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Were you one of the 1.1 million viewers who tuned into the premier of the new hit reality show “Preachers of L.A.?”  If so, why?

Is it because you love reality shows and almost any topic that uses the tried and true formula will do?  Is it because you’re intrigued about getting a behind-the-scenes look at how pastors really live their lives?  Or, is it because you’re looking for a way to validate some of the negative feelings you have about churches and the way they’re run?

I’ve had a long-standing debate with friend who thinks God favors preachers so much that he blesses them with material things like private jets and Bentley’s to show his approval.  I think that being a Pastor is a calling that requires the kind of humility that Jesus had. I’m not proposing that ministers take a vow of poverty and ride donkeys, but a pastor who spends an inordinate amount of time coordinating his leather Italian leather shoes with the Italian leather interior in his Maserati…ehhh.  Just not for me.

It looks like the majority of the Men of God in “Preachers of L.A.” are living extremely well…and we’re talking L.A., where three bedroom, two bath 1,500 square foot homes are listed at $849, 000.

But that’s one of the most obvious factors about “Preachers of L.A.”  There are other intangibles like the love they show their wives, children and…in one case baby’s mom. And of course we also see work they do in their churches, their communities, the souls they save and no one can put a price tag on those things.

If we’re going to spend an hour watching “Preachers of L.A.” with a non-judgmental eye (I’m trying) the least we can do is learn something from it. Here are 3 things I’m going to remind myself of as I watch.

1. To each his own.  A preacher is kind of like a new car (of which the featured preachers have an abundance). Some like them fast, some like them reliable, some like hybrids, some like classics.  No one forces us to join a particular church or support a particular minister. If you like it I love it. Pick your Pastor and go forth.

2. We shouldn’t play with God.   It’s early and so far so good, but if any one of the group of pastors is “playing church,” for publicity, things could go very wrong very fast.  I mean, do we really need a Rev. “Diva” among us?

3. It’s a reality show.   No matter how you slice it, we should remember that situations are set up to spark controversy, drama and even scenes that make us go awwww..  So, yeah, there will be contrived moments where the camera just “happens” to catch Pastor Wayne Chaney and his wife being “saved, sanctified and sexual or when Bishop Ron Gibson and his wife ask gospel artist/pastor Deitrick Haddon whether he and his fiancée are shacking.

We shouldn’t let anything on this particular reality show make us question our own salvation or lack of.  The pastors may have to answer to a higher authority for appearing on the “Preachers of L.A.,” but we won’t have to answer for watching…I hope.

By the way, I’m calling it now.  The Puck-Omarosa-NeNe-Kelly Price of the group is Deitrick Haddon.

What do you think?