Ok, I admit it. Everytime I watch an episode of Preachers of Detroit, I’m left wanting  more than the producers are giving on the hour-long show. There are a total of seven “preachers” on the show, but we are only able to peak into the lives of three to four of them per episode. For example, last week’s episode featured Pastor David Bullock, Bishop Clarence Langston, and Bishop Corletta Vaughn. But that’s just it. The truth is you can only cover so much in one hour, but let’s talk about what was uncovered in the hour we were given.

Down with Love or Down for the Cause?

Pastor David Bullock is a young, black, single, God-fearing man with no kids which makes him one of Detroit’s most eligible bachelors. And although there are many women that would love the chance to be the first lady in his life, Bullock says he simply does not have time to date these days.

Even if he did find the time to date, the social activist thinks the kind of woman he’s looking for is hard to find. And exactly what kind of woman is he looking for, you ask? He jokingly—but not jokingly–says that he would love to find a woman who’s down for the cause like Harriet Tubman or Rosa Parks. He’s looking for “the Angela Davis of Detroit.” Ok, maybe not these women specifically, but he would love to find a woman who has a lot of their qualities and a love for social justice.

Well, apparently those closest to Bullock, including his friends and family all agree on one thing. They all feel that his standards are way too high and it might be time for him to be a little more open to finding love with a nice, everyday kind of girl.

So in an attempt to help, Bullock’s assistant sets him up on a date with a young lady who has a lot of the qualities he’s looking for in a potential mate—except one thing. His date wasn’t exactly an Angela Davis, and she didn’t seem too interested in attending future rally’s and standing with Bullock during a demonstration. And she most definitely wasn’t that ride-or-die chick who was willing to get arrested for the cause either.

Suffice to say, that date was a complete fail, and Bullock quickly ended the evening. He just didn’t see himself moving forward with someone who wasn’t as passionate about his ministry as he was regardless of the kind of life his loved ones think he should be living.

But it makes you wonder, “Can you truly be deeply committed in ministry AND maintain a healthy balance with your partner and kids all at the same time?”

Brotherly Love

Next up is Bishop Clarence Langston. In thE episode, the newly-appointed bishop opens up about his strained relationship with his brother, Terrell.

During a sit-down, it was revealed that Terrell feels that it was religion that tore their family apart, particularly because he and Bishop Langston were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Terrell believes that the beliefs and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses are part of the reason why he pulled away from the denomination and ultimately his family.

Bishop Langston’s brother also revealed that he was going through his own personal struggles that caused him to pull away and even leave his brother’s church which really hurt Langston. Although it was tough to hear, the bishop was relieved to finally learn the real reason behind why his brother pulled away. In a way, it served as closure and allowed Langston to continue moving forward in his spiritual journey to being consecrated as a bishop.

In fact, one of the main events of this episode was Langston’s highly emotional consecration ceremony. During the ceremony, there’s a voiceover of Langston who talks about how relieved he is to take on his new role as bishop now that he has made peace with his past. 

A Family Divided

Speaking of the past, Bishop Corletta Vaughn’s ministry has been filled with uplifting the people of Detroit for more than 20 years, but during this episode, she finally admits that it’s actually her family that needs the help now.

We meet Vaughn’s daughter, Shannon, who confides in her mother about her son, Andrew, who sells drugs and has recently experienced being homeless and incarcerated all within a short period of time.

Because of Andrew’s strained relationship with his own father, Vaughn feels that her husband, Gilbert, is the one male figure that might be able to get through to their grandson. After all, Gilbert is the only father that Andrew has ever known.

Unfortunately, Gilbert is still living between two states, Michigan and North Carolina, so being there for his grandson has proven to be a bigger challenge than they originally thought. And of course it all goes back to the same underlying issue. Bishop Vaughn is still struggling with her long-distance marriage and wants her husband back in Detroit with his family permanently, and not just every few weeks or so.

When it comes to gender roles, Vaughn admits that she and Gilbert don’t exactly have a traditional relationship, but she certainly doesn’t believe that she, as the woman, should have to relocate just because her husband has chosen to live in North Carolina. And because neither party is willing to budge, particularly Gilbert, Vaughn is convinced that this is her husband’s way of forcing her to choose between her ministry or her man and walk away from her “assignment” as bishop.

Of course, Gilbert is adamant that he would never do that, but I suppose we’ll have to continue watching to see if any unsaid feelings will surface in the coming weeks.

Unable to catch this Friday’s episode? Don’t forget to come back to UrbanFaith.com for a recap each week.