Since Duck Dynasty—the hugely popular A&E series about a Christian family, the Robertsons, and their duck call business—set records as the most-watched show on cable, it appears other networks have seen the light.

A slate of new programming is being produced, depicting spiritual themes and a cast of colorful faith-filled characters choreographed for attracting religious audiences.

The list of such series now on-the-air, or in-the-making, include:

Six mega-pastors in Southern California starring in the Oxygen reality show The Preachers of L.A. They claim people will get to watch them do life, and learn what it’s really like to live in their shoes as pastors.

National Geographic Channel’s Snake Salvation, which examines the lives of two young pastors leading a resurgence of Pentecostal serpent handling.

Bravo TV’s “Thicker Than Water” featuring the Christian family of Nashville-based gospel jazz artist Ben Tankard, his wife, Jewel, and the wealth “God called” them into.’

Now, everybody knows in Hollywood there really is a thing called ‘the bandwagon effect.’ See…

HGTV is planning a reality series featuring Christian blogger and author Jen Hatmaker and her family of seven as they renovate their new house.

And in a Dallas Morning News’ FD Luxe feature, Pastor Ed Young, Jr. revealed that he has been in talks with a Los Angeles producer and at least one network about him and his family starring in their own reality show dubbed a ‘Christianized version of the Kardashians’.

Questions

Christians use of and participation in media is a central theme of our work. We have a Digital Missions vision: we’ll do video outreach, we’ll take ministry online, we’ll leverage media and technology. “We will do anything short of sin to reach people who do not know Christ,” as Pastor Craig Groeschel says.

At the same time, we feel it’s important to make judgments about things, situations and viewpoints. To be discerning. (1 Corinthians 6:2, 1 Peter 4:17).

Here are five questions regarding this new reality TV phenomenon:

1. Should pastors, pastors’ wives, and churches participate in reality TV shows?

2. Can the shows raise questions and discussions that can be tested according to Scripture?

3. Will reality television get Christians closer to the kind of programming hoped for on TV?

4. Is it all just harmless fun, or what are the risks?

5. What does the Bible teach us about such matters?