Bear Grylls’s new book, The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account hit the shelves in June and his sharing about the process of writing about Jesus. “It’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but also the best thing I have ever done. My faith has always been like a quiet, empowering presence through so many adventures,” he said on “My View with Lara Trump.” He called it the “hardest thing” he had ever done, even comparing it to climbing Mount Everest.

Grylls shared that while the story may be familiar, he wanted to share it in a new way. “The real story of Jesus is so mind-blowing. It’s a story of true courage, true friendship, true love, and I just thought nobody’s ever written this as a thriller, I’m just going to write this story,” he said. He wanted something different than the “sanitized” version he’d grown up with. And while he’s done some pretty incredible things in his life, including climbing Mount Everest, he said the book has had the biggest impact on his life. “I think I’ve had more response from this book than anything else I’ve ever done, any TV show,” he said.

The book offers the biblical account through the eyes of several key witnesses, such Myriam of Magdala, better known as Mary Magdalene. Reviews of the book have noted that overall it keeps close to the Gospel narratives, offering an accessible version of biblical stories that could have a number of applications. “Many of these short narratives would be ideal as readings in church at key moments in the Christian year — particularly services for schools and uniformed organizations, where the Grylls branding might add a little frisson,” noted Church Times. “The text is close enough to the original to feel respectful, and different enough to make listeners sit up and take notice. The account of the Magi, for example, is rich in imaginative detail — such as the gift of gold being in the form of an armlet decorated with winged creatures.”

Grylls, who came to fame for his survival skills, has been speaking more candidly about his faith in recent years. He spoke to Premier Christianity about how The Greatest Story Ever Told is different than anything he’s ever done. “It’s the proudest thing in my work world I’ve ever done,” he said. “I would give up everything – every summit, every Emmy – it pales into insignificance compared to this, because it’s history, it’s his-story, it’s the story of Christ, written in a way that is accessible. If I could only be remembered for one thing, this would be it,” he emphasized. “I really want people to experience this story. Because the story changes us.”