characters, and engaging with Scripture.
How do you think this series can have a positive impact on adults watching and reading with their kids?
There have already been adults whose spiritual trajectory was changed as a result of watching the film with their children. One child, after watching an early screening at camp, went home and announced to her father that she wanted to get baptized because Jesus was baptized. Her only stipulation was that he had to get baptized with her! So, on Father’s Day, they were both baptized, helping to solidify his faith as much as hers. These books take the family deeper and give even more opportunities for spiritual growth.
How are the Light of the World film and books different from other similar products that share the gospel?
I don’t know of another film released in theaters that not only tells the full gospel message in a way anyone can understand but also leads people to faith in Jesus and calls them to go through free, next-step discipleship resources. In addition, it’s a beautiful, classically animated feature film that will delight for decades. We did not want the publishing products to be lazy derivatives of the film. We wanted each book to have its own unique value, to stand alone and be something that legitimately did something new and distinct from the film.
Creating exemplary products can be challenging. What encouraged you to keep working even when things got difficult?
This film was a team effort by over 600 people for over three years. Nothing is as much of a slog as animation. These books, likewise, were a team effort by 30+ people. All the artists, designers, writers, editors, and more linked arms to craft excellent literary treasures that we hope children will keep and share with their children after they grow up. What kept us going was the desire to make something with lasting value that will draw people to Jesus so that they can experience eternal life. All the 80-to-100-hour workweeks are worth it to see people come to Jesus.
Brennan McPherson is the lead producer of The Light of the World film and the president of the nonprofit ministry, the Salvation Poem Project.
The Light of the World: Josiah’s Story book is currently available at major bookstores.
A Special Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers to the images and Q&A.
