In perhaps his most hilarious video to date, John Crist spoofed a virtual reality church experience and I couldn’t stop laughing! It is can’t miss comedy, for sure! As believers, we often fall short in our attempts to laugh at ourselves, but John Crist is here to save us from our otherwise stoic selves! I even commented on the video: “it’s like he knows our hearts!” In reality (no pun intended), he does. Since the inception of the church, believers have grappled with coming together to worship, for numerous reasons and have done so with a bevy of excuses.
“Tired of having to wake up, get dressed and drive across town just to attend your favorite service?”
In the spoof, Crist’s fictitious virtual reality allows you to choose your church building, your outfit, level of human interaction, performance level of the worship leader, sermon style (conviction level), and one of the most ‘impressive features, a kickoff notification. Never shying away from the natural comedy derived from a church service, Crist’s virtual reality church even provides guidance for coming up to prayer at the virtual altar at a Pentecostal church advising virtual attendees to “always stand in front of a mattress”.
The virtual reality church exists with one purpose, to “make Sunday all about you”! The fictional experience is billed as “the future of church attendance” but is sadly the continuation of a problem that has dogged the church from the beginning.
Read the Gallup report on church attendance this year, here.
No need for an exit poll, these are exactly the issues churchgoers bring up when asked about church attendance. The desire to attend a service tailor made for such a broad audience keeps church leadership teams on the edge as they seek to please God and appease the critical congregants.
There’s no denying the side-splitting comedy of Crist’s video, but with it comes a sobering reality. While many believers claim to love Jesus and profess to be a follower, many want to do so from the comfort of their own home or simply from their comfort. This is not following Christ at all, instead those believers have made an idol of their time, their desires, their money and even their desire to not fellowship.
The Apostle Paul addressed this in the 10th chapter of Hebrews saying: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;). And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)
In his commentary on the Apostle Paul’s words, Matthew Henry said: “Christians ought to have a tender consideration and concern for one another. A good example given to others is the best and most effectual provocation to love and good works. Even in those times there were some who forsook these assemblies. The communion of saints is a great help and privilege, and a good means of steadiness and perseverance.”
John Crist seldom misses the comedic mark, and a few of his videos have been judged as mildly controversial. More often, the videos are cause for introspection for the many viewers whose normalcy is spoofed as dysfunction. In most cases, this is the cause of said controversy. John Crist’s comedy doesn’t make the church look ugly, it makes the church look at its ugliness!
Your favorite Christian social media comedians are coming to DFW! Kevonstage, Christianne Porter, Karlton Humes and Anna Douglas will converge on the campus of the Limitless Church in Dallas for a stop on the #LikeShareTag Comedy Tour. Almost daily, either of these four are lighting up their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with belly laugh invoking comedy. Whether it’s Kev’s recaps at home, shenanigans in the car, or clowning around on the clock at Russell Simmons’ All Def Digital, The Christi Show and Ms. Shirleen’s infamous kitten heels, NotKarltonBanks’ spot on church skits or Anna Douglas’ rapid fire re-enactments which post before the real life scenarios have a moment to rest, this foursome is responsible for mass social media consumption throughout the day.
Each of these comedians have delivered numerous unforgettable moments online that have become a part of everyday life for the people who watch their videos. Memorable moments like Ms. Shirleen’s “Dump Trump” protest or self-help admonitions about being your best self and not a “great value” version of someone else are just a few of the real-life moments on screen that have endeared these comedians to viewers. They’re all relatable, “Lele” is everybody’s bad little sister and more often than not, she’s telling the truth almost no one else wants to admit in just a few seconds on screen. Kevonstage is a part of the comedic trio “The Playmakers” comprised of his brother Kevin and their childhood friend Anthony Davis. Kev has been successful with the group, as a solo comic, with his sons and soon with his wife on the Love & Laugh Tour. Anna Davis keeps us rolling with each video she posts. Her imagination is out of this world and her gift of funny is screaming hilarious!Seeing them live is sure to add to the the ongoing experience on and offline.
They don’t miss a beat and you won’t want to miss them this weekend! Nothing gets past them, not even tense moments most people wouldn’t comment on. They’re funny and their swing through the Lone Star is can’t miss comedy!
Showtime is 6 pm Sunday November 5th at the Limitless Church in Dallas. For show details, check out the flyer. For more information about this weekend’s shows in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas or for ticketing information please visit the website.
Network’s Original Primetime Series Takes a Voyeuristic Look at Real-
Life Dating While Teams Watch, React and Compete to Win Cash Prizes
Every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT
TV One redefines the dating and game show genres this January with the debut of The Game of Dating. Hosted by popular comedian Tony Rock, the network’s primetime game show will offer viewers provocative, sexy and hysterical new takes on classic dating show scenarios. The one-hour series premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017at8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
“The Game of Dating is a hilarious, jam-packed series filled with comedy, huge reveals and excellent play along,” said Brad Siegel, President of TV One. “With expert comic timing, Tony Rock entertainingly navigates the audience and our contestants through two dates – each one as unpredictable and funny as the last. It’s the only game show where dating pays off!”
The Game of Dating begins each hour-long episode with three teams of friends and/or family who watch real dates in a “hidden camera” style from the comfort of their homes. Throughout the show, the teams, as well as Rock, will offer their funny and uncensored commentary. The couples could be on an awkward first date, enjoying a new relationship, or they could be an existing couple with history just trying to keep the magic going. The competing teams watch the dates and do their best to figure out the daters’ stories and next moves in order to score cash.
As the two different dates progress, the teams – who are as diverse as the daters, including sorority sisters, bakers, barbers, hair stylists, multi-generational families, comedians, basketball moms and even a group of seniors – will participate in gameplay with multiple questions about the dates like: “How long has this couple been dating?”; “Who will pay the check?”; or “Will she ask him up to her apartment when he drops her off after a dinner date?” Each correct answer earns the teams increasing amounts of cash and the team with the most money at the end of the episode wins the $10,000 grand prize.
The Game of Dating’s first season debuts with nine episodes premiering every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and includes hilarious highlights like:
Lashell and Jeff have been dating on and off for three years, and Lashell is eager to know what their future holds. The two embark on a scavenger hunt – following clues that take them to the heart of Hollywood, where this date takes a turn that will change their lives forever.
Mychal and Ashlynn meet up on a gorgeous Los Angeles beach and bond over Tantric Yoga on the sand, which involves some up-close and personal maneuvers for these blind daters! On the way to an exquisite beachfront meal, the two find the ocean far too cold for a swim, but the freezing water doesn’t seem to affect the heat between these two singles.
Things get hot and heavy when Princess and Patrick take a pole-dancing class together. As they learn to slither up and down the pole our elderly contestants debate how the young people date in today’s world. But don’t let the age fool you, as these seniors have wild imaginations to go along with their uncensored banter.
“Every couple has a story and the most fun part for any bystander is figuring out ‘what’s their deal’,” said Rock. “We’re pulling back the curtain and taking an uncensored look at how couples relate. The commentary might not always be pretty, but it will definitely be funny.”
https://vimeo.com/195491481/b18f171bb3
Comedian, actor, producer, writer, CEO – all are hats worn by Tony Rock. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., into a family with eight siblings, Rock was born laughing. Whether hosting Russell Simmons’ “All Def Comedy Live” and the revamped talent competition “Apollo Live,” starring in acclaimed films like “C’mon Man” and “The Redemption of a Dog,” making cameo appearances in box office hits like “Think Like a Man” or co-headlining multiple, nationwide comedy tours, Rock has proven he can step outside of his famous older brother’s shadow and forge his own impressive entertainment career. Outside of Hollywood, Rock works tirelessly as the founder of the MyROCK Diabetes Foundation, a charity established in honor of his late father, Julius. More information is also available on his website at www.tonyrockcomedy.com.
For more information about The Game of Dating, viewers can join the conversation by visiting the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tag #GAMEOFDATING and catch clips and promos on TV One’s YouTube Channel. Viewers can also engage with Tony Rock on Twitter (@TonyRock) Instagram(@Tony_Rock) and Facebook (@TonyRockComedy).
The Game of Dating is produced for TV One by A. Smith & Co. Entertainment (a division of A. Smith & Co. Productions) with Frank Sinton, Arthur Smith and Christmas Rini as executive producers and Brian Veskosky serving as showrunner. For TV One, Jubba Seyyid serves as executive-in-charge of production and senior director of original programming and production; Donyell McCullough is senior director of casting and talent relations; Robyn Greene Arrington is vice president, original programming and production; and D’Angela Proctor is head of original programming and production.
TV One redefines the dating and game show genres this January with the debut of The Game of Dating. Hosted by popular comedian Tony Rock, the network’s primetime game show will offer viewers provocative, sexy and hysterical new takes on classic dating show scenarios. The one-hour series premieres on 
Comedian, actor, producer, writer, CEO – all are hats worn by Tony Rock. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., into a family with eight siblings, Rock was born laughing. Whether hosting Russell Simmons’ “All Def Comedy Live” and the revamped talent competition “Apollo Live,” starring in acclaimed films like “C’mon Man” and “The Redemption of a Dog,” making cameo appearances in box office hits like “Think Like a Man” or co-headlining multiple, nationwide comedy tours, Rock has proven he can step outside of his famous older brother’s shadow and forge his own impressive entertainment career. Outside of Hollywood, Rock works tirelessly as the founder of the MyROCK Diabetes Foundation, a charity established in honor of his late father, Julius. More information is also available on his website at