8 of the richest pastors and televangelists of 2024 – net worths, ranked: from T.D. Jakes to Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland, who have sizeable fortunes that they mostly prefer not to discuss
- These pastors’ churches include Eagle Mountain International Church, Lakewood Church, The Potter’s House, Saddleback Church, World Changers Church International, Elevation Church and North Point Ministries
- All the pastors on this list live in the US, a home to many huge Protestant churches that attract global television audiences – which pay for the multiple homes, luxury cars and private jets
Wherever you live, whatever your beliefs, it’s clear that religion sells. If you have faith and a gift for communication, you can make millions from appearances, books, websites – you name it.
But the epicentre of faith-fired commerce is surely the US, where Christian pastors and “televangelists” have been a fixture for decades, their sermons and prayer meetings televised and streamed to millions, spreading their various versions of the gospel.
Their hefty fortunes often raise the question whether these famous clergymen are leading or fleecing the flock, with many critics slamming their practices and accusing them of using religion to fund lavish lifestyles.
Whichever is the case, these wealthy pastors are surely laughing all the way from the church to the bank. Let’s take a closer look at their net worths, with the help of Celebrity Net Worth and other sources.
8. T.D. Jakes, 66
Estimated net worth: US$20 million
As a bishop, author and filmmaker, T.D. Jakes is one of the veteran figures in the business of religion, according to Time. In 1996, he founded a non-denominational American megachurch called The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas with a congregation of over 30,000 members.
He produces faith-based films and television shows that combine his religious ideologies and motivational messages with popular culture. He has also produced and released music under the Dexterity Sounds label that operates in collaboration with EMI Gospel Music. His album A Wing and a Prayer featured vocals by both Jakes and The Potter’s House Mass Choir, and won a Grammy in 2004 for best gospel choir or chorus Album.