Lionel Richie Was Told Singing 'Jesus Is Love' Would Ruin His Career

It started out as a tribute to singer Lionel Richie at the BET Awards show on Sunday but by the time Yolanda Adams finished singing the Commodores hit "Jesus Is Love," many who watched the performance which drew a standing ovation, felt like they were brought to church.

"My GOD @Yolandalive just brought the Holy Ghost to the @BET Awards! #JESUS #BETawards2014," tweeted Grammy-nominated recording artist James Fortune.

"#BETAwards tribute to Lionel Ritchie just went next level. Yolanda Adams had church!" tweeted managing editor of The Grio, Joy-Ann Reid.

Adams' tribute was so moving, Richie was moved to respond to her performance as he accepted BET's Lifetime Achievement award.
     "After listening to 'Jesus Is Love,' I'm glad I sang the song first. Otherwise, I would not be up here. That was absolutely amazing," said Richie, according to Billboard.

As part of the tribute, singer John Legend sang a medley of Richie's "Hello," and "Still" while Ledisi performed "Brick House."

Richie explained that before singing the songs he was told that they would have ended his career.
     "These are all the songs that they told me would ruin my career," said Richie before continuing, "Soul is a feeling, not a color. Talent is a God-given gift and not a category. And out of the box, out of the box is that magical place where talent – true talent – goes to live and thrive and breathe. And may you never give that up as long as you're in this business."

Tamela and David Mann To Star in New Reality Series on BET

You've met the Browns, now meet the Manns. Grammy-Award Nominated Tamela Mann and husband David Mann will be the focus on "Meet The Manns" to launch on BET in 2015. Currently in production, "Meet The Manns" follows the lives of the Texas-based power couple and their family as they juggle their successful entertainment careers, marriage and adventures with the family.

Tamela and David shared "We'll take America behind the scenes of our day-to-day life, living out all our dreams as a family, at home and on the road. Of course, with 5 Mann kids, 8 grandkids, and extended relatives nearby, even the most ordinary family activities bring unexpected, outrageous results. There'll also be some news and reveals we're saving to share on the show - you'll have to tune in to find out what's in store."

BET May Pick Up TD Jakes Talk Show

BET may feature programming with Christian themes on Sundays, but now the television station is reportedly looking to broaden its faith-based programs to be broadcast on weekdays and may be considering a new talk show hosted by Bishop T.D. Jakes.

Charlie Jordan Brookins, BET's SVP of original programming, spoke to Variety magazine about moving faith-based programming into the network's general schedule.
"We are trying to bring (spiritual themes) into the fabric of our programming in general," Brookins said.

Still, Brookins said the new faith-based featured on the network is not looking to be "overtly preachy."

While BET let it be known that it planned to turn author Reshonda Tate Billingsley's novel, Let the Church Say Amen, into a film for the network, the channel will also broadcast three other Billingsley novels that will be turned into small screen pictures.

In the past, BET has featured the gospel singing competition "Sunday's Best" along with the reality show focused on a Christian family in the entertainment industry called "The Family Crews." However, future shows may include additional docu-series and a talk show.

T.D. Jakes reportedly shot a pilot for the network last month. The bishop of the Dallas, Texas-based megachurch The Potter's House finished up a pilot for a talk show that he will be hosting, according to Variety.

In addition to the televised films and potential Jakes' talk show, a reality television show is also reportedly in the works featuring the multi-generational gospel singing family from Detroit, the Sheards. Brookins said the network is not aiming to document the family's religion. "It's not about their faith," Brookins said in a Variety report. "It's about them as a family of faith."

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