Televangelists [Special Report]

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John Oliver recently did an bit on Christian television evangelists, and it was a great bit supported by many. The Likes contrasted with the Dislikes are high, and the video (appearing at the bottom of this Special Report deserves a viewing, whether you’re religious or not.

But first, here are some interesting headlines, articles and links worthy of checking out.

Televangelists Living Like Kings?

Because they run churches they do not have to file tax forms with the IRS. So it’s unclear how many millions – or billions – are collected every year.

Private Jets, 13 Mansions and a $100,000 Mobile Home Just for Dogs: Televangelists ‘Defrauded Tens of Million of Dollars from Christian Network’

Two former employees of the world’s largest Christian television channel Trinity Broadcasting Network are accusing the non-profit of spending $50 million of its funding on extravagant personal expenses.

They Have Risen: A Look at 3 Shamed Televangelists Still Cashing In

Peter Popoff. W.V. Grant. Jim Bakker. Three shamed televangelists who were exposed as frauds, but managed to resurrect their careers and return to the televised pulpit.

6 Outrageously Wealthy Preachers Under Federal Investigation

Spreading the gospel has become a very profitable business for several well-known televangelists, affording them the opportunity to live in mansions, own private jets, take exotic trips, relax in hotel rooms that cost thousands per night, and even own second and third homes.

Exposing Televangelists and Thousands of Christian Leaders

I thought it might be fun to build on this list and find out how many have taken the dark path. I realised soon after getting started that I would need to refine my list to a certain criteria or risk never finishing.

Wikipedia’s List of Television Evangelists

This is a list of notable televangelists. While a global list, most are from the United States.

The Televangelists’ Hall of Shame

Next to disco, the game show, and the Energizer bunny, the most unforgivable American contribution to world culture has been the common televangelist (cockroachus Evangelicus everbrokus).

Forbes Ranks the 10 Wealthiest Pastors of the World

Some also travel in private jets owned by their ministry. So these assets would not necessarily be included with personal net worth.

Top 10 Richest Pastors In The World – Jul 01, 2013

1. Bishop T. D Jakes

Bishop Jakes lives in a $1,700,000 mansion, he has been called America’s best preacher and has been featured on the cover of TIME magazine. He is a writer, preacher and movie producer. Thomas Dexter “T. D.” Jakes, Sr. is the bishop/chief pastor of The Potter’s House, a non-denominational American mega church, with 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas. T.D Jakes wears custom made suits and sports a diamond ring the size of a coin. This man of God has been endowed with a $150 million net worth.

2. Bishop David Oyedepo

Bishop David Oyedepo is a Nigerian Preacher, Christian Author, Founder and Presiding Bishop of Winners Chapel known as Living Faith Church World Wide. Has been hailed as the wealthiest preacher in Nigeria with a total net worth of $150 million and properties like 4 private jets and homes in the United States and England. After the foundation of the Living Faith Outreach Ministry in 1981, it has evolved to be one of the largest congregations in Africa and has a flourishing mission in Nairobi.

3. E A Adeboye
This messenger of God was listed in an African magazine, NEWSWEEK, as the most powerful man in Africa and one of the top 50 global power elites in 2008/2009, among others such as President Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy. Pastor Adeboye heads the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), something he has done for the last 28years.Amongst his posessions are private jets.

4. Benny Hinn

Israeli televangelist,Toufik Benedictus “Benny” Hinn has an estimated net worth of $42 million. He is best known for his regular “Miracle Crusades” – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, “This Is Your Day”. Hinn was born on December 3, 1952

5. Chris Oyakhilome

This is the man behind Believers’ Loveworld Ministries, a.k.a Christ Embassy. His church has an estimated net worth of $30 million – $50 million last year, the charismatic preacher was at the center of a $35 million money laundering case in which he was accused of siphoning funds from his church to foreign banks.

6. Creflo Dollar

American Bible teacher, pastor, and the founder of World Changers Church International, Creflo Dollar, has an estimated net worth of $27 million. As his name suggests, this preacher’s “manna” comes in form of the green buck.

7. Kenneth Copeland

He runs Kenneth Copeland Ministries, was one of several televangelists whose finances were investigated from 2007 to 2011 by Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa.

According to an article by the Associated Press that ran in 2008, “His ministry’s 1,500-acre campus, behind an iron gate a half-hour drive from Fort Worth includes a church, a private airstrip, a hangar for the ministry’s $17.5 million jet and other aircraft, and a $6 million church owned lakefront mansion.

The article later added that while Copeland has not released up-to-date salary statements, “the church disclosed in a property-tax exemption application that his wages were $364,577 in 1995; Copeland’s wife, Gloria, earned $292,593. It’s not clear whether those figures include other earnings, such as special offerings for guest preaching or book royalties.”

8. Billy Graham

American evangelical Christian evangelist, William Franklin “Billy” Graham, Jr., has a net worth of $25 million. The Southern Baptist evangelist rose to celebrity status as his sermons started getting broadcast on radio and television. Graham was born on a dairy farm near Charlotte, North Carolina in 1918, he has conducted many evangelistic crusades since 1948 . He is now a world renowned televangelist raking in millions of dollars.

9. Matthew Ashimolowo

Ashimolowo, the owner of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) gets an annual income of $200,000. Having his humble beginnings as a priest in Foursquare Gospel Church, a Nigerian church that sent Ashimolowo to open a satellite branch in London. Pastor Matthew had other ideas and decided to set up his own church instead. Today, his Kingsway International Christian Center is reportedly the largest Pentecostal church in the whole of the United Kingdom

10. Temitope Joshua

Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) has an estimated net worth: $10 million – $15 million Nigeria’s most controversial clergyman is also one of its richest and most philanthropic. T.B Joshua heads the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), a congregation he founded in 1987, which accommodates over 15,000 worshippers on Sundays.

SOURCE: http://vibeweekly.com/old-site/home/features/2893-top-10-richest-pastors-in-the-world.html

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