#106 - Is It Religion or A Business? The Truth About Church Money Nobody Likes To Talk About w/Chris Ayoub

#106 - Is It Religion or A Business? The Truth About Church Money Nobody Likes To Talk About w/Chris Ayoub

From The Wild Chaos Podcast by Bam - The Wild Chaos

April 6, 2026 · 3h 29m · Season 1 · Episode 106

About this episode

This episode explores the financial transparency of churches and the implications for safety and accountability.

Episode 106 of The Wild Chaos Podcast takes a hard look at one of the most uncomfortable questions in modern faith communities: where does church money actually go? To watch in studio, visit: https://youtu.be/Q-ck0xhaNSs We’re not attacking Christianity — we’re asking what happens when institutions handling billions in tithes and donations operate without the same financial transparency required of other nonprofits. Joining us is Chris Ayyub, co-founder of Broken Shepherd and executive producer of The Religion Business , now streaming. He breaks down the legal and cultural loopholes that allow church finances to remain largely opaque, including IRS 990 exemptions, housing allowances, and real estate structures that can quietly build wealth behind the scenes. We also connect this issue to what matters most: protecting people — especially children. From grooming patterns and sextortion to NDAs and overwhelmed ICAC task forces , this conversation highlights why transparency and accountability aren’t just financial issues — they’re safety issues. If you’ve ever questioned where your donations go or how to give with confidence, this episode puts language to that instinct. 👉 Share…

People in this episode

Host: Bam - The Wild Chaos

Guest: Chris Ayoub

Topics covered

  • church finances
  • financial transparency
  • donations
  • safety issues
  • faith communities

Keywords

  • church money
  • financial transparency
  • donations
  • IRS exemptions
  • safety issues

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Broken Shepherd

Books & works: The Religion Business

Places: IRS

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