Preachers N' Sneakers

John Gray
He's leading the pack with his ultra rare Red October Air Yeezy Duce

This post is not intended to be satire, it's just sad: two Instagram accounts named “PreachersNSneakers” and "PhrophetsNWatches", both serve to show our "shepherds" leading by example, if there were a biblical example for conspicuous consumerism and self worship.

At these Instagram accounts you can see Steven Furtick in a $300 pair of Jordan 6 Chinese New Year, Steven Furtick in a $600 pair of Air Presto's, and Brian Houston in a $650 pair of Gucci deck shoes. And it's not just sneakers, you can see Steven Furtick in a $400 Gucci ball cap that features a picture of a snake, and Troy Gramling in a $1550 Louis Vuitton t-shirt. Meanwhile over at ProphetsNWatches there is Steven Furtick in that ugly snake hat and a $1,120 Gucci 40mm dive watch with the same ugly snake that's on his ugly hat, Steven Furtick in a $5,090 Paneri, and Carl Lentz stylin' a $37,995 solid gold Rolex Datona.

Recently  I posted an article on Spurgeon's finances and showed that Charles Spurgeon made at least

Steven Furtick
Tell me how he can teach humility in a pair of playshoes that cost a grand

$26 million dollars doing the exact same thing as these guys (without the microphone and rock band) yet died poor because of his charitable alms giving. And here the members of this country club are wearing the equivalent of Spurgeon's final bank statement on their feet. 

Am I asking them to give up their salary and the income from their book and video sales? Maybe I am. 

I'm not an AOC islamonazi, I firmly believe that people should keep what people earn, regardless of the size of the paycheck. However, pastors are not producing widgets and they're not running profit making corporations. They have been called by God to preach, teach, and espouse the word of the living God. Much of God's message demands humility and self denial. How can someone be an example of Christ's humility and self denial while wearing a pair of Nike Dunk Low Pro SB Pigeons ($6,500), a Rolex Yacht-Master ($75,000) and a pair of Rokker Iron Selvage Limited Edition Jeans ($500)? 

Many churches and many Christians believe that dressing in our best outwardly shows respect to our Lord, but in no community does sneakers and jeans show a form of elevated respect. More importantly; we Christians are judged not only by God but by the godless and what they see, and prancing around in sneakers that exceed an entire paycheck for most Americans is in those eyes a grand display of hypocrisy. And they rightly call us on it. Is this the way we show that God demands humility? Does the bible demand designer labels? 

The response to the photos of these prosperity pimps prancing in their pumps cover the rainbow. They range from angry defense of "their" preacher (some even label these overpriced meaningless baubles as "gifts") to outright shock and anger at the audacity of the display of wealth. And while many think these accounts are humorous, some folks get the core idea behind these two accounts. One person who got it posted:

"This account is like the 21st century version of Martin Luther nailing his theses to the church door" 

Amen Brother!