New reality show called Preachers of L.A.?

The next wave of reality television stars will be men of the cloth when Oxygen Media premieres its new docu-series The Preachers of L.A. in October.

Not everyone is singing its praises, however.

The upcoming show will follow six “mega-pastors” in the City of Angels as they live their lives, preach their sermons and tend to any lost sheep in their communities.

Offering a glance into the holy order, the series will focus on daily “struggles and triumphs” in the ministers’ personal and professional lives, as well as how they balance their commitments.

Call it an act of God or scandalous covenant, local pastors have a few words to say on the matter.

“I’m totally against it,” Pastor William J. Smith of Saint Tabernacle Church in L.A. tells theGrio. “When you put the church in the category of all these other shows – though I don’t watch them, I don’t have time for that foolishness – it demeans the church. It brings it down and it takes away the value of why it’s here. That’s why the church is in the condition that it’s in. Because the church has, in a sense, aligned itself with themes of the world.”

Smith argues the public already ridicules the church, thus this heightened display of attention will provide ammunition for their scorn.

“When one falls, we all fall or we’re all no good,” he points out. “Now, I’m not against prosperity because God wants these people to prosper, but there’s a way off course being flamboyant and boasting about our prosperity.”

He adds, “That causes people to look down on us. Our job is to preach the gospel, and to reach people. It’s not to match wits with the world.”