In case you missed the phenomenon, Ben Kirby went viral in 2019. After noticing worship leader Mack Brock’s Yeezy sneakers worth nearly $1,000, he set up an anonymous PreachersNSneakers Instagram account where he posted screenshots of pastors and worship leaders wearing expensive shoes.

It’s easy to mock these pastors and worship leaders. In fact, it seems like that’s what the Instagram account was designed for. In this book, the person behind the faceless account gives us his anonymity and shares his thoughts on Christian celebrity culture.

PreachersNSneakers (the book), is not deep. In fact, Ben Kirby doesn’t have any theological credentials to draw on to form his opinions. However, he does ask good questions, neither demonizing nor excusing the excess chronicled on his Instagram account.

This book is a great discussion starter about the ethics of consumerism in North American Christianity. For more substantial answers, readers will need to look elsewhere.

Kirby, Ben. PreachersNSneakers: Authenticity in an Age of For-Profit Faith and (Wannabe) Celebrities. Thomas Nelson, 2021.