Cashing In On Faith: The Richest Mega Pastors In America
While getting rich might not be the first thing on many pastors' minds, it's a different story for those who preach at a megachurch. Megachurches are described as a congregation of more than 2,000 members. Some of the largest megachurches in America have more than 30,000 registered members!
Behind those members is a ton of cash which can make for some very rich pastors. But with a ton of cash comes controversy and scandal. These mega pastors have shown that they can bring in the big bucks through faith and a few choice sermons, but they are also known for scamming their followers.
Jesse Duplantis Requests Donations for $54 Million Jet
Based in Lousiana, Jesse Duplantis preached his first sermon in 1976. Since he got a taste for the public sermon, Duplantis has been a full-time evangelistic minister. Today, he is still a televangelist.
With his thousands of members, Duplantis hasn't been shy about wanting more and more money. He hasn't been shy about asking his viewers to donate money so that he can replace his current Dassault Falcon 50 with a $54 million Dassault Falcon 7X.
Franklin Graham Has Quite The Salary
William Franklin Graham III has the megachurch in his blood. He is actually the son of the famous pastor Billy Graham. Franklin inherited the leadership of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan's Purse.
Between the two organizations, he makes over one million dollars each year. In 2008 alone, he was compensated $1.2 million. His vast wealth had left him under heavy criticism though and after 2008, Graham decided to give up his salary from BGEA.
Jimmy Swaggart's Fortune Came Crashing Down With Scandal
When you think of "mega pastor" you think of Jimmy Swaggart. The Louisiana minister began his TV ministry in 1971 and at the station's height in the 1980s, it was being broadcast on more than 3,000 channels across the country!
His television ministry along with a radio and print career left Swaggart with a massive $150 million annual salary int he 1980s. All of that came crashing down though after numerous sex scandals ended his career.
Kirk Cameron
Any teenage girl who grew up in the '80s would recognize Kirk Cameron from the sitcom Growing Pains. Cameron was an Athiest in his teenage years until he turned 17 when he became a born-again Christian.
After the show ended he appeared in a few other projects before leaving Hollywood and starting The Way of the Master ministry. The ministry also has a television show that broadcasts his message. He is estimated to have a net worth of $22 million.
Keeping It In The Family
Kirk Cameron has made sure to keep his faith in the family. His wife, Chelsea Noble, who he met on the show Growing Pains is also of faith. The pair run a charity called Camp Firefly that provides terminally ill children a camp for free.
Cameron's sister Candace Cameron Bure is also religious and claimed to become a born-again Christian at age 12. She also credits her faith with being a force behind her marriage.
Leroy Jenkins
Televangelist Leroy Jenkins is best known for his faith healing and "miracle water." He began selling the water in 2003 from a well on the grounds of his home. Whether or not it worked is up for debate but what is clear is that coliform bacteria was found in it.
The moneymaking scandals didn't end there. In 2001, his marriage to an elderly woman was annulled by a judge when it was decided he only married her because she won a $6 million lottery.
Copeland’s Angel Flight 44 Promise
With all that wealth Copeland has been subject to a lot of criticism. One of his biggest controversies cam in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He went on television and vowed to establish a humanitarian-relief ministry called Angel Flight 44.
But according to author Rich Vermillion, it never happened. Copeland backtracked saying that it was too difficult to get the aviation relief program off the ground due to costs. Many were quick to point out he could use his own massive wealth for the project.
Billy Graham
Billy Graham is one of the most famous mega pastors in American history. He began his ministry career in the '50s and served as a spiritual adviser to every president from Truman to Obama.
His televangelist career has spanned six decades and has preached to audiences of over 210 million people from 185 countries. With a resume like that, it's no surprise that in 2018 when he passed he left a net worth of nearly $25 million.
Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson is a televangelist, political commentator, businessman, and everything in between. He admits that he was not a very devout Christian until he went through his own personal struggles. After failign the bar exam, he reflected on his life and created the Christian Broadcasting Network.
The CBN is one of the biggest religious broadcasters in America. Thanks to his business savvy when it comes to televangelism, Robertson is estimated to have a net worth between $200 million and $1 billion.
Robert Tilton
Tilton's early success was all thanks to his infomercial-style televangelism. In 1991 he aired Success-N-Life which taught that almost every tribulation in life is a result of sin. The program made money because viewers could make a "vow" from $1,000-$10,000 which was just a financial commitment to the church.
This led many to accuse him of exploiting vulnerable people. Still, the show was reported to leave Tilton with $80 million in annual revenue.
Jack Van Impe
Van Impe is a televangelist who was best known for his half-house weekly series Jack Van Impe Presents. On the show, he would often recite news headlines and interpret them through bible verses. He co-hosted the show with his wife Rexella.
In 2017, things took a turn when Van Impe began referring to himself as a prophet and holy man. While it diminished some viewership he still reportedly has an annual salary of $2.5 million.
Paula White
Paula White is one of the few pastors on this list that identify as non-denominational. That doesn't mean she can't rake in a ton of money. In the 1980s she became the senior pastor of the New Destiny Christian Center in Florida. Today, she actually serves as President Donald Trump's spiritual advisor.
People have estimates that White has a net worth of $5 million but it's come with controversy, after she asked her followers to donate one month's worth of their annual salary to her church.
Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen is one of the most recognized televangelist mega pastors in America. His weekly televised sermons are watched by more than 20 million members worldwide every single month. Understandably, he comes in pretty high on with a net worth of $40 million.
His Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas recently came under criticism though after they failed to open its doors to those in the area affected by Hurrican Harvey. After the criticism, the church decided to let people in.
Joel Osteen's Wife Has Had Legal Troubles
Joel Osteen met his wife Victoria in 1985. They married two years later and she has been preaching by his side ever since. She serves as the co-pastor at the Lakewood Church Women's Ministry.
That hasn't kept her out of the tabloid headlines. In 2005, a flight attended alleged that Victoria assaulted her. Why Victoria was eventually acquitted of the charges, it left a lasting stain on her image.
Peter Popoff
One of the most notorious televangelists and conmen of the past few decades is Peter Popoff. In the 1970s, Popoff became a televangelist who was broadcast from coast to coast. Unfortunately for him, in 1986 he was exposed to using an earpiece so he could hear his wife feed him information about audience members.
The scandal made him bankrupt but in the '90s he staged a comeback by selling "Miracle Spring Water." Since he made his ministry a religious organization, it's tax-free and doesn't have to divulge its gains publicly. He is rumored to still have a net worth of $10 million.
Prophet Uebert Angel
Born in Zimbabwe and later moving to Manchester, England, Uebert Angel is a self-proclaimed prophet. He is the founder of the Spirit Embassy which rebranded in 2015 to the Good News Church.
His work has focused primarily on those who are less-privileged and widows. The humanitarian work has been profitable for Angel and his net worth is estimated to be between $40-60 million. That makes him one of the 20 richest pastors in the world.
Charles E. Blake
Charles Edward Blake Sr. is the current Bishop of the Church of God in Christ. Worldwide, it has 6 million members and 25,000 in America alone. Born in Arkansas, he moved to Calfornia and became a bishop before being elected the leader of the church.
The holy man reportedly earns $900,000 per year and lives in a lavish mansion. His massive income is thanks to the online weekly sermon that reaches another 50,000 members.
Charles Stanley
Charles Stanley was born in Virginia in 1932 and by the age of 12 became a born-again Christian. He started his work as a minister when he was just 14 and studied theology in school.
Eventually, Stanley founded In Touch Ministries, which led to both a television and radio broadcast. In a 2010 survey by LifeWay, he was ranked as the third-most influential Protestant pastor. His ministries earned about $73,000,000 a year when surveyed nine years ago.
Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell Accused Of $3.5 Million Financial Fraud
Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell made his name as the head of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church, which is a whopping 14,000 members strong. Caldwell was born in 1953 and felt called to Christianity in 1981. Despite being a faithful man, on March 2018 he was accused of selling $3.5 million in Chinese bonds.
Caldwell had allegedly told his investors they would see returns on their money if they "remain faithful." The case is still pending and if guilty, Caldwell could face up to 30 years in prison.
Edir Macedo
Edir Macedo is one of the wealthiest pastors on this list. He holds a degree in Theology and is the founder of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. He is able to spread his message because he is the owner of the second-largest television network in Brazil.
Macedo is another mega pastor known for teaching the "prosperity gospel." His church allegedly has between 1.8-7 million members in Brazil alone. As a result, Macedo is estimated to have a net worth of $1.1 billion. Yes. Billion.
Kenneth Copeland
Born in Texas, Kenneth Copeland didn't convert to Christianity until he was in this twenties. After converting he devoted his life to gospel and ministry work primarily with his television and film work.
He is one of the leaders of the Charismatic Movement which is best known for promoting the "prosperity gospel" preaching style. Thanks to the gospel style, he is He’s one of the highest-paid mega pastors, with a rumored net worth of $760 million.
Paul Cain
Paul Cain was born with faith in this heart after his sick mother nearly died giving birth to him. Cain later said that her recovery was due to an angelic visit. He first stepped up to the pulpit when he was 18 and hasn't stopped since.
His early ministries attracted crowds of 30,000 in Switzerland and Germany. In his later life, he served as a consultant for the FBI and three different presidents. Today, he lives in California with an estimated net worth near $1 million.
Richard Rossi
Richard Rossi has been a little bit of everything in his life. Rossi grew up interested in music but after living with a surrogate family learned the Pentecostal ways. He dabbled in drugs and after an overdose, became a born-again Christian and became a faith healer.
Rossi worked as a traveling faith healer until 1986 when he started his first church, First Love. The weekly healing ceremonies attracted up to 2,000 members at one point.
Controversy And Crime
Unfortunately for Rossi, his credibility in the church went downhill in 1994 after he was accused of attempted murder against his wife. Rossi and his wife Sherrie founded "The Fellowship” in Pittsburgh. In 1994, Sherrie was discovered covered in blood. While he was eventually acquitted, he never bounced back.
Rossi was later convicted of second-degree aggravated assault. He enrolled in a recovery program that he still follows.
Church For Celebrities
Believe it or not, the Rossis stayed together and after his time in jail, he relocated to Los Angeles in 1997. There, they founded a new church called Eternal Grace. The church tried to target celebrities who stopped attending public services due to paparazzi.
With his new celebrity connections, ABC has called Rossi the “Pastor to the Stars.” He has appeared on a variety of daytime talk shows and his own radio show as well.
Jan Crouch
One of the few female mega pastors, Janice Crouch was born into the profession. She was the daughter of a Georgia pastor and her husband Paul, founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
Her televangelist work is best known for a child puppet that she called Babushka. Aside from that, her platinum blonde wigs are hard to forget. Jan Crouch died in 2016, with an estimated net worth of $50 million.
Pastor Ray McCauley
Ray McCauley is the founder of the Rhema Bible Church and one of the most controversial religious figures in South Africa. He began the church in 1979 with 13 members. Today, the church is 45,000 members strong.
He has been accused of advocating for a prosperity gospel and leads a controversial lifestyle. McCauley claims to make a modest salary but estimates and obvious lifestyle spending trends place his likely net worth upwards of $30 million.
David Oyedepo
Oyedepo is the richest pastor in Nigeria thanks to his years of work in his church. Oyedepo was raised with Christian values by his grandmother but was "born again" in 1969 thanks to an influential high school teacher. He did missionary work around the world until he founded two churches: Faith Tabernacle in Ota and Living Faith Church Worldwide.
Being the head pastor of both churches leave Oyedepo with a net worth of over $150 million. He also owns four private jets.
Ernest Angley
Ernest Angley grew up Baptist in North Carolina but didn't become a devout Christian until he was 18 years old. After this, he spent his youth traveling America in a camping van spreading "salvation and healing." By 1984 he had raised enough money to found the Grace Cathedral.
Angley took his classes to television and in 2011 onto the internet. All his success hasn't kept him out of scandal though. He had claimed that Jesus will heal HIV/AIDS and has been accused of abuse.
Bill Moyers
Many people don't know that journalist, broadcaster, and political commentator Bill Moyers was actually an ordained Baptist minister. He was ordained in 1959 but left it all behind when he became the White House Press Secretary for the Johnson administration.
While Moyers refuses to disclose his salary, he is estimated to have earned at least $20 million over the years thanks to his work. Making that much money on political commentary has left people arguing against his biases.
R.C. Sproul
Robert Charles Sproul is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church of America and the founder of Ligonier Ministries. Ligonier began as a center for seminary students to go to school and has evolved into a larger televangelist ministry.
Sproul focuses most of the reformed version of theology and has been described as being one of the most influential reformists of the last century. His massive net worth is estimated to be over $2 million.
N.T. Wright
Nicholas Thomas Wright is a well-renowned professor of theology in the United Kingdom. Born in England in 1948, he is a New Testament scholar and Pauline theologian. In 2003, he became the Bishop of Durham.
Wright is unique for preaching primarily through his writings rather than his words. He has amassed a $2.5 million net worth thanks to his books.
Clifton Davis
Clifton Davis has been an ordained minister since 1987 but you might recognize him from elsewhere. He was actually the songwriter behind the Jackson 5 hit "Never Can Say Goodbye" and he's acted in the Broadway musical Aladdin.
As for his heavenly duties, Davis hosts Gospel Superfest and the Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Between his entertainment and gospel work, Davis has an estimated net worth $3 million.
Ed Young, Jr.
Edwin Young Jr. began his religious career working at his father's church. He left the church to pursue a degree in Divinity until 1990 when he founded Fellowship Church. Within six years the church had a weekly attendance of 5,000 members.
The Fellowship Church is now best known for its prison campuses called "God Behind Bars." Through his member services and prison contracts, Young Jr. is reported to have a net worth of more than $11 million.
John MacArthur
John MacArthur has a long career as a Christian pastor that began when he was ordained in the 1960s. Over the years, his teachings grew in popularity and he began a radio broadcast called "Grace to You."
Not only has MacArthur shared his views over the radio but his MacArthur Study Bible sold more than 1 million copies and he was a frequent guest on Larry King Live. MacArthur brings in an annual salary of $160,000.
Rick Warren
Rick Warren is the son of a Baptist minister and took on the profession himself. He if the founder and senior pastor of the Saddleback Church, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. That makes Saddleback the sixth-largest megachurch in America.
While he claims to only live on ten percent of his income and says he donates the rest to charity, he is still rumored to have a net worth as high as $25 million.
Joyce Meyer
Mega pastor and author Joyce Meyer credits her faith with helping her survive trials throughout her life. She has openly discussed that her father sexually abused her as a child. After a terrible 5-year abusive marriage, Meyer turned to alcohol. It wasn't until 1976 that she says she heard God while praying on her way to work.
After that, she has worked as the author and president of Joyce Meyer Ministries. She was listed as the 17th most influential Evangelicals in America by Time magazine.
Pastor John Hagee
John Hagee went to school and recieved a master's in education administration before founding a series of churches in Texas. He founded Trinity Church in 1966, a second Trinity Church in 1972, the Castle Hills Church in 1975, and Cornerstone Church in 1987.
Hagee is also the founder and CEO of is John Hagee Ministries, which is a multimedia entertainment empire that broadcasts televangelist shows to more than 150 million households. All of this adds up to an estimated net worth of $5 million.
Tony Campolo
Tony Campolo is known to be one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the evangelical left. He was the former spiritual adviser to President Bill Clinton and is a supporter of thought reform in the Evangelical community including the Red-Letter Christian movement, which shifts the focus directly on Jesus' teachings.
A sociologist by training, Campolo has made money through numerous talk show appearances, public speaking, and books. He is estimated to have a net worth upwards of $4 million.
Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton is one of the most prolific and controversial mega pastors from the last century. A Baptist minister, Sharpton was originally ordained Pentecostal. In the late 1980s, he became Baptists and was re-baptized.
Sharpton is best known outside his religious work as a civil rights activist. He has also actively campaigned against Atheists and even publically debated Christopher Hitchens. Despite all he's done, his net worth is only about $500,000.
