Oxygen’s popular “Preachers” franchise headed to Motown with the Preachers of Detroit, which premiered late February and can be seen every Friday night at 8/7c. The series will focus on faith, family, and friendship as the cast members share their lives, transformations and triumphs in and out of the pulpit in the city of Detroit.
Upstate New York Gospel Magazine was blessed to meet the seven Detroit area preachers who open their personal and religious lives in this new reality show.
Excerpts from the Q & A With the Cast
Bishop Corletta Vaughn, shattered the stained glass ceiling of the church world when she became the first African-American female bishop in Detroit. She is currently the Senior Pastor of The Holy Ghost Cathedral and Chief Apostle to Go Tell It Evangelistic Ministry Worldwide.
Let’s talk about sexism in the church. How important is it for women, especially those of color, to be leaders?
Women make up more than 90% of the congregations of our churches. We fund more than 100% of the vision. So it is important that we come to the table as leaders to help make those decisions that are critical to the development of our church and our community.
How hard was it being the first African-American female bishop in Detroit? And what was the struggle like for you?
I was actually consecrated as a bishop in 1995. I have been in ministry for nearly 40 years. So I have heard pretty much every negative thing that you could possibly hear. I have heard people say things that you would never think a Christian would say about another believer. But to date God has been so wonderful and He has given me the grace to carry on without bitterness but more of a teaching moment to show women that you can be used by God in any capacity that He chooses; any capacity that God wants you to serve you can serve. I want to be the face and the voice to bring that dialogue to the table.
Bishop Charles Ellis, the presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and Senior Pastor of Greater Grace Temple in Detroit. He ministers to a congregation of over 6500 people in Detroit. He is known as a leader with heart for the people.
How will you utilize this platform to make a positive change the Detroit community?
As leaders of this community, we have to be more about action than talking. In Detroit many non-profits having meetings after meetings. But after the meetings there is little follow through – too little real action. When we look at the problems of yesteryear, we saw how they gathered, they went out and they listened. We say it like this; it’s one thing to pray but after we are done praying, did it get done? So I stopped using the motto: “To Think Out of the Box”; I want us to “Get Out of The Box.”
How does your legacy shape you?
It gave me a solid foundation so that my message is sound and you can never leave that message. My Father helped me out by saying that each man must minister to his own generation. You cannot minister to an Ipad generation with an eight-track cassette tape and the knowledge. You give everybody a little something so that you minister to the whole congregation and the whole makeup of the church.
Pastor David Bullock, known for his outspoken nature as an activist, spiritual teacher, world citizen and leader of Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church.
What challenges do you have being a single pastor in your position?
I must say that most of the challenges that I face as a single pastor are the same challenges that pastors whether they are single, married, male or female face. Being in the office of pastor is a difficult position, a lot of pressure. When I think of all the possible callings: Apostle Paul was not married; Jesus, he was not married. Fundamentally when you think about being called to something you, YOU are called to it. When they die we honor people for the sacrifices they have made, and we don’t minimize their commitment because they did not unite in holy matrimony with someone. So I think there is a place for marriage, but I think the work we are called to is the work of God.
Now I hear you say that you have intimacy and you are a preacher, can you elaborate on this?
I think when you are worshipping you can not have a successful worship experience without intimacy. I think worship is something that happens between God and God’s people. We become the bride of Christ and in some deep spiritual sense unless I have an understanding of intimacy I cannot experience God the same kind of way. There is so much about the human experience that is erotic and requires intimacy in order for it to be valued and significant. Whether that is a conversation, whether that is sharing a moment of laughter, whether that is an embrace when you need to feel that you are not alone in this world. I think that the church is so afraid that you are going to slip into sex that we do not teach people to practice focused, disciplined, spiritual and significant holy intimacy that will free you and allow you to experience levels of joy and have Heaven on earth.
Pastor Tim Alden, pastor of the City of Praise Christian Church in the city of Los Angeles, a spiritual father, a mentor to many stands firmly on his views on purity as a celibate pastor returning to his roots in Detroit.
You have said that you are still a virgin, never had sex or a kiss. What kind of pressures does that add?
Well, I believe the bible says when a man finds a wife he finds a good thing. When a man looks for a wife it says he finds her or discovers her. So I don’t know if there is a one out there (for me) or not. Man’s qualified mandate from God doesn’t make that my priority. I do not feel as though I am incomplete or ill-equipped because I am unmarried. Like my brother (Pastor Bullock) said Paul wasn’t married, Jesus wasn’t married. There is an honor to be unmarried and yet have integrity and walk in sexual purity. That’s a standard and example that is missing in our culture today. There is no standard without a standard bearer. Somebody has to bear the weight of responsibility. The next generation is in crisis. One out of four of our teens and young adults have an STD. So we are on the cusp of another revolution, a purity revolution kind of like the sexual revolution of the sixties. So it’s like I’m in the midst of a perfect storm with that testimony. God tapped me, kept his hand on me to the lead to teenagers to walk the walk. I am to give to this next generation, (the courage) not just to talk the talk but to walk the walk.
Where did it stem from, your passion to seek God?
Well one thing I experienced when I came into the Pentecostal church, The Church of God in Christ, was the joy, passion and presence of God. I just didn’t feel the presence of God in the Catholic Church. The first time that I heard speaking in tongues I wanted that. So everything they told me I had to do to experience that kind of joy I was willing to do. I gravitated to a holy lifestyle. I didn’t understand that God would raise me up to share in His call and message. So loving the presence of God has brought this talk about intimacy. There is a fulfillment in worshiping God and not looking for something in the world to satisfy. His presence satisfies. In His presence there is fullness of joy.
Evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole, she is a three-time Grammy Award-winner, a mother, a wife, media personality, and member of the gospel singing group, the Clark Sisters.
What do you think is the role of women in the church? What is your definition of submission?
A definition for submission is basically being in a place where God can actually use you in ministry. Submit means to actually take a lower role than where you are. If there was a man in position, I felt like I was always submitting to a man- I was born, raised and taught that way.
Being a second generation COGIC, we’ve always been taught that man is supposed to be the head of church, and we take the lower role. My mother always looked to her husband as being the head of the home and the church. So that’s why I think men are better leaders plus I feel that there are some pressures that a man can handle better than a woman.
You said women have their place. What place is that?
Women do have their place. Of course there are days you see women are really rising to prominent positions. You’ve got political arenas and they doing very well. You’ve got women now that are rising in the church. They are taking on different roles which allow women to be more liberated, which is great. I just feel that there is a feminine role that woman should take if she is a woman.
Pastor Don W. Shelby Jr., he is the founder of the Burning Bush International Ministries Church of God in Christ, and husband and father of five wonderful children – The Shelby 5,
How do you equip your children in the Shelby family to be able to deal with the pressure of premarital sex and how does this impact your ministry as a whole?
Well I pray for my children to deal with temptation of premarital sex by being an example to them and being a model for them in purity and righteousness. It is real important to me that my children see me love my wife. It is very important to me to be accountable to my children as it relates to sexual cleanness and wholeness. Because of that I teach them primarily from the example in my world, but I also talk to them about how important it is to keep themselves clean because I believe that there are spiritual and material rewards that are connected to purity as well.
In times like these when marriages are breaking down, how do you maintain successful marriage?
First of all I want to say I thank God for all five of my children. I feel that the young people are not just the church of tomorrow, but they are the church of today. It is important to me as the father to live a life that is exemplary so that they can follow. I totally agree with Burning Bush that I can be a much better believer if I show as well as to tell them. You don’t just give the preaching. They need to come to church on Sunday and see the preacher who loves his wife and the preacher who loves his family. In my opinion God sent Jesus Christ, and the Bible says that Jesus is married to the church. Believing the church is the bride of Christ it is Jesus’ business to take care of His bride and my business to take care of mine.
Bishop Clarence Langston. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of Word in Action Christian Center. After experiencing numerous trials and tribulations during his younger years today he uses his gifts to develop strong, insightful ministries in the body of Christ.
You grew up in the streets of Detroit. Would you explain the difficulty you had in transitioning from growing out of a dark past and now leading a great church?
The Lord has really been gracious. My mother raised four beautiful children the best way she knew how. She (we) came up in the projects, I would wait after school for someone to get off work and cook me a meal. So I started hustling and bustling the streets, and it was wrong. It was just in my heart because of the hip hop generation I was growing up in. I always imagined my mother at my funeral crying over a body because I knew what I was doing was not going to end right. I’m amazed as I sit here and listen to all the great wonderful men and women on this panel, because the majority of them grew up in church or grew up in a minister’s home. I grew up totally contrary to the church. So I’m amazed.
With the view of the world you have, how does that help (hurt) raising in your family?
One day I went to church, I saw a whole family. I saw the husband’s role, the husband and the father, and I saw the role of the mother. He was going out to provide/meet the needs of the family and she was there to make sure the house was in order. That was a tremendous lesson for me because what I saw was a woman (my mother) who worked three jobs to take care of her four children that were living without their father. It was really amazing, because I saw how powerful a single mother could be, I saw how powerful a woman could be.
When I married my wife, she had a voice and she was willing. It wasn’t something I made her do. We saw families that were being healed when they were sick. We saw lives being turned around, young people who like myself who were selling drugs were giving their life to Christ. We need to get behind the family. There is no ministry without family, and there is no family without ministry.
A Question to the cast from Upstate NY Gospel Magazine:
You are all active servants of God here in the metropolitan Detroit area. With all the negativity, typically inspired by non-scripted television shows, why did you decide to participate in this type of ministry; a reality show? How will this impact your ministry?
Bishop Corletta Vaughn – I believe that Detroit is a marvelous town and it’s got a bad rap. The people of Detroit, that’s the Godly people, believe that this season will show people like myself who have been in the trenches and will work with the restoration plan and planned redemption. Detroit is a city of great people and we represent those people. So I believe to pass this opportunity up would not allow Detroit to rise in the minds of people.
Pastor Bullock: People do different things for different reasons, and before I agreed to become a “Preacher of Detroit” I prayed about it. I sought God concerning it. God gave me a revelation. He told me that he was giving me the green light. Now I didn’t become a part of Preachers of Detroit for fame or fortune. Whatever comes of it, to God be the glory. But I became a part of Preachers of Detroit because I believe that this is a part of our assignment. I believe that Preachers of Detroit will provide us a larger platform to share our message of how the family lives, and how important it is to walk in holiness and integrity.
