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It's a rare phenomenon: Believers of every age, ethnicity, and denomination are embracing a prime-time television show, ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (EMHE). One HollywoodJesus.com reviewer hints the show is promoting godly values. "I like shows about biblical principles," he says in his review. "Maybe that's why [Extreme Makeover: Home Edition] works so well … maybe lots of people, knowingly or not, like that kind of show."

But did the network ever intend to reach out specifically to Christians? Today's Christian asked Tom Forman, executive producer and creator of EMHE, about faith's role in the show.

TC: EMHE is getting a lot of praise on the Internet from Christian teens and adults. Many say they've connected with the show largely because Christian families have appeared on it. Was there any plan for the show to include elements that would connect specifically with Christian viewers?

Tom Forman: I don't think so. It was a happy accident. I was a news guy and a documentary maker before I did EMHE, not really a reality-television producer. So we set out to make a different kind of reality show, one that would be honest about these families. If that means making their faith part of the story, we said we'd be comfortable with that.

We find these families at what may be the worst time of their lives. We then bring them home on one of the happier days of their lives and show them their new house. And they turn to those things that are important to them. That may be their wife and kids, or their community, or their faith. Whatever it is, we're not going to shy away from letting them be who they are.

In several interviews, actors and reality TV participants have said networks tell them to keep hushed about their faith and religious matters. On EMHE, conversely, it seems participants are able to speak openly about their personal beliefs. Does ABC give participants any guidelines on speaking about religion while the show is taping?

Not a one. We're making EMHE the only way I'd be comfortable making this show, which is finding great families we want to help, and then turning on the cameras and letting them be themselves. If they choose to pray, then they pray. Whatever their response is, that's what we put on TV. There are no guidelines at all.

It really is real. We show up at a family's house and they don't know we're coming, and they do what they do. Everyone involved with the show knows firsthand how real it is because we're out there for seven days building a house. Real work and real construction, real sweat and tears and effort and pain go into building those houses. I think we're all proud to be working on something where people aren't voted off islands or performing stunts, but where a good thing is being done for good people. That's probably largely why it resonates with the Christian community and all of our viewers.

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