Why do some megachurch pastors wear shoes that cost as much as a mortgage payment?

Is that wrong?

Or do some pastors deserve to be rich?

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 Ben Kirby, creator

of the hugely popular Instagram account, Preachers and Sneakers. And today you'll hear how what

started as a simple post poking fun at the extravagant shoe choices of a worship pastor has turned

into an entire phenomenon. Preachers and Sneakers now has hundreds of thousands of followers,

and it's catapulted Ben Kirby to a bit of fame himself. Yet as you'll hear, Ben's passion is not

only to expose the lavish lifestyles of some Christian celebrities, but also to urge all of us

to evaluate the deeper questions like, should pastors grow wealthy off of religion? And why do we get

so angry when they do? Does God really give monetary blessings for obedience? Or is that just

religious wallpaper to help pastors grow rich by stoking other people's greed? And why is it that Christians

are making other Christians into celebrities? So what happens to the gospel when we do?

These are incredibly relevant and important discussions to have, especially given all of the

scandals and crises that we're experiencing in the church.

And I'm so looking forward to my time with Ben discussing these issues.

But before I do, I want to take a minute to thank the sponsors

of this podcast, Judson University and Marquart of Barrington. Judson is a top-ranked Christian

University providing a caring community and an excellent college experience. Plus, the school

offers more than 60 majors, great leadership opportunities, and strong financial aid. Judson University is shaping

...