Entering the year 2018, Forbes
has released list of richest pastors in the world with the founder and General
Overseer of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo leading other pastors of
the world.
Also in the list include Pastor
Chris Oyakhilome of the Believers’ Love World; T.B Joshua of the Synagogue
Church of All Nations; and Pastor A.E Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church
of God, RCCG.
Here are the top richest pastors
of the world:
10. Joseph Prince Net Worth 2018
– $5 Million
Head of the largest church
in the all of Asia and netting a salary of $550,000 a year, Prince could easily
be seen as blessed. Born to a Sikh priest and previously employed as an IT
consultant, his unlikely career has garnered a grand following worldwide from
his native Malaysia to the United States. This popularity is partially thanks
to such friends as Joel Osteen of Lakewood Megachurch who has hosted a number
of his sermons. One of the most internet savvy of the pastors listed, Prince
also has a online video and podcast with a following from over 150 countries.
9. T.B. Joshua Net Worth 2018 –
$10 Million
Considered a Prophet by
most of his congregation, Joshua has a unique and notable influence in his
native country of Nigeria. While primarily preaching from his home city of
Lagos, Nigeria, Joshua has over 1.5 million Facebook fans. He also has a
history of sending “Anointed Water” to thousands of individuals worldwide, most
notably during the recent Ebola crisis. There has been ongoing controversy
regarding his claims to deliver people from possession, and there are 3
reported deaths in the U.K. linked to his church. These were reported to be
cases where the individuals refused life lengthening AIDS medication and
instead relied on prayer for survival.
8. Billy Graham Net Worth 2018 –
$25 Million
Once called by many as
“America’s Pastor”, Billy Graham is among the most well known and long-lived
pastors on the planet. Born in 1918 and educated in Anthropology and Biblical
Studies by the Trinity Bible College in Florida State, he has been a presence
for many historic events of the past two generations. From bailing Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr out of jail during the fight for Civil Rights, to directly
writing and supporting Nixon during the Vietnam war, he has always been quite
political minded. This fact has no doubt helped his following, with an
estimated audience of around 2.2 Billion individuals over the course of his
career.
7. Kenneth Copeland Net Worth
2018 – $25 Million
Best known for his messages about
prosperity and abundance, it appears Copeland can reference quite a bit of
firsthand experience. Before his conversion to Christianity he had commercial
success as a recording artist, releasing 1957’s “Pledge of Love” which made it
to #17 of the top 40 billboard hits of the year. Copeland has had a lifelong
love for flying as well, which allowed him after conversion to become the
personal pilot of Oral Roberts before starting his own ministry and owning his
own private jet (admittedly paid for by church donations). Copeland and his
family also reside in a $6.3 million estate, where television audiences are
invited to sit around the table with the family on “Believers Voice of Victory”.
6. Creflo Dollar Net Worth 2018 –
$27 Million
Pastor with Dollar in his name,
was there any doubt this pastor would appear on such a list? Known as one of
the flashiest of American Ministers, he owns a Rolls Royce, multiple $2.5
million dollar estates and in recent years been given an F by the Ministry
Watch for financial transparency. To make matters worse, Dollar was arrested in
2013 for allegedly attacking his own daughter but the charges were dropped
after agreements to join anger management groups. He like quite a few of his
comrades in this list preaches almost exclusively the “prosperity” gospel.
While receiving a Bachelor’s in Science for Education from West Georgia
College, it appears this pastor has yet to learn the intricacies of “Do unto
Others”.
5. E. A .Adeboye Net Worth 2018 –
$39 Million
Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye
began his career in preaching while still maintaining a professorship at the
University of Lagos, Nigeria. It appears his Ph. D in mathematics continues to
serve him well, as membership numbers of his Redeemed Christian Church of God
continue to swell in over 100 countries. Adeboye has claimed a goal to put a
church “within 5 minutes” of every home in the world. With 14,000 branches in
Nigeria alone, it seems he has done so for at least one country.
4. Benny Hinn Net Worth 2018 –
$42 Million
Benny Hinn is perhaps the most
openly controversial of any American Televangelist. Publicly claiming a gospel
that empowers “faith healing”, he has been investigated by the United States
Senate for manipulation of tax status, and his Ministry has been flagged with a
“Donor Alert” by Ministry Watch. Regardless of this shady financial situation
he continues to have a solid fellowship in both Canada and the United States.
Followers of his teachings believe that if they are prayed over, they can be
healed of any malady. Among his many luxury possessions is a Gulfstream G4 jet.
3. Chris Oyakhilome Net Worth
2018 – $50 Million
Yet another Lagos native, “Pastor
Chris” has an incredibly busy schedule to go with his wealth. His Believers’
Loveworld Incorporated not only contains an absolutely massive fellowship
branch, but also branches for humanitarian aid and education. He also owns
three separate television channels that garner up to 2.5 million views per
nightly event. As is common for someone with the “faith healing” gospel, there
is some backlash, particularly from the Treatment Action Campaign against his
claims of faith healing AIDS. As an interesting aside, as of 2017 South Africa
is considering a warrant for his arrest if Oyakhilome and his organizations do
not become more financially transparent.
2. Bishop T.D. Jakes Net Worth
2018 – $147 Million
Head of the Potter’s House
Megachurch and Potter’s Touch television program, T.D. Jakes is a common face
on many national broadcast stations. Jakes has also been seen with both
Presidents Bush (during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath) and Obama (leading a
morning church service in 2009) who have both commented on his faithful intents
and actions. This is particularly notable, as both his Bachelor and Masters of
Arts degree came from an unaccredited institution, Friends International
Christian University. Though he does make a sizable yearly sum as a pastor,
most of his wealth has originated in sales of his gospel music (for which he
has won at least one Grammy award), books and numerous syndicated appearances.
As it turns out, T.D. Jakes is also of Nigerian heritage, which was proven when
he allowed for his DNA to be tested for a PBS program.
1. Bishop David Oyedepo Net Worth
2018 – $150 Million
Coming in as a supposed host of
the Holy Ghost with the most, Bishop David Oyedepo heads the single largest
church in the world, Winners’ Chapel, which seats 50,000. As one of the main
founders of the Nigerian Christian Charismatic movement, he also exerts control
over churches in 45 African nations, as well as several in Dubai, the United
Kingdom and the United States. Having been mentored by Adeboye, it is quite
clear he took the formula of church expansion up a notch. Alongside churches,
there has also been active outreach within his native continent where his
ministry has aided in the development of hospitals, schools and maternity
homes. As to be expected with such successes, two of his sons are following in
his footsteps by heading up both the London and South African Winners’ Chapel
divisions.
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And christianity is going down on daily basis in their country, in the north christians are suffering mostly in IDPs, God will judge you all
ReplyDeleteBlinds are guiding blinds! It wil be so easy for a carmel to enter into the niddle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God - so says the christ! Is this what Jesus asked them to do? Thithers! U beta wake up frm ur slunmber! Smiles!
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