The second season of the Game Show Network’s The American Bible Challenge kicks off on March 21 with the help of new musical co-host Kirk Franklin.
For those who missed the first season, the show welcomes those who think they know the Good Book—including, but not limited to, nuns, priests and theologians—and challenges their knowledge of the Old and New Testament. By the end of the season, the winning team can earn more than $100,000 with all proceeds going to a charity of their choice.
ESSENCE.com caught up with Franklin to chat about adding his own flavor to the show and if he’s ever stumped by the questions.
ESSENCE.com: You’re joining The American Bible Challenge in its second season. What’s your role on the show?
KIRK FRANKLIN: I’m like a musical co-host. I do some co-hosting with Jeff Foxworthy, so there’s some bantering that Jeff and I share together. I swagged out the choir, made it a little more fresh. I put a little Franklin juice on it. It’s really entertaining. I’m just really glad to be a part of it.
ESSENCE.com: What do you think people will get out of watching the show?
FRANKLIN: I think that it’s going to be for people who really love to be inspired and entertained. I think that they do a very unique job of combining all the formulas that make a successful game show with people who may be church-goers or people that may not be church-goers. It’s not boring. When you think of the Bible, most people think of it as boring. And when you think of certain things, people think it’s corny. But they do a very dope job at making this marriage work.
ESSENCE.com: Having taped several episodes already, what sorts of questions stump you?
FRANKLIN: Most of them! These are not Sunday morning questions. Some of these questions are very academic. They have nuns, priests and theologians on there and they were not able to answer all the questions. They were getting them wrong. They go hard with the questions.
ESSENCE.com: What’s one of the most misused or misunderstood Bible verses?
FRANKLIN: I think that sometimes people may not understand certain scriptures if they don’t have a full understanding of the original Greek or original Latin that it was derived from. So you may not get a sense of the fullness of the text and what it’s trying to say to the community.
ESSENCE.com: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
FRANKLIN: Yea! My favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:28. It says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I love that! It means all the bad, difficult, painful things we go through, God is using it all to work out something beautiful for our lives.
ESSENCE.com: Where do you keep your Bible?
FRANKLIN: I got my Bible on my phone. I have the Bible on my iPad. And I keep a physical Bible in the backseat of my car. Jesus is my dude, I rock with him! That’s my way of chopping it up with him whenever I get a chance to chill—when I’m at a restaurant or I’m at the park. That’s my man. That’s my hero. That’s how I stay connected.
Check out the exclusive promo clip for season two of The American Bible Challenge below:
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