Wichita ? Wichita pastors Terry Fox and Joe Wright have canceled their national weekly call-in show, saying they could no longer afford to keep it on the air.

Fox and Wright’s show “Answering the Call” was the No. 1-rated program for its 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday time slot in the Wichita area, according to KNSS 1330-AM, which aired it. The show began broadcasting nationally in February on Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.

The two men, who led the push last year for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, discussed religious, moral and political issues on their program.

They said they decided after Sunday’s show to pull the plug because they were once again in debt.

“As long as it paid for itself, we were willing to do it,” said Fox, pastor of the new Summit Church in Park City. “But after a while, it became a challenge.”

Wright, who retired as pastor of Central Christian Church this month, said it cost about $10,000 a month to air the program. He said he and Fox would frequently “go to the same people” for donations.

“It gets kind of old, and it gets kind of embarrassing, frankly,” Wright said.

Both said Fox’s recent resignation from his former church, Immanuel Baptist Church, was not a factor in the decision.

Fox abruptly resigned as pastor of Immanuel in August, saying some church members were upset that he was away from church so often because of his travels to speak on political, religious and social issues.

Earlier this month, Immanuel issued a written statement saying Fox had used money from a church fund to support the radio program and that was a factor leading to his resignation. The church did not say how much money was used.

Fox acknowledged he used mission funds for the radio show but said he had the authority to do so as senior pastor and that other church leaders did not indicate it was a problem.

The two men recently announced on the air that they needed financial support from listeners to keep the program going but did not get enough donations to cover the costs, Wright said.

“People seem to enjoy” the show, he said, “but for some reason, they don’t want to pay.”

Wright said he and Fox reviewed the finances Sunday and found they were once again in debt.

They don’t owe a lot and will cover those debts, Fox said.

“I am disappointed,” Wright said of canceling the program, “because it was a valuable ministry and was doing a lot of good.”