Oxygen is hoping to make the case that men of God aren’t necessarily stuffy (and, in some cases, can be kinda sexy) with its new show, “Preachers of L.A.” (premiering Oct. 9 at 10:00 p.m. ET). Promising to give viewers a “candid and revealing look at six boldly different, world-renowned mega-pastors in Southern California,” the show has given HitFix a first look at the stars’ virtual trading cards. Fun facts: one of the guys is music icon Grace Jones’ brother. Also in the batch are former drug addicts, a retired pro skateboarder, and one guy who designs his own clothes. Collect ’em!
Will you be watching?
At the age of twenty he got the call from God and has grown to become a prominent pastor of the church his grandfather built. Fast-forward 10 years later, Antioch Church of Long Beach is the leading church in its community. With an ability to communicate complex truths in a simple way, Pastor Chaney has helped remarkably grow the church, along with the help of his secret weapon, his wife, gospel artist Myesha Chaney.
The son of a bishop and an evangelist, Deitrick was preaching at the age of eleven and conducting the church choir at thirteen. At twenty-three he married the woman he was expected to marry – the lead soprano of the church choir. However, everything didn”t continue as perfectly as the church had hoped. After going through a divorce, moving to California, and having a child out of wedlock, he hit rock bottom. But because of the call on his life and his love for music, he”s picking himself back up, rebuilding his faith, and restoring his family, with now wife, Dominique and beautiful daughter, Destin.
Born and raised in South Central L.A. and Compton, to many, Bishop Ron M. Gibson seemed to be the least likely to end up a preacher. Although he was raised by a Christian mother in the Church, Ron succumbed to the pressure of the streets and became a Compton Crip by the age of sixteen. This led to a life of crime and drug addiction, until Christ changed his life. He started Life Church Of God In Christ with nine members, which has now grown to a congregation of approximately 4,000 members. Through it all he”s accumulated much, but the one thing that he and his wife have not experienced is the joy of having children.
One of the pioneering greats of competitive skateboarding, Pastor Jay Haizlip, originally from Gadsden, Alabama, collected big trophies, bigger paychecks and high-end sponsors, but fell deep into drugs, and into the crack houses of Huntington Beach and Long Beach, California. Back in the crack houses again, this time he”s not there for drugs – he”s helping rescue souls for the Kingdom. Serving as Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary of Huntington Beach, Pastor Jay Haizlip reaches out to troubled youth, finding them in prisons, skate parks and the same crack houses he once shot dope in.
Bishop Clarence McClendon appears throughout the world on his weekly international broadcast, which is available in 250 million homes worldwide. This charismatic and ubiquitous bishop has been noted for his contemporary and relevant approach to the Gospel. He believes the Gospel is not only for the down and out but for the up and out. His ministry spans from skid row to the estates of Bel Air.
A Jamaican born into poverty, Bishop Noel Jones has made his way to the other extreme, now living on a hilltop with a view of the Pacific Ocean, Malibu at his feet, and across the street from the former home of the late L.A. Lakers owner, Jerry Buss. The pastor of a church frequented by celebrities and the brother of Grace Jones, Bishop Jones is a prolific Pastor who leads a congregation of 15, 000 members.