Yowza.
I’ve been waiting for this new reality TV show for nearly a year, back when a more straight-forward working title was bandied about the net – called “Preacher Wives” – and there was no video footage for us saints to salivate over.
Alas, the title of the TLC show is now “The Sisterhood,” and the first recently aired premiere episode dubbed “Thou Shalt Not Cross a First Lady” has definitely brought the drama.
Watch the first full episode video of “The Sisterhood” from TLC here…
According to The Futon Critic, the premiere episode drew nearly 1 million viewers and landed as the 15th most popular ad-sustained primetime cable network program on New Year’s Day.
Christian reaction to “The Sisterhood”
It’s interesting to take a journey through Twitter to see the knee-jerk reaction of folks, who tweeted so much about the reality program that #Sisterhood became a trending topic.
At least not all of the feedback is pure vitriol, however.
“Lets not rush to judgement on 'The Sisterhood'…” wrote popular singer William Murphy @pastormuph. “I personally know 3 of the couples, and they're reeeeally good people!”
Even a star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta chimed in, and not only about Ivy Couch – a woman who was pegged to replace Kandi Burruss in Xscape – but of her boyfriend’s connection to the show.
“I gotta go home & watch #Sisterhood on TLC,” Kandi wrote. “My baby @Todd167 was the line producer for that show.”
Not every saint was excited, however, to see “first ladies” of the church – as pastors’ wives are often called – portrayed in this light of day.
“Why do we support such things like TLC's 'SISTERHOOD' showing the underbelly of 1st ladies, hurting the church image, giving God a bad name?” asked Pastor Donnie McClurkin @Donnieradio, in a popularly retweeted tweet.
Pastor Marvin Sapp prayed over his reaction and came back with a video response and verse from Proverbs 11:22, whereby the Bible likens a beautiful woman who shows no discretion to a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
Ann Cooke of Washington -- state or D.C., it does not clarify -- has taken it even a step further, and has created the petition titled “TLC: Cancel TLC's ‘The Sisterhood’ on Change.org – an effort that has garnered close to the 500 supporters needed thus far.
More Christian reaction to the controversial show about pastors’ wives
Well, this Holy Spirit-filled Christian had quite the different reaction to the show.
After waiting nearly a year for it to premiere, I certainly don’t want to see it cancelled – as hungry as we are to see any peeks behind the curtains of day-to-day Christian lives.
The wives of Pastor Mason Betha, Bishop Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar and Montell Jordan were reportedly tapped for the show, but all declined. That would have been muy interesante indeed.
So although this writer is apt to sign plenty of Change.org petitions begun by people done wrong, this is one red button that I didn’t click.
In fact, I had the odd reaction of wanting more of this show after I caught the full episode on TLC’s website.
A favorite couple is the down-to-earth Christina Murray, who humorously said she hasn’t thankfully had to go “straight Dominican” on any church chicks trying to throw themselves at her husband, Pastor Anthony of Oasis Family Life Church in Paulding County.
The honesty of a frank and open discussion with their daughters about sex and abstaining first and foremost and protecting yourself at worst – was refreshing to witness, at least in the manner of a Christian man admitting to the wrong he’s done in the past, and warning of the STDs and crab lice that followed.
Oh that only more of us "super saved" and hiding, sinning saints would be so forthcoming to the world at large.
Perhaps shows like this can open the door for more believers to come into the light – not for mockery or to shame the Word of God, but to take off our phony church faces and admit that we are all sinners saved by grace.
Just beggars trying to show others where to find the Bread of Heaven.
Ready for the next episodes of "The Sisterhood" -- and plenty more TV shows, books and movies that show real Christian life, even the ugly side, so God's power to clean us up is made all the more evident.
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