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Behind the Instagram account calling out evangelical pastors for $1,000 shoes

By Filings on Fri, 04/12/19
Church & Ministry
Money
Pastoral Compensation
Materialism

“He’s not trying to roast the pastors, but he just wants to raise a question.” - W. Examiner

Discussion

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Larry Nelson

NewSay what now?:

Fri, 04/12/19

Thousand-dollar athletic shoes? Seriously? Nike Vaporflys, the shoes worn by Eliud Kipchoge when he broke the WR in the marathon last September (running 2:01:39), retail for a comparatively paltry $250:

https://www.nike.com/t/vaporfly-4-flyknit-running-shoe-v7G3FB/AJ3857-600

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpBZhK5Kpd0

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Bert Perry

New'tis not the function

Fri, 04/12/19

…..but the style, that leads to that price, along the lines of “A fool and his money”….

I am not the owner of $1000 tennies, but I am currently wearing “bespoke” slacks my wife made for me using a pattern a “cutter” friend in Liverpool sent us, and I do own a few pairs of shoes that, when new, go for $400 or so. Not terribly “cool”—my personal preference is towards a more classic, Donald O’Connor or Bing Crosby looser fit with pleats on the slacks and a Goodyear welted shoe. So am I worldly? My wife also fits shirts and vests to me specifically—for those familiar with the threads business, I wear a 48L suit and 36” waist slacks. Standard for a 48L suit is 42” waist. Makes a big difference for me in terms of fit, comfort, and warmth.

Does it matter that all of my work and dress clothes, save ~10 sweaters, fit on about 3’ of curtain rod, and all of my shoes fit on about 4’ of shoe rack—along with those of my wife? Does it matter that some of my clothes have lasted a quarter century or more? (and still look great)

And do we judge Lydia for selling purple cloth, or for that matter Christ for his robe woven in one piece, or do we see that as part of their ministries? Seems that we’ve got an interesting question of where reasonable clothing for one’s life morphs into excessive showiness. My wife suggested one possible point when, while watching old footage of the Temptations, I joked about getting a closely cut pink tuxedo. She won, thankfully. :^)

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

Related . . .

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