Church 'Plant' Mockumentary and Drama Following Pastor's Life Gain Following on the Web
Two web series focusing on the lives of pastors have caught on with viewers and won awards, showing a shift in viewing from mainstream TV to online viewing.
The first series "Plant" is a mockumentary web series filmed in New York City. The show follows the lives of Rev. Todd Lawn and his wife Tammy as they leave the safety of the suburbs to develop a new ministry in the heart of the city. However, things are not quite as they seem in the city, and the pastor must deal with the threats from the pastor of a mega-church who wants his job. It's a "David vs. Goliath" story told in a modern day setting.
"Plant" was recognized for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing at the Los Angeles Web Series Festival. Actresses Liz Days, Susannah Jones, and Peggy Queener were also recognized, as was writer Andrew Nielson.
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"People often ask why I would venture to make a comedy series about a church" Nielson told The Christian Post. "I know church, having grown up in the ministry. My father was a pastor for over 25 years and still works in the ministry. I want to be clear: 'Plant' is no way an attack on, or a mockery of, Christianity. It is a gentle poke at the human foibles of the people within the church."
On the other end of the spectrum is the drama "Leaving Eden," which deals with the struggles of an "everyday pastor" known as Ben Nicholson. He is challenged by the scenarios thousands of pastors face: life, death, ministering to the congregation, tending to the needs of so many others, all while maintaining a home life. Where is the balance? That's what "Leaving Eden" tries to show.
As Nicholson copes with the struggles of balancing his life, job, and training a young pastor eager to fulfill his position, fans will catch a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes challenges those who are called by God often feel and deal with.
In 2013, "Leaving Eden" was recognized in the dramatic web series category of the Independent Television and Film Festival, and according to writers, the title comes from the text of Genesis 3:23, in which God banishes Adam and Even from the Garden of Eden to live and work in the world.
"At the heart of 'Leaving Eden' is the tension that exists in the very nature of being a pastor. The statistics surrounding the calling are startling: 50 percent of pastors' marriages end in divorce. 70% of pastors battle depression. 78 percent of pastors have no close friends. 10 percent will retire a pastor. 1,500 pastors quit each month," writer and producer Greg Batiansila told the Christian Film Database.
To watch "Plant," click HERE.
To watch "Leaving Eden," click HERE.
