Controversial Lifetime Show 'Preach' Canceled After 15,000 People Sign Petition; Prophetess Reacts

By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter Friday, June 19, 2015

(L to R) Linda Roark, Taketa Williams, Kelly Crews and Belinda Scott star in Lifetime's all-new docu-series Preach, premiering Friday, June 5, at 10pm ET/PT on Lifetime. | (Photo: Karolina Wojtasik)

Controversial Lifetime show "Preach," which features four unorthodox Christian prophetesses, is officially off the air after close to 15,000 people petitioned the network to end it. Now Belinda Scott, one of the prophetesses who appeared on the show, is speaking out.

A source at Lifetime Network told The Christian Post that the show was canceled because "it wasn't performing in this current time period."

Some critics argue, however, that a change.org petition is the real reason the show was canceled but the network has denied those claims.

Scott, a Cleveland Heights, Ohio-based prophetess, defended the show in a Facebook post after news broke about the cancellation.

"... I watch hateful people who say they love the Lord, type like that FROG typing at that machine. ...TURN UP ON ‪#‎PREACHTV‬! A show that is not mocking the church, but exploring the lives of believers in the Church and hear me out first," Scott wrote. "The word reality is this: the state of being real, a real event or state of affairs, One, such as a person, an entity, or an event, that is actual. Now, do I hear from God? YES, did He call me to be a PROPHETESS. YES, have I and Do I hear God's voice concerning events, people and issues? YES! Did I see these attacks against us coming? YES! Is there a harvest on the way? YES!!!"

Scott's comments came after the change.org petition created by Tachina Carter was started to take "Preach" off of the air. The petition addressed to Lifetime Network was signed by close to 15,000 people.

"The IMAGERY on this show is a TRAVESTY to the Christian Community. The women aka prophetesses are making a MOCKERY of the church and promoting foolish behavior that is not necessarily a true representation of the REAL power of God," noted Carter's petition. "Cameras do NOT belong in the church filming the 'spiritual' things that society as a whole does not understand. By airing this show it will cause more harm than good to the Christian community who already has a difficult time in sharing 'The Good News' of Jesus Christ to the masses."

A source close to Lifetime told CP they had no word about what will happen with the remaining episodes of "Preach."