PreachersNSneakers

Authenticity in an Age of For-Profit Faith and (Wannabe) Celebrities

By: Ben Kirby, Joel McHale - foreword

Narrated by: Ben Kirby, Judah Smith, Joel McHale

Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Includes an audiobook-exclusive conversation with Judah Smith!

Founder of the phenomenon social media account PreachersNSneakers tackles how faith, capitalism, consumerism, and (wannabe) celebrity have collided.

What started as a joke account on Instagram has turned into a movement. Through this provocative project, the founder of PreachersNSneakers is helping thousands of Jesus followers wrestle with the inevitable dilemmas created by a culture obsessed with image and entertainment.

In PreachersNSneakers: Authenticity in an Age of For-Profit Faith and (Wannabe) Celebrities, the author boldly confronts many of the difficult questions plaguing countless Christians’ minds, such as:

• Should pastors grow wealthy off of religion, and why do we get so angry when they do?
• Is it okay to stoke envy among others with curated “lifestyle” images on social media?
• Do we really believe that divine blessings are monetary, or is that just religious wallpaper to hide our own greed?
• Is there space in Christendom for celebrities like Kanye and Bieber to exist without distorting the good news?
• What about this: Is it wrong for someone like this author to call out faith leaders online and leverage “cancel culture” to affect change?

PreachersNSneakers will navigate these challenging questions and many more with humor, wit, candor, and a few never-before-published hijinks. Each chapter will explore the various sides of the debate, holding space for youreaders to make up yourtheir own minds. The book will doubtlessly become a staple for church small groups, college ministries, and book clubs, emboldening struggling believers who want to live a more genuine faith.

After all, the Lord works in mysterious colorways.

©2021 PreachersNSneakers (P)2021 Thomas Nelson

Solid Introduction on a Difficult Topic

While I may not agree with every single conclusion the author makes, I will absolutely be buying this book in bulk and giving it to the students in my college ministry who want to know more about the complex and nuanced topic of wealth, culture, and Christianity. Great read!

Let’s talk about it

Ben spends the entire book discussing what this world can’t seem to come to grips with; having a discussion about tough issues, primarily fame and monetary status of prominent pastors. In today’s world, you either have one an opinion or the other, there’s no room for discussion or flexibility on any subject. That’s why I love this book, it’s not a book that promotes growth by giving you three steps to the right answer, it is a book that promotes growth through thoughtful discussion, asking questions that we all should ask of ourselves to have true accountability. Ben was very well spoken, excellent listen as he uses modern language that could really reach anyone while not compromising the gospel. Side note: the interview with Judah Smith at the end alone is worth the audible purchase.

Relatable

loved the book, and loved the interview with Judah Smith. I thought I was the only one that felt that way about this preachers, especially since I grew up in the church all my life. this book is a breath of fresh air.

Insightful

Very good listen and was very easy to follow but so much depth and meat in all the topics presented!

Much deeper than expected

I expected to have a fun read while on vacation at the beach but was hit hard with conviction and deep thought about how I am portraying my life on social media. This book asks hard questions, many of which I myself have thought but never knew how to put in words. Thank you Ben sharing your own struggles and questions. The post book interview w Judah Smith is worth more than the price to admission. What a raw and transparent conversation to cap off the wild world of PreachersNSneakers

Not about having answers, but about asking questions

If you want a starting point to be able to ask hard questions about the Church, wealth, and it’s relationship with material things, this book is for you. This book is for everyone actually. Ben, thanks for not having the answers, but being willing to ask the questions.

We need to learn from ages past !

Thanks Ben and well done for highlighting the dangers of mega churches and the headlong rush away from historic Christianity into a plastic, shallow, false imitation. Sadly, a lot of people are growing up believing that the false, 'prosperity' gospel is true Christianity and are sitting ducks for unscrupulous people to take advantage of them.

IS THERE AN ANSWER...YES, THERE IS !

Even the disciples had Judas amongst them but that doesn't mean we should tolerate abuse when it is discovered. The answer to the rock concert style services with smoke machines and light shows is real, genuine spirituality. We need to learn how to PRAY. The saints of the church were people of deep faith, prayer and lived lives not of luxury but self-denial. I'm not an Orthodox Christian as there are no Orthodox churches near my home. However, I have been greatly helped by learning from Orthodox monks, nuns and priests through books on Audible and YouTube. Please, be careful of books written in the last 30 years and check out what the Church has taught through the centuries.

I'd recommend these Audible books to anyone looking for an alternative to 'plastic' Christianity PLC, they blessed me and may help you too. *Some are Orthodox and others Evangelical Protestant.:

Welcome to the Orthodox Church by Frederica Mathewes-Green
The Jesus Prayer by Frederica Mathewes-Green
The Sweetness of Grace by Constantina R. Palmer
Rock and Sand by Josiah Trenham
Dreams and Visions by Tom Doyle
End Times Bible Prophecy - It's not what they told you by Brian Godawa