American Christians are arguably the most generous people in the world, giving about $850 billion a year to charity.

Yet we may also be the most gullible, and a huge amount of that money is squandered every year in fraud.

In fact, in 2015 alone, it was estimated that $50 billion was stolen from the money that Christians gave to churches, ministries, and other nonprofits.

Welcome to the Roy's Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church.

I'm Julie Roy's. And joining me today is Warren Cole Smith, the author of Faith-Based Fraud, a new book that documents

decades of fraudulent activity by Christian organizations. It is an eye-opening book, and it exposes

some of the worst hypocrisy and theft that's happened in the name of Christ over the past three

to four decades. And in some ways, I've got to admit, it can be a painful topic to explore.

None of us, especially those of us who call ourselves Christians, like to look at some of the

absolute worst representatives of our faith. It's embarrassing, and it can be demoralizing.

But that's not where Warren's book leaves us. Instead, it explores different solutions to the

problem. And truly, one of the solutions is for people like you and like me to be better

informed and wiser donors. So thank you for joining us today. I think you're going to be really

glad that you did. And I think as a result of listening, you're going to be better equipped to

spot and then to avoid the charlatans that are out there.

But before I introduce Warren, I'd like to thank the sponsors of the Roy's report, Judson University and Marquart of Barrington.

Judson University is a top-ranked Christian University providing a caring community and excellent college experience.

Judson has resumed in-person classes for traditional, transfer, and adult students, and you can choose for more than 60 majors and

learn in a Christian community known for its spiritual values, leadership opportunities, and strong

financial aid. Judson is located on a beautiful 90-acre campus, just 36 miles northwest of Chicago.

Judson University is shaping lives that shape the world. For more information, just go to

judsonu.edu slash visit. Also, if you're in the market for a car, I highly recommend my friends

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