We already know churches are businesses and those who run them are sometimes in the business of helping themselves as much as they say they’re helping others.

So the fact that Oxygen is set to air a TV show called “Preachers of L.A.” featuring prosperity gospel preachers driving fancy cars and living in mansions should come as no surprise to anyone:

“P. Diddy. Jay-Z. They’re not the only ones who should be driving Ferraris and living in large houses,” argues [Bishop Ron] Gibson, pastor at 4,500-member Life Church of God in Christ.

Already, a group called “Christians against Preachers of LA” is calling on Oxygen to take the show off the air:

Biblical prosperity is not about wealth building. This is a poor representation of the Kingdom of God. These preachers lifestyles are NOT promoting Christ ethos but rather their cars, homes, relationships, and their justification on why they want viewers to see them as having fleshly desires as everyone else does. You are human…WE GET IT! We as Christians face daily ridicule and this show will only tear down our churches and keep non-believers away as opposed to bringing them to Christ.

First of all, if the petitioners are against wealth-building, then they should be going after any number of preachers who have TV shows. As one commenter on Charisma‘s site noted:

Why all the fuss? There’s been a program on the air like this for years. It’s called TBN!

And I hate to break it to them, but this show isn’t the reason non-believers aren’t joining churches. The “good Christian churches” have just as many problems when it comes to telling the truth, thinking critically, welcoming doubt, and accepting all people without judgment.

This show won’t mark the first time we see hypocrisy within the church and it certainly won’t be the last.

“The best part of my job is helping hurting people,” said Gibson.

Touché. These men are definitely hurting others.

Now let the mockery of the show begin…



