The central characters are "Reverend Eric Camden", his wife Annie, and their seven children. "Reverend Camden" is the senior pastor of the Glen Oak Community Church, whose Protestant denomination is typically never disclosed (with the exception of an episode that was narrated by Simon in season 8, and in a season 11 episode in which Annie coments on how Protestants can't have a confession and in season 6 episode 15 when Matt tells Sarah Glass that his father is Protestant).