The 10th season of NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" features the most unexpected contestant. Father Stephen Gadberry, a Catholic priest from Arkansas, stands to win a million dollars if he can get through the physical challenges and obstacles with agility, skill and strength.
Gadberry, 32, sent his application to "American Ninja Warriors" last December after Sean Bryan encouraged him. The latter, a proud Catholic, joined the contest two times and earned the nickname the Papal Ninja.
"[Evangelizing] is the primary reason for me doing this," Gadberry told the press. "The Lord tells us to go out and make disciples of all nations," he added. "As this platform has stumbled into my lap I can further deliver the message of the Gospel that I am supposed to as a priest."
In February, NBC called Gadberry to confirm that he got on to the show. In April, crewmembers visited him in his hometown to film his daily routines.
Gadberry serves at St. Cecilia Church and St. Mary Church. He's not adverse to physical endurance challenges because he former military and still exercises at least two hours a day.
Church members and students at St. Mary have nicknamed him Father Flex.
"Father Flex is not just muscles," Gadberry told the Arkansas Catholic Org."With all this stuff I want to invite people to take it to the next level, go to the spiritual level."
Father Flex doesn't want to become a reality TV star but with the program's six million viewers a week, he hopes to show America that physicality is just as important as spirituality, and vice versa.
"American Ninja Warriors" will begin its new season on May 30. Competitors who make it through the final rounds will head to Las Vegas for the grand competition.
