Oprah Develops Megachurch Drama

As Oprah Winfrey is continuing her push into developing scripted programming for OWN, her next foray is sure to raise a few eyebrows. You see this time it's going to be a drama with the backdrop being a megachurch. The name of the show is called Greenleaf, and follows the lives of a prominent African-American family in the ministry.

 Doesn't sound too bad right? What could be so controversial or eyebrow raising about that? Well once I read a brief summary of the show, I had to pause and just shake my head.

Here's a brief description:

“Like so many megachurches in America, Greenleaf World Ministries is more than just a house of worship. It’s a home. It’s the center of the community for the thousands of predominantly African-American members who attend services there.  But beneath its steeple lies a den of iniquity — greed, adultery, sibling rivalry and conflicting values — a multigenerational matrix of deception that involves the church’s founding family, but also extends to the congregation and prominent members of the Memphis community and beyond. Yet, amidst all of the mayhem and deception, the power of something greater persists, calling everyone to conscience for their sins.”

 Greed? Adultery? Just wow!

I'm wondering how this will be taken, particularly by fellow Christians. I'm going to go on record and say I'm not in favor of the premise behind the show.  I know that I'm going to sound a bit hypocritical here, because I have watched dramas like Empire - which takes on some of those same themes - but just in the music industry.

Perhaps it's because of my faith; perhaps it's because my wife has worked at a church in the past; perhaps because I think it's OK as long as these themes are discussed somewhere else; whatever the reason might be, there's something unsettling to me about a show that portrays the church in a negative light. Somethings I feel should be left alone. Church scandals...meh, I'll pass.

But apparently, it seems like Winfrey is really getting behind this one. She will even have a reoccurring role on the show. The ensemble cast also includes Keith David, Lynne Whitfield, Lamman Rucker, Deborah Joy Winans, Tye White, Kim Hawthorne and Desiree Ross.

Greenleaf is slated to premiere in 2016. Sorry, I don't think I'll be tuning into this one.