'Rich in Faith' Brings Young Pastors to Reality TV Spotlight

As a MTV executive, Rod Aissa helped develop "Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica." Now at Oxygen Media, believes he's found equally engaging young marrieds who will appeal to today's millennials. However, the couple featured in "Rich in Faith" are pastors, not pop stars.

The reality show features Rich Wilkerson Jr. and his wife DawnChere as they launch a youth-oriented Miami church, Vous, and grapple with balancing work and home life.

"What I liked about it for Oxygen is the overlay of the discussion of faith," Aissa said. "We know from brand research ... that traditional things like family and relationship to God and spirituality are still high on their (the audience's) list."

Rich Wilkerson brings a celebrity connection to the series: He married Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, but the Wilkersons say it's their relationship with God and parishioners that's important, not TV celebrity or its trappings.

"So often it's really easy, especially for people of faith, to sit around and report negatively about the status quo of where our nation is or where entertainment is," said Rich Wilkerson.

"Our idea was to do something that's encouraging, that's positive out there. We want to show people you can have faith, even in this busy, chaotic world we live in right now," he said.

Faith and reality TV have become close companions. A number of shows are based on families for whom religion is a visible part of their lives, including UP's "Bringing Up Bates," in its third season. Others focus on the clergy, among them Oxygen's "Preachers" franchise that started in Los Angeles.

"Preachers of LA" was criticized by some who said the show could foster the inaccurate idea that preachers are in it for fame and wealth.

Hollywood's fascination with pairing reality and faith has dubious roots, said Dave Johnson, a film and TV writer-producer.

"It's like the old circus, with the sideshow tent," Johnson said. "They'll use little people, they'll use Christians, they'll use tattoo people. It's a group of people (industry executives) don't really know or understand or are part of, and think they're interesting to watch."

That's fine, he added, if the show is created and produced honestly, citing "Bringing Up Bates" as an example. He had yet to see "Rich in Faith."

"If they chose someone who is genuine and true, who believes and lives that faith, then the show will reflect that faith honestly," Johnson said.

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Kirk Franklin Expresses Disappointment in 'Preachers of LA' Amid Suggestion Reality Show Turned People Away From God

Gospel singer Kirk Franklin, who declared months ago that fans would never see him on "Preachers of L.A.," stated during a recent radio interview that he was disappointed in the reality show, while a radio host D.L. Hughley suggested the Oxygen program has turned people away from God.

Franklin, asked during an appearance on "The D.L. Hughley Show" this week if he would appear on "Preachers of L.A.," revealed that he was not a fan of the show which gives an inside look at the ministries and personal lives of its leading men.

In a trivia segment of his radio program called "This or That," actor/comedian D.L. Hughley asked Franklin if he would "rather star in the next season of ("Preachers of L.A.") or have your beautiful wife, Tammy (Collins), star in the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta?'"

After Franklin declined to choose either one of the reality show options, Hughley went on to give his take of "Preachers of L.A.," which was renewed earlier this year for a second season.

"I lived in L.A. my whole life, and to me, I thought the purpose of that show was to drag nonbelievers, people who don't have access to God and don't have relationship with Him, that it would be so attractive that it would draw them to Him," said Hughley. "I think it's done the opposite."

Franklin responded by stating that there were people on "Preachers of L.A." whom he considers friends and whom he respects, but rejected the program. "I'm very disappointed in that show," he told Hughley.

The award-winning gospel artist and "American Bible Challenge" co-host previously had hinted at his feelings toward the faith-based reality show during a December 2013 concert in Detroit, Mich., when he told fans, "You'll never see your boy on real 'Preachers of L.A.'"

The Oxygen network reality show was controversial even before it aired, with some Christians debating whether the program would harm or help the faith community, while others called for a boycott. One of the major points of consternation for critics was the portrayal of the apparent flashy lifestyles of the ministers involved in the program.

Despite the controversy, "Preachers of L.A." was a major hit for Oxygen, averaging more than one million total viewers during its eight-episode run that started in Oct. 2013. In addition to being renewed by Oxygen Media for a second season, "Preachers of L.A." could have potential spin-off series for major cities like New York, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit.

'Pastors of LA' Reality Show Coming to Oxygen

The past year has seen a bevy of faith-based reality programming from networks like TLC, Lifetime and BET. Oxygen Media is joining the pack with its own reality show looking at the lives of southern California pastors, tentatively titled "Pastors of L.A."

The "authentic new docu-series" starring Bishop Noel Jones, Deitrick Haddon and four other high-profile Christian ministers is scheduled to debut in the fall of this year, and appears to follow in the vein of BET's "The Sheards" and WE tv's "Mary Mary" – promising viewers an inside look at the lives of popular and otherwise inaccessible men of faith.

"'Pastors of L.A.' will give viewers a candid and revealing look at six boldly different and world renowned mega-pastors in southern California, who are willing to share diverse aspects of their lives, from their work in the community and with their parishioners to the very large and sometimes provocative lives they lead away from the pulpit," according to a press release from Oxygen.

"This show documents a journey of transparency from one man to the next as they endeavor to lead others to their own truth and self-discovery," said exec producer Holly Carter.

"We intend to portray the human side of these pastors and the real world in which they live and work," added producer Lemuel Plummer.

Pastor Jones, brother of actress, recording artist and model Grace Jones, and Haddon, who has a long list of Dove, Stellar and Grammy awards, appear to be headliners of the series.

Jones has been leading City of Refuge Church in Gardena, Calif., since 1994 and travels extensively to preach and lecture. The bishop, who is unmarried, suggested last year that rumors claiming he had fathered actress and singer Stacy Francis' second child, were exactly that – "rumors and innuendo." Among the many celebrities said to attend City of Refuge Church is controversial rapper The Game, who was reportedly baptized at the Los Angeles-area church in 2011.

Haddon, meanwhile, whom Oxygen Media describes as "a dynamic personality, singer, songwriter, and preacher," went through a divorce in 2011 that surprised many of his gospel music fans and led to him being shunned by members of his church. The award-laden recording artist also surprised fans when it was revealed in April that he had fathered a child out of wedlock and was engaged to be married. Currently, Haddon is working on a live production for his upcoming album League of Xtraordinary Worshippers.

While faith-based reality programming like "The Sheards" has proven successful with viewers, Lifetime was not as lucky with "The Sisterhood." The program about preachers' wives was canceled after the first season following strong backlash from Christians who felt the reality show was offensive.