“The Sisterhood,” a reality-tv show about preachers’ wives in Atlanta, premiered on TLC January 1. Leading up to the show, I thought, “Do I really want to begin the first day of the New Year with this in my spirit? Really?” You see, I’m a first lady, and the more I work in ministry, the more I come to understand the real cost of walking out this assignment as a pastor’s wife. I also come to understand the cost that my Savior paid on The Cross. And one thing I know is that Jesus didn’t die for this. Yes, the word of God says we are to have life more abundantly (John 10:10). But not like this.
After watching the show, I do believe all the couples are sincere (well, maybe not Tara and Brian. That’s just my opinion). And I do want their families and ministries to do well. I even found a few redeeming qualities, just a few:
#1: You actually see Christian marriages in process: husbands and wives who love God and who are dealing with everyday struggles such as finances, teenagers, ministry, and extended-family issues. My heart melted watching Pastor Brian, actually a former pastor who closed his church due to financial reasons, paint his daughter’s fingernails and lotion his wife’s legs. Pastor Brian displayed what it means to be in love with his family, even amid financial and ministry struggles. And the mere fact that he closed the church to maintain his family’s livelihood means he understands that family is his first ministry. That’s was good.
#2: There was real-talk about sex, albeit Pastor Anthony and his wife Christina were trying too hard to be funny and provocative. There is such thing as too much information for the public. We don’t need to know about all your diseases and sexual exploits. Just gross. But let me get back to the positive. It was good to see a pastor and wife talking to their teenagers about sex, minus the banana, condom, and genital wart.
I also thought the flirting between Pastor Mark and Ivy – leaders of an inner-city church – was refreshing. Even the handcuffs and Pastor Mark saying,“You better watch yourself, girl” showed that Christians can maintain the excitement and passion in their marriage even though they are saved. That was cute, but he could have ended the conversation there (or the editors could have) instead of telling us how he wanted his wife to use them in the bedroom. We got the picture once we saw the handcuffs. Again, the show is trying too hard to be provocative.
#3: The women have intense debates about the use of scripture in casual conversation. Even though their passion began to sound more like persecution, I thought the topic of conversation was worthwhile. It’s true that Christian women struggle with finding spaces to be real without fear of judgment or a sermon being thrown in their faces.
So, if you sift through the extra, there are a few positives to be found. But, I’m more concerned about the purpose of the show not the smidgen of positives.
The purpose is to replicate the Real Housewives series, but to appeal to the Black Christian community, in hopes that our faith is as superficial as “The Sisterhood.” They really don’t think we hold our Jesus as sacred as we do. They think we will sell him out, forget his sacrifice, and crucify him afresh every Tuesday night at 9 PM Est. They don’t think we are spiritually insightful enough to notice what they’ve done by titling the premier episode “Thou Shall Not Cross a First Lady.” I don’t care how many fights you script or how much you talk about sex, when you mess with the Cross of Calvary trying to create a provocative title and get people to watch girl fights, you’ve gone too far.
“Thou shall not take the Lord’s name in vain'” (Exodus 20:7). Edit that into the script.
If the creators of “The Sisterhood” want a souped-up version of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” then they should just create one and leave he Cross out of it. Jesus didn’t die for this.
BMWK, did you watch the premier of “The Sisterhood”? What did you think? Will you be watching it again?