Missouri Preacher Slams Church For Not Buying Him Designer Gift

A pastor in Missouri rained down a fiery sermon on his flock one Sunday this month, rebuking parishioners for not following God. The Rev. Carlton Funderburke condemned his congregation not because they had sinned too much, loved God too little, or done too few good deeds in the world. Instead, Funderburke chided the “cheap sons and daughters” of the Church at the Well in Kansas City for not “honoring” him with a lavish gift. “That’s how I know you’re still poor and broken and broken and disgusted, because you honor me,” Funderburk told his congregation, according to a video. “Am I not worth your McDonald’s money? Am I not worth your Red Lobster money? I don’t deserve St. Your John Knit — you can’t afford it any way. Don’t I deserve you Louis Vuitton? Don’t I deserve your Prada? Don’t I deserve your Gucci?’ A 56-second clip of the sermon posted on TikTok by a local news outlet, the Kansas City Defender, garnered more than 566,000 views in four days. Preachers and $5,000 Sneakers: Why One Man Started an Instagram Account Showing off Churches’ Wealth The Church at the Well did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Wednesday, but a day earlier, it released a video of Funderburke apologizing. The pastor called that part of his Aug. 7 sermon “inexcusable” and said “the video clip does not reflect my heart or my feelings toward God’s people.” “The zeal of any presentation must be tempered with love and respect. And that didn’t show up,” he said. Earlier in the video, Funderburke hinted at “the context behind the content of the clip,” but didn’t elaborate. He also acknowledged that “no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish that was caused.” He said he was referring to what happened to his church. “I have spoken to those to whom I am accountable and have received their correction and instructions. I have also privately apologized to our congregation, which has expressed its love and support to me.” During the sermon, Funderburke reminded parishioners that he had asked them for gifts before. He even told them where they could do their shopping. “You can buy a Movado watch at Sam’s,” Funderburke said in the clip posted by the Defender. “And you know I asked for one last year. Here it is all the way in August — I still don’t get it. You didn’t say anything. Let me knock on the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.’ Funderburk told them that he was crushing them not out of greed or desire on his part, but to make them realize the path to justice. “I’m saying this because I want you to understand exactly what God is saying,” Funderburke told them. Preacher and Wife Steal $1 Million in Jewelry During Sermon Other church leaders have found themselves at the intersection of religion and wealth in recent years. In 2017, an Alexandria pastor and his wife were convicted of defrauding their friends and congregation at Victorious Life Church out of millions of dollars, The Post reported at the time. The couple promised those who invested in their various ventures – a micro-loan business and one focused on Nigeria’s oil industry – that they would get their money back or even make a profit, all while boosting economies in developing countries. Instead, the pastor and his wife used the money to lure new investors, make payments on their $1.75 million home and pay for personal expenses, including golf games and expensive furniture, prosecutors said. Last year, a plumber doing maintenance on Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston discovered cash and checks hidden in a bathroom wall that may have helped solve a $600,000 burglary seven years earlier. The plumber, Justin Cauley, earned a $20,000 reward for his find. And last month, a Brooklyn preacher was live-streaming his Sunday sermon when three masked men armed with guns walked in and robbed him and his wife of more than $1 million in jewelry. The preachers’ purchases have become enough of a public curiosity that there are social media accounts dedicated to dissecting the wardrobe of religious leaders. In 2019, Ben Kirby became curious about the lifestyles of rich and famous pastors while watching worship songs on YouTube and noticed that a large church’s band singer was wearing $800 sneakers, The Post previously reported. He then wondered how the church pastor could afford a new designer outfit almost every week. That led him to create the Instagram account PreachersNSneakers, which he uses to juxtapose photos of religious leaders alongside screenshots of the clothes they’re wearing — including prices. In an entry from last month, there’s a photo of a smiling pastor wearing what appear to be Lanvin sneakers, made to look like they’ve been splattered in at least half a dozen colors of paint. At right, a photo of the sneakers on the Saks Fifth Avenue website and how much they went for: $1,420.

title: “Missouri Preacher Slams Church For Not Buying Him Designer Gift Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-14” author: “Emmett Shelton”

A pastor in Missouri rained down a fiery sermon on his flock one Sunday this month, rebuking parishioners for not following God. The Rev. Carlton Funderburke condemned his congregation not because they had sinned too much, loved God too little, or done too few good deeds in the world. Instead, Funderburke chided the “cheap sons and daughters” of the Church at the Well in Kansas City for not “honoring” him with a lavish gift. “That’s how I know you’re still poor and broken and broken and disgusted, because you honor me,” Funderburk told his congregation, according to a video. “Am I not worth your McDonald’s money? Am I not worth your Red Lobster money? I don’t deserve St. Your John Knit — you can’t afford it any way. Don’t I deserve you Louis Vuitton? Don’t I deserve your Prada? Don’t I deserve your Gucci?’ A 56-second clip of the sermon posted on TikTok by a local news outlet, the Kansas City Defender, garnered more than 566,000 views in four days. Preachers and $5,000 Sneakers: Why One Man Started an Instagram Account Showing off Churches’ Wealth The Church at the Well did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Wednesday, but a day earlier, it released a video of Funderburke apologizing. The pastor called that part of his Aug. 7 sermon “inexcusable” and said “the video clip does not reflect my heart or my feelings toward God’s people.” “The zeal of any presentation must be tempered with love and respect. And that didn’t show up,” he said. Earlier in the video, Funderburke hinted at “the context behind the content of the clip,” but didn’t elaborate. He also acknowledged that “no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish that was caused.” He said he was referring to what happened to his church. “I have spoken to those to whom I am accountable and have received their correction and instructions. I have also privately apologized to our congregation, which has expressed its love and support to me.” During the sermon, Funderburke reminded parishioners that he had asked them for gifts before. He even told them where they could do their shopping. “You can buy a Movado watch at Sam’s,” Funderburke said in the clip posted by the Defender. “And you know I asked for one last year. Here it is all the way in August — I still don’t get it. You didn’t say anything. Let me knock on the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.’ Funderburk told them that he was crushing them not out of greed or desire on his part, but to make them realize the path to justice. “I’m saying this because I want you to understand exactly what God is saying,” Funderburke told them. Preacher and Wife Steal $1 Million in Jewelry During Sermon Other church leaders have found themselves at the intersection of religion and wealth in recent years. In 2017, an Alexandria pastor and his wife were convicted of defrauding their friends and congregation at Victorious Life Church out of millions of dollars, The Post reported at the time. The couple promised those who invested in their various ventures – a micro-loan business and one focused on Nigeria’s oil industry – that they would get their money back or even make a profit, all while boosting economies in developing countries. Instead, the pastor and his wife used the money to lure new investors, make payments on their $1.75 million home and pay for personal expenses, including golf games and expensive furniture, prosecutors said. Last year, a plumber doing maintenance on Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston discovered cash and checks hidden in a bathroom wall that may have helped solve a $600,000 burglary seven years earlier. The plumber, Justin Cauley, earned a $20,000 reward for his find. And last month, a Brooklyn preacher was live-streaming his Sunday sermon when three masked men armed with guns walked in and robbed him and his wife of more than $1 million in jewelry. The preachers’ purchases have become enough of a public curiosity that there are social media accounts dedicated to dissecting the wardrobe of religious leaders. In 2019, Ben Kirby became curious about the lifestyles of rich and famous pastors while watching worship songs on YouTube and noticed that a large church’s band singer was wearing $800 sneakers, The Post previously reported. He then wondered how the church pastor could afford a new designer outfit almost every week. That led him to create the Instagram account PreachersNSneakers, which he uses to juxtapose photos of religious leaders alongside screenshots of the clothes they’re wearing — including prices. In an entry from last month, there’s a photo of a smiling pastor wearing what appear to be Lanvin sneakers, made to look like they’ve been splattered in at least half a dozen colors of paint. At right, a photo of the sneakers on the Saks Fifth Avenue website and how much they went for: $1,420.

title: “Missouri Preacher Slams Church For Not Buying Him Designer Gift Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Joaquin Gregory”

A pastor in Missouri rained down a fiery sermon on his flock one Sunday this month, rebuking parishioners for not following God. The Rev. Carlton Funderburke condemned his congregation not because they had sinned too much, loved God too little, or done too few good deeds in the world. Instead, Funderburke chided the “cheap sons and daughters” of the Church at the Well in Kansas City for not “honoring” him with a lavish gift. “That’s how I know you’re still poor and broken and broken and disgusted, because you honor me,” Funderburk told his congregation, according to a video. “Am I not worth your McDonald’s money? Am I not worth your Red Lobster money? I don’t deserve St. Your John Knit — you can’t afford it any way. Don’t I deserve you Louis Vuitton? Don’t I deserve your Prada? Don’t I deserve your Gucci?’ A 56-second clip of the sermon posted on TikTok by a local news outlet, the Kansas City Defender, garnered more than 566,000 views in four days. Preachers and $5,000 Sneakers: Why One Man Started an Instagram Account Showing off Churches’ Wealth The Church at the Well did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Wednesday, but a day earlier, it released a video of Funderburke apologizing. The pastor called that part of his Aug. 7 sermon “inexcusable” and said “the video clip does not reflect my heart or my feelings toward God’s people.” “The zeal of any presentation must be tempered with love and respect. And that didn’t show up,” he said. Earlier in the video, Funderburke hinted at “the context behind the content of the clip,” but didn’t elaborate. He also acknowledged that “no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish that was caused.” He said he was referring to what happened to his church. “I have spoken to those to whom I am accountable and have received their correction and instructions. I have also privately apologized to our congregation, which has expressed its love and support to me.” During the sermon, Funderburke reminded parishioners that he had asked them for gifts before. He even told them where they could do their shopping. “You can buy a Movado watch at Sam’s,” Funderburke said in the clip posted by the Defender. “And you know I asked for one last year. Here it is all the way in August — I still don’t get it. You didn’t say anything. Let me knock on the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.’ Funderburk told them that he was crushing them not out of greed or desire on his part, but to make them realize the path to justice. “I’m saying this because I want you to understand exactly what God is saying,” Funderburke told them. Preacher and Wife Steal $1 Million in Jewelry During Sermon Other church leaders have found themselves at the intersection of religion and wealth in recent years. In 2017, an Alexandria pastor and his wife were convicted of defrauding their friends and congregation at Victorious Life Church out of millions of dollars, The Post reported at the time. The couple promised those who invested in their various ventures – a micro-loan business and one focused on Nigeria’s oil industry – that they would get their money back or even make a profit, all while boosting economies in developing countries. Instead, the pastor and his wife used the money to lure new investors, make payments on their $1.75 million home and pay for personal expenses, including golf games and expensive furniture, prosecutors said. Last year, a plumber doing maintenance on Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston discovered cash and checks hidden in a bathroom wall that may have helped solve a $600,000 burglary seven years earlier. The plumber, Justin Cauley, earned a $20,000 reward for his find. And last month, a Brooklyn preacher was live-streaming his Sunday sermon when three masked men armed with guns walked in and robbed him and his wife of more than $1 million in jewelry. The preachers’ purchases have become enough of a public curiosity that there are social media accounts dedicated to dissecting the wardrobe of religious leaders. In 2019, Ben Kirby became curious about the lifestyles of rich and famous pastors while watching worship songs on YouTube and noticed that a large church’s band singer was wearing $800 sneakers, The Post previously reported. He then wondered how the church pastor could afford a new designer outfit almost every week. That led him to create the Instagram account PreachersNSneakers, which he uses to juxtapose photos of religious leaders alongside screenshots of the clothes they’re wearing — including prices. In an entry from last month, there’s a photo of a smiling pastor wearing what appear to be Lanvin sneakers, made to look like they’ve been splattered in at least half a dozen colors of paint. At right, a photo of the sneakers on the Saks Fifth Avenue website and how much they went for: $1,420.

title: “Missouri Preacher Slams Church For Not Buying Him Designer Gift Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-27” author: “Cheryl Serrano”

A pastor in Missouri rained down a fiery sermon on his flock one Sunday this month, rebuking parishioners for not following God. The Rev. Carlton Funderburke condemned his congregation not because they had sinned too much, loved God too little, or done too few good deeds in the world. Instead, Funderburke chided the “cheap sons and daughters” of the Church at the Well in Kansas City for not “honoring” him with a lavish gift. “That’s how I know you’re still poor and broken and broken and disgusted, because you honor me,” Funderburk told his congregation, according to a video. “Am I not worth your McDonald’s money? Am I not worth your Red Lobster money? I don’t deserve St. Your John Knit — you can’t afford it any way. Don’t I deserve you Louis Vuitton? Don’t I deserve your Prada? Don’t I deserve your Gucci?’ A 56-second clip of the sermon posted on TikTok by a local news outlet, the Kansas City Defender, garnered more than 566,000 views in four days. Preachers and $5,000 Sneakers: Why One Man Started an Instagram Account Showing off Churches’ Wealth The Church at the Well did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Wednesday, but a day earlier, it released a video of Funderburke apologizing. The pastor called that part of his Aug. 7 sermon “inexcusable” and said “the video clip does not reflect my heart or my feelings toward God’s people.” “The zeal of any presentation must be tempered with love and respect. And that didn’t show up,” he said. Earlier in the video, Funderburke hinted at “the context behind the content of the clip,” but didn’t elaborate. He also acknowledged that “no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish that was caused.” He said he was referring to what happened to his church. “I have spoken to those to whom I am accountable and have received their correction and instructions. I have also privately apologized to our congregation, which has expressed its love and support to me.” During the sermon, Funderburke reminded parishioners that he had asked them for gifts before. He even told them where they could do their shopping. “You can buy a Movado watch at Sam’s,” Funderburke said in the clip posted by the Defender. “And you know I asked for one last year. Here it is all the way in August — I still don’t get it. You didn’t say anything. Let me knock on the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.’ Funderburk told them that he was crushing them not out of greed or desire on his part, but to make them realize the path to justice. “I’m saying this because I want you to understand exactly what God is saying,” Funderburke told them. Preacher and Wife Steal $1 Million in Jewelry During Sermon Other church leaders have found themselves at the intersection of religion and wealth in recent years. In 2017, an Alexandria pastor and his wife were convicted of defrauding their friends and congregation at Victorious Life Church out of millions of dollars, The Post reported at the time. The couple promised those who invested in their various ventures – a micro-loan business and one focused on Nigeria’s oil industry – that they would get their money back or even make a profit, all while boosting economies in developing countries. Instead, the pastor and his wife used the money to lure new investors, make payments on their $1.75 million home and pay for personal expenses, including golf games and expensive furniture, prosecutors said. Last year, a plumber doing maintenance on Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston discovered cash and checks hidden in a bathroom wall that may have helped solve a $600,000 burglary seven years earlier. The plumber, Justin Cauley, earned a $20,000 reward for his find. And last month, a Brooklyn preacher was live-streaming his Sunday sermon when three masked men armed with guns walked in and robbed him and his wife of more than $1 million in jewelry. The preachers’ purchases have become enough of a public curiosity that there are social media accounts dedicated to dissecting the wardrobe of religious leaders. In 2019, Ben Kirby became curious about the lifestyles of rich and famous pastors while watching worship songs on YouTube and noticed that a large church’s band singer was wearing $800 sneakers, The Post previously reported. He then wondered how the church pastor could afford a new designer outfit almost every week. That led him to create the Instagram account PreachersNSneakers, which he uses to juxtapose photos of religious leaders alongside screenshots of the clothes they’re wearing — including prices. In an entry from last month, there’s a photo of a smiling pastor wearing what appear to be Lanvin sneakers, made to look like they’ve been splattered in at least half a dozen colors of paint. At right, a photo of the sneakers on the Saks Fifth Avenue website and how much they went for: $1,420.

title: “Missouri Preacher Slams Church For Not Buying Him Designer Gift Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-25” author: “Darwin Viverette”

A pastor in Missouri rained down a fiery sermon on his flock one Sunday this month, rebuking parishioners for not following God. The Rev. Carlton Funderburke condemned his congregation not because they had sinned too much, loved God too little, or done too few good deeds in the world. Instead, Funderburke chided the “cheap sons and daughters” of the Church at the Well in Kansas City for not “honoring” him with a lavish gift. “That’s how I know you’re still poor and broken and broken and disgusted, because you honor me,” Funderburk told his congregation, according to a video. “Am I not worth your McDonald’s money? Am I not worth your Red Lobster money? I don’t deserve St. Your John Knit — you can’t afford it any way. Don’t I deserve you Louis Vuitton? Don’t I deserve your Prada? Don’t I deserve your Gucci?’ A 56-second clip of the sermon posted on TikTok by a local news outlet, the Kansas City Defender, garnered more than 566,000 views in four days. Preachers and $5,000 Sneakers: Why One Man Started an Instagram Account Showing off Churches’ Wealth The Church at the Well did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post late Wednesday, but a day earlier, it released a video of Funderburke apologizing. The pastor called that part of his Aug. 7 sermon “inexcusable” and said “the video clip does not reflect my heart or my feelings toward God’s people.” “The zeal of any presentation must be tempered with love and respect. And that didn’t show up,” he said. Earlier in the video, Funderburke hinted at “the context behind the content of the clip,” but didn’t elaborate. He also acknowledged that “no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish that was caused.” He said he was referring to what happened to his church. “I have spoken to those to whom I am accountable and have received their correction and instructions. I have also privately apologized to our congregation, which has expressed its love and support to me.” During the sermon, Funderburke reminded parishioners that he had asked them for gifts before. He even told them where they could do their shopping. “You can buy a Movado watch at Sam’s,” Funderburke said in the clip posted by the Defender. “And you know I asked for one last year. Here it is all the way in August — I still don’t get it. You didn’t say anything. Let me knock on the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.’ Funderburk told them that he was crushing them not out of greed or desire on his part, but to make them realize the path to justice. “I’m saying this because I want you to understand exactly what God is saying,” Funderburke told them. Preacher and Wife Steal $1 Million in Jewelry During Sermon Other church leaders have found themselves at the intersection of religion and wealth in recent years. In 2017, an Alexandria pastor and his wife were convicted of defrauding their friends and congregation at Victorious Life Church out of millions of dollars, The Post reported at the time. The couple promised those who invested in their various ventures – a micro-loan business and one focused on Nigeria’s oil industry – that they would get their money back or even make a profit, all while boosting economies in developing countries. Instead, the pastor and his wife used the money to lure new investors, make payments on their $1.75 million home and pay for personal expenses, including golf games and expensive furniture, prosecutors said. Last year, a plumber doing maintenance on Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston discovered cash and checks hidden in a bathroom wall that may have helped solve a $600,000 burglary seven years earlier. The plumber, Justin Cauley, earned a $20,000 reward for his find. And last month, a Brooklyn preacher was live-streaming his Sunday sermon when three masked men armed with guns walked in and robbed him and his wife of more than $1 million in jewelry. The preachers’ purchases have become enough of a public curiosity that there are social media accounts dedicated to dissecting the wardrobe of religious leaders. In 2019, Ben Kirby became curious about the lifestyles of rich and famous pastors while watching worship songs on YouTube and noticed that a large church’s band singer was wearing $800 sneakers, The Post previously reported. He then wondered how the church pastor could afford a new designer outfit almost every week. That led him to create the Instagram account PreachersNSneakers, which he uses to juxtapose photos of religious leaders alongside screenshots of the clothes they’re wearing — including prices. In an entry from last month, there’s a photo of a smiling pastor wearing what appear to be Lanvin sneakers, made to look like they’ve been splattered in at least half a dozen colors of paint. At right, a photo of the sneakers on the Saks Fifth Avenue website and how much they went for: $1,420.