Oxygen Greenlights ‘Pastors Of L.A.’ Docu-Series

Oxygen Media is teaming up with Lemuel Plummer (The Sheards) and Holly Carter (106 & Gospel) for an upcoming docu-series about a group of world renowned pastors in Southern California.

Tentatively titled Pastors of L.A., the series will give an inside look at the personal and professional lives of six pastors: Deitrick Haddon, Bishop Noel Jones, Bishop Clarence McClendon, Pastor Wayne Chaney, Bishop Ron Gibson and Pastor Jay Haizlip.

“Pastors of L.A.documents these larger than life characters who are rock stars in their communities, with a fresh, unique perspective that will resonate with our young audience,” Rod Aissa, Senior Vice President of Original Programming and Development, Oxygen Media, said in a statement. “By teaming up with Lemuel Plummer and Holly Carter, who are some of the best creative minds in the business and heavily respected within this community, we can deliver this authentic series with integrity, while also staying right on brand with Oxygen.”

Carter, who holds a doctorate of divinity and is a pastor’s daughter, called the series “a dose of reality a pound of redemption coming from a creative team reared in the church.”

Plummer added, “I come to this project with a respect and understanding of their world, having grown up as the son of a pastor and religious broadcasters. We intend to portray the human side of these pastors and the real world in which they live and work.”

The premise sounds similar to that of Lifetime’s Preachers’ Daughters, which follows three teenage pastors’ daughters as they struggle to balance their lives with their parents’ expectations and religious values. The series premiered to 1.71 million viewers on March 12, but the audience plummeted to 0.74 million viewers with the most recent episode on May 7.

Pastors of L.A. is scheduled to premiere this fall.

Will you be watching Pastors of L.A.? Do you think these types of shows are exploitative of the church?