“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Jesus. (Matthew 6:24)
The Righteous Gemstones is a satirical comedy streaming on MAX about the Gemstones, a televangelist family that leads a megachurch more akin to a mafia organization than a ministry. As with most Hollywood depictions of Christians, the portrayal of megachurch culture is far from positive. Despite their roles as pastors and leaders, the Gemstone family uses vulgar and crude language; some members of the family are embroiled in scandal, yet the money continues to pour into the ministry by the truckload, affording the Gemstones a life of luxury and wealth.
The Righteous Gemstones offers a humorous critique of how modern-day mega churches and wanna be mega churches are businesses masquerading as ministries. There are several elements of truth in the series, particularly in themes such as the role of mythology in a ministry, the church as a family business, and the secret family life of church leaders when they leave the church parking lot. The Righteous Gemstones would be an off-limits show for many Christians because they would deem it sinful due to the language, nudity, and sex scenes. Still, it would be better to view the show as a critique of the current church system in America, which is often based on entertainment to draw crowds and achieve financial success.
The Righteous Gemstones could loosely be based on several televangelists, but for those who have attended megachurches or “wanna be” megachurches some elements may seem familiar such as church services turning into over the top productions to increase attendance and increase donations to the church, competition between ministries, and the lucrative opportunities a successful megachurch ministry can bring to its founding family.
The Mythology of a Successful Ministry
The Fourth Season Origin Story in the episode called Prelude, which tells the story of Gemstone ancestor Eli Gemstone (who was played brilliantly by Bradley Cooper) and his wicked entry into the ministry during the Civil War. No spoilers here, but it’s unclear whether the family knew how their ancestor, Eli Gemstone, came to become a chaplain in the Civil War.
Dr. Eli and Aimee Leigh Gemstone founded the modern, mega-successful Gemstone ministry. John Goodman plays the complicated Eli Gemstone, and Jennifer Nettles plays the saintly, dearly departed Aimee Leigh, who we meet through flashbacks. Aimee-Leigh was a child singing sensation alongside her brother Baby Billy, who is played brilliantly by Walter Isaacson of White Lotus fame. Dr. Eli and Aime-Leigh Gemstone began with a thriving television ministry that skyrocketed them to success.
Aimee-Leigh Gemstone is the absolute superstar of the ministry with a captivating singing voice and a genuine demeanor. Dr. Eli Gemstone is the brains behind the entrepreneurial success, but he has a dark past that he manages to keep under wraps until he can no longer do so. After learning of his past and seeing how it manifests in his current day life, it’s no wonder that he was able to grow the ministry to its super successful status. Throughout the series, it becomes clear that Aimee is the most authentic and sincere Christian of the family. She embodies what we would expect of an authentic Christian, so it’s no wonder that when she passes away, Dr. Eli Gemstone and the rest of the family seem lost and forget they are supposed to be running a CHURCH, not a business.
The only daughter, Judy, wants to carry on her dead mama’s legacy and, for a time, joins her uncle Baby Billy to try to revive the old singing act, but it doesn’t work because she doesn’t have it.
Attending a church with a storied mythology, like the Gemstones, can be exciting, thrilling, and dangerous. It is exciting to hear about all of the incredible stories of the past and exhilarating to be in the same place where miracles, signs, and wonders occurred. It is also dangerous because leaders and members become more focused on protecting and preserving the legacy of the ministry as an institution than addressing the problems and actual needs of the flock. There is also a danger in idolizing the founders of a ministry because members spend more time quoting what “Pastor Greatness” said than what thus saith the Lord.
Aimee Leigh is a constant undercurrent throughout the series, and it’s evident that none of the siblings dealt with the pain of their mother’s death. I am not even sure Dr. Eli Gemstone realized what a void Aimee Leigh’s death left in their ministry and their lives. This is where the show is more truth than fiction because in ministry, you are expected to keep going even after a death.
After my mother passed away, I quit volunteering in church because, first of all, I needed the space to grieve, and I didn’t have the capacity for too much. I also left because I had admitted to myself that the church was a business, and I didn’t want to invest any more time or effort into it.
The business of the Church
Streaming platforms, prayer pods for rent, Prism inclusive ministry, and the luxury tropical resort are just some of the branding and marketing tactics that The Righteous Gemstones use to draw new people to the Gemstones Worship Center.
These days, megachurches lean heavily into branding and marketing tactics to fill their auditoriums. A popular megachurch came under fire because its Easter marketing didn’t include the words’ resurrection,’ ‘blood of Jesus,’ or any other potentially off-putting terms that might deter non-churchgoers. That church received a lot of criticism for that, but what many failed to realize was that this was a marketing campaign to get new people to church, not an invitation for sinners and saints to attend a serious church revival.
It becomes very apparent early on that the Righteous Gemstones ministry is a money-making enterprise focused on attracting more people to increase donations. While Uncle Baby Billy is more of the classic religious huckster that most of us think of with his Uncle Baby Billy’s healing tonic, Bible game shows, and other gimmicks, these days, churches are more sophisticated with their salesmanship. Today’s megachurches are forming record labels, unaccredited colleges, ministry schools, and franchises (often referred to as “campuses”), hosting conferences, and selling merchandise. The church has become a business, and frequently it has become a family business.
Church as the family business
After Dr Eli Gemstone steps down as Senior Pastor of Gemstones Ministry, the children take over, and the ministry begins to deteriorate. Attendance and donations start to decline, with big donors leading the way. Sensing the ship is sinking, the ministry staff begins to revolt against the Gemstone children. None of the Gemstone children has the same charisma or talent as their parents. As Uncle Baby Billy bluntly put it to the oldest son, Jesse Gemstone, the secret weapon for the ministry’s success was Aimee Lee Gemstone, his sister and their mother. Once Dr. Eli Gemstone steps away and the kids take over, it marks the beginning of the slow, painful decline of the ministry, unless one of the grandchildren can step up, which is entirely possible.
Today, there are churches (and not just megachurches) that resemble family businesses more than the family of God. When the founding pastor retires, he most often passes the church on to his son or son-in-law to keep the ministry in the family.
Church is not supposed to be a family business or a vehicle for family career advancement. Churches have closed down because, instead of selecting a pastor whom God has truly called to preach and shepherd the flock, leaders decide to appoint a family member to maintain control over the church. Someone once said, “Pastors pass the church on to their kids, and next thing you know, the church closes down and turns into a bowling alley. They have more people going to the bowling alley than they had going to the church!”
The term “nepotism” originated from the Italian word for “nephew,” as popes were appointing their nephews (who some have suspected were illegitimate sons) to positions in the church.
We see this play out in The Righteous Gemstones when the father, Eli Gemstone, allows the scandalous Jesse to deliver the Easter message to the congregation. This is a significant milestone for Jesse’s ministry career because he had anointed himself as the heir apparent to his father’s ministry empire. The Gemstone children have dreams of fame, fortune, and the platform, but little passion and conviction for lost souls. To make matters worse, none of the children can preach well, so they have to rely on spectacles and production to hold people’s attention.
This is not too far off from what happens in real life. When churches are handed down to children or in-laws, it’s generally not long before the church begins to decline. There are exceptions, but in most cases, one of several scenarios occurs: the children do not possess the same abilities as their parents, and members leave for other churches. The children were not ready to lead the church, but they were forced into the position, and they eventually screw it all up. There were better candidates to lead the church, but they weren’t related to the founding pastors, so they were skipped over. To explain why the church did not select the better candidate but instead went with the children or in-laws, so that the church remains in the family line, leaders will often say it is about legacy, but it is actually about maintaining influence and control over the ministry.
The nepotism and church as the family business may not only destroy the church but also the children who inherit the church because they were not ready, they weren’t called, or they did not want to do it in the first place. Everyone suffers because of misplaced priorities, opting for legacy over leadership.
Family Dynamics bring down the church.
The problem with family businesses is that the family often brings down the business. Family dynamics usually lead to the demise of a company, and the church is no exception. On The Righteous Gemstones, the siblings do not work together and are often at odds, and are more rivals than colleagues.
Infighting among family members can lead to the demise of a family-run church. Siblings and in-laws who cannot get along will lead to the ruin of a church because their family issues take precedent over the spiritual well-being of the flock and the health of the church.
The critique of nepotism and the church as a family business on The Righteous Gemstones is valid and one that needs to be seriously considered in today’s church enterprise landscape.
Protecting the Legacy of the institution at all costs
Ministries with a storied history and a glorious past run the risk of turning the ministry and its founding pastors into idols. They also run the risk of ignoring anything that might tarnish the reputation of the family business, or as they call it, the legacy of the institution.
Anyone who attempts to speak out against unfair treatment, abuse of members or staff, or even the toxic traits of the institution is immediately shut down and usually ostracized. The Righteous Gemstones turns the idolatry of the ministry into an outlandish satire, but there is a lot of truth in the portrayal of a family that will do anything to preserve their cash cow. It isn’t just about the money but the power, prestige, and influence of the Gemstone ministry. The same is true for your typical megachurch or wanna be megachurch. Church members and volunteers are expendable, while pastors on staff are often let go when they begin to question the direction of the ministry. In these situations, it takes the bottom falling out of the ministry for meaningful change to occur.
It’s all a show
In modern-day megachurches and wanna be mega-churches, stadium seating, professional backdrops, strobe lights, fog machines, and carefully choreographed sermons and music are all a part of the Sunday service “experience.”
The service is a well-oiled machine designed to entertain, and, most importantly, increase attendance and donations. These days, to appear relevant, churches do everything they can to not look like a church. They employ lights, loud music, multi-camera setups, and fog machines to attract new people.
At first, the lights, fog machines, and high-end production quality of Sunday services were intriguing. These services soon lost their luster as people realized the displays were shallow, designed to appeal to attendees’ senses and induce emotion. It’s why they start with a high-energy song to get the crowd pumped and finish with a slower, emotionally charged song that repeats the same refrain again and again.
Watching the over-the-top production spectacles play out on The Righteous Gemstones, it becomes painfully apparent that while these productions are well-oiled machines and impressive for the church, the real goal is to get the piles of cash that come in during the packed-out services. The services are light on substance but heavy on the entertainment and motivation value. Sadly, these attempts at relevance devolve into cringefest antics. At one point, I cringed at the hip-hop-inspired performance of Kelvin Gemstone, the Youth Pastor who isn’t taken seriously by anyone except his loyal friend Keefe. Throughout the series, we see Kelvin (played hilariously by Adam Devine) finding his way as he faces the truth about himself.
Seeing how embarrassing and cringeworthy these attempts at relevance and entertainment are on The Righteous Gemstones may encourage Christians who attend production-focused church services to ask themselves if the services offer substance or if they are shallow and empty displays, motivating them to join the church and start serving as volunteers and giving money. Due to the high turnover of church volunteers, churches require a constant influx of new people to serve as volunteers and keep the machine going with free labor. Most people assume churches want their money, but time is money in the megachurch and wanna be mega church world. Churches rely on volunteers to donate large amounts of their time, enabling the church to maintain its programs without incurring additional staff costs.
A small group of insiders runs churches.
The book of Ephesians states that leaders are to equip the congregation so that it can do every good work.
In megachurch and wannabe church culture, a small group of insiders often runs the organization, typically comprising one head honcho (usually the senior pastor), family members (where applicable), close friends, and “yes” people.
When I was growing up, the congregation had a voice in many decisions because it was seen more as a community than as a business. These days, churches have adopted a corporate model, with the senior pastor acting as the CEO, making all the decisions. This should not come as a surprise, given the premise that the church operates as a business.
On the Righteous Genstones, the Gemstone family is the group in charge of the ministry, along with a small team of trusted advisors and associates who participate in the harebrained schemes. We never see any congregational input or regular members with any influence.
I found it curious, but it’s telling that viewers don’t see the Gemstone ministry from the perspective of the church members. We get to see a few members who act as bootlickers to various Gemstone family members or willing servants of the ministry. Still, other than spectating at the Gemstone spectacle events, we don’t see what the congregants themselves think. As big of an operation as the Gemstone ministry is, I am sure it would take many volunteers to keep it going. We do know that they were displeased as they started voting with their feet and their pocketbooks when the Gemstone children took over.
The show is about the family, and at most megachurches and wannabe megachurches, the story is not about God or Jesus, but about the family that runs the church.
Church members are there to keep the machine going by volunteering and to put their behinds in seats on Sunday. As with the Righteous Gemstones, mere congregants never had a say in anything, but were at the mercy of the Pastor.
Christians should question why they feel comfortable attending churches where they are seen as free or low-paid labor but not as those who should have a voice in any of the church’s affairs.
The secret family life of church leaders
The first season of The Righteous Gemstones chronicles the dysfunctional family life of the Gemstones. From drug-fueled parties to bitter family feuds, including blackmail and money schemes, the Gemstone family is the farthest thing from a healthy family unit.
In the Old Testament book of Samuel, the sons of Eli, the priest, were worthless scoundrels who disrespected the temple and had no regard for the Lord. One of the episodes is cleverly titled” The Sons of Eli.” This episode focuses on the sons (and daughter) of Eli Gemstone, Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin, and their pursuits.
Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence among those in ministry, whether megachurch or not. The united family front on Sunday may not be what is happening Monday through Saturday. It is always shocking when the truth comes out about the lives that church leaders are leading behind closed doors. Affairs, embezzlement, drugs, and fraught family relationships are exposed and threaten the success of the ministry.
I used to host a prayer group, and there was a period when we intentionally prayed for the family life of those in leadership. The Ministry can contain immense pressure to project a specific image for the congregation, and sadly, that image becomes part of the show.
A business or a church?
Megachurches and wannabe megachurches need to decide whether they want to be businesses or churches, because they cannot do both. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
Most Christians will not watch The Righteous Gemstones because it is vulgar, crude, has foul language, and I didn’t even get into the LGBTQ aspect of the show. Still, I think this show provides a worthwhile critique of the modern-day megachurch and wanna be mega churches. Are the systems these institutions operate based on biblical principles or business principles? Is this about a family dynasty and its business, or is this about the Father’s business?
Church leaders and congregants should take to heart the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, that the body of Christ is composed of many members, one body, and not one family, and everybody else.
As a Christian, I enjoyed the show, and I think it’s time to have some honest conversations about what the church is supposed to be about and how ministries can avoid misbehavin’ like the Gemstones. (Watch the show and you’ll get the joke)
P.S. Walter Goggins as Uncle Baby Billy is everything! He steals the show on so many occasions IMO.
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