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Now, this fall television season will usher in two more "faith-based" programs on major cable networks. "The Preachers of L.A," which focuses on the lifestyles of six mega-pastors in Los Angeles, will premiere on Oxygen media next month. "Thicker Than Water," highlighting the family life of millionaire gospel recording artist Ben Tankard, will debut on Bravo media in November.

This new phenomenon of church leaders as the focus of reality television shows is seen by some as a rare, needed look into the guarded lives of pastors. For others, it will further the embarrassment of an already ridiculed church community. My thoughts lean towards the latter: I question what's behind this growing trend and what potential damage it will do to Christian ministry.

Like so many reality TV shows before them, these programs focus on black opulence. Often, they make a mockery of black wealth, portraying affluent African Americans as irresponsible, reckless financial stewards. These stereotypes are magnified by highlighting prosperity ministries versus churches rooted in a social gospel focused on the poor.

But lavish living and fame are unfamiliar comforts to most pastors. The majority do the arduous work of saving lives and souls day in and day out without the sexiness of film crews and make up artists to catch it on camera.

In all four of these shows, African American men and women are the prominent figures with two of the shows having only a few white characters. Despite the faith component of the shows' themes, they mirror the countless other reality television shows crafted for "drama-hunger" black audiences. The racial dimension cannot be ignored.

In the trailer for "The Preachers of L.A.," a Bentley, mansion, clothes and jewelry flash on the screen as the show's stars offer biblical justification for why "the preacher is to be taken care of." This is juxtaposed with images of seemingly thuggish African American men in need of spiritual deliverance. The trailer also features scenes in which the preachers argue with the women in their lives about their degree of love and commitment. 

When you put all of that together, it's an old narrative of black preachers as poverty pimps who take advantage of not only naive women but the community in general.

This type of programming ends up serving another purpose: offering white audiences a channel to learn about the "other side of America." The voyeuristic nature of it all is deeply troubling, as viewers may get the impression that watching these shows can replace meaningful engagement with individuals and communities they deem different. As scary as it is to think that Americans will draw conclusions about the black family dynamic based on "The Real Housewives" series, it is equally frightening to think that the black church image might be shaped by shows like "The Preachers of L.A."

Source: Washington Post | Rahiel Tesfamariam