MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. -- The Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson, who finished in second place twice in bids for presidency of the National Baptist Convention USA, has won a national pulpit on television.
Richardson, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, N.Y., began his weekly TV show Nov. 3 on The Word Network. The show can be seen on Direct TV, Time Warner and Cablevision among other systems, according to The Associated Press.
"There have been a lot of complaints in religious circles that the black church is not portrayed well or accurately on television," Richardson said. "The church is portrayed as not serious, as too entertainment-driven. This new national ministry of Grace will show a black church that has a legacy of social consciousness and relevance, a black church that is grounded in that tradition."
The National Baptist Convention is the United States' largest black denomination.





