Reality-based television is getting a twist this summer, as 12 Southern Baptist teen-agers take part in missionary work in front of the cameras.
TruthQuest: California will feature 13 half-hour episodes chronicling the teens' summer journey, according to Agape Press. The 12-member group includes teens from New York City, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana and Colorado. The group was chosen based on members' writing ability, devotion to missions, spiritual walk and community involvement.
TruthQuest was developed by Baptist Press Assistant Editor Todd Starnes, who got the idea after seeing an MTV "Road Rules" marathon.
"The average young person is not what you see on those MTV shows," Starnes said. "Instead, we wanted to show young people - who, when they have disagreements - don't go and backstab one another, but they work out issues when they encourage one another. When one of them is having a rough day, they give them a helping hand."
The show, to be taped over a 16-day period in July, will air on FamilyNet, a 24-hour family values network operated by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
