Tom Kang, lead pastor of NewStory Church in Los Angeles, California, won over viewers of a new Netflix series about Moses with his illuminating commentary on the Old Testament figure. Kang’s remarks in the dramatized documentary were so popular that his name intermittently trended on Google the day the series premiered and days afterward.
“Thank you, Pastor Tom, for sharing your insightful views in the Netflix show Testament: [T]he Story of Moses,” wrote one Instagram user. “Your perspective added depth and clarity to the film, enriching our understanding of its themes and messages. Your wisdom and guidance are truly appreciated.”
Another user wrote on Instagram, “I followed you because of the rare (oh so rare) understanding of God that flowed out of you during this. God bless you, Pastor Tom.’
On Facebook, a viewer lauded Kang’s “incredible insight” in conveying Moses’ storyline with modern sensibilities, while another said he “kept it real and relatable.”
The compliments were in response to the California pastor’s social media posts, published just days after Netflix premiered “Testament: The Story of Moses.”
“Life is funny. And Easter is full of surprises, big [and] small,” Kang wrote on Instagram and Facebook, going on to list the “truths of Good Friday and Easter Sunday” under “BIG.”
“Small: waking up on the morning of Good Friday to find your parents watching the current #1 show on Netflix that you had a very small, tiny part in (Testament: The Story of Moses),” he wrote.
Among the images Kang referenced in his caption was one of a Bible opened to Luke 24 that includes “a fascinating Bible passage” that links Moses to Jesus. He revealed that it was one part of his commentary on Moses that did not make the cut.
“Friends, everything in the Bible points to Christ. Just like everything about Good Friday and Easter (and Christmas, for that matter) points to Christ,” Kang wrote in part.
Premiering March 27, “Testament: The Story of Moses” explores the patriarch’s life and “rise from outcast and murderer to prophet and liberator of the Hebrews.” The three-part “event,” as Netflix describes it, interweaves dramatic reenactments with expert commentary to provide historical context and modern applications.
Kang of NewSong Church is among a dozen experts representing diverse viewpoints in the Turkish-American production. Other noted commentators include Rabbi Maurice Harris (Moses: A Stranger Among Us); Shady Nasser, a professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University; and Carol Meyers, professor emeritus of Religion at Duke University.