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Meet The Wealthiest Religious Leaders In The World
According to The Pew Research Center’s latest study, an incredible 84% of the world’s population identifies as being religious. Only 16% identify themselves as atheists. With an estimated 4,200 religions to choose from worldwide, it’s no wonder so many of us ascribe to a belief in something greater than ourselves.
Astonishingly, salaries for clergy can mount up into millions of dollars per year. While church members often operate under the assumption that their leaders receive average wages and live modest lives, we have evidence that clearly proves the contrary to be true. However, it’s important to keep in mind, many of these men and women of the cloth operated businesses outside the church which made them independently wealthy. Buckle up for our list of the world’s richest religious leaders.
Bill Moyers
Net Worth: Approximately: $1 Million. Bill Moyers actually got his start in journalism. Fresh from completing his degree at the University of Texas, Bill Moyers undertook an internship with the United States Senate. In this role, he managed to meet and impress Senator Lyndon B. Johnson. A pretty fortuitous move on Moyers’ part. Senator Johnson was so taken by Moyers he got the young man a position working as an editor.
While excelling in his broadcast work Moyers continued his studies, just in a relatively unrelated field: theology. This passion continued to blossom and, in 1959, Moyers was ordained as a Baptist pastor. With such a massive portfolio of work in journalism and broadcasting, Moyers has worked hard for his $1 million net worth.
Charles Stanley
Net Worth: Approximately: $1.5 Million. Here’s a fact that will send a chill down the spines of all There Will Be Blood fans: Charles Stanley was just a kid when he commenced his Christian ministry. At the tender age of 14, he was already building a name for himself among his flock. Stanley has attained a handful of degrees, starting with his bachelor’s degree and culminating with a master and doctorate in theology.
He got his star as a preacher for the First Baptist Church, and from there it was only ever onwards and upwards for this ambitious man. He founded the international Christian outreach organization, In Touch Ministries and has his hands in many money-making pies. He can be seen and heard on television and radio stations across the world. Stanley credits much of his wealth to having read the influential book, Think and Grow Rich in his younger years.
R.C. Sproul
Net Worth: Approximately: $2 Million. Founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries, Robert Charles Sproul was also a theologian and author. He served as a presbyterian pastor for much of his life and, while he was definitely an old-school preacher, wasn’t afraid of making use of the internet in building his flock of followers.
R.C. Sproul was so enamored with the internet and it’s limitless ability to reach people, in fact, that he started an online radio station, which he called “the Reformation Network.” If you’re waiting for the controversy, well, there really isn’t any with Sproul. From all accounts, he was a highly educated theologian, accomplished author and all-around stand-up guy. Kind of what you hope for in a religious leader right?
N.T. Wright
Net Worth: Approximately: $2.5 Million. Here’s another highly educated theologian and preacher: Nicholas Thomas Wright. The former Bishop of Durham is, in fact, considered one of (if not the) most popular scholars of the New Testament in all of the UK. An Anglican minister, Wright commenced his ministry way back in 1975.
While Wright has a squeaky-clean record with no skeletons in his closet, he does hold to some pretty contentious opinions. Wright is an old-school minister who is firmly opposed to same-sex marriage and gay clergy members being allowed by the church.
Jack Van Impe
Net Worth: Approximately: $2.5 Million. Jack Van Impe is an interesting character. His biblical knowledge is so great he is known by many as “the Walking Bible.” Van Impe was a Detroit Bible Institute graduate, completing his education in 1952 and immediately launching into his evangelical career. By 1954, Van Impe’s visage could be seen spreading the word of the Lord from television screens all over the nation, under the banner of the Jack Van Impe Ministries show.
The most fascinating thing about Jack is his literal belief in the Revelation story of the Bible. He believes the combined forces of a dark political leader (the Beast) and a false prophet will soon lead us into the return of Christ, the rapture and then the end of the world as we know it. Heavy stuff. While he waits for the end of days, Van Impe is doing pretty well for himself. The Jack Van Impe Ministries International Foundation netted him his millions. While the foundation brings in around $12 million per year, Van Impe receives a reasonable salary of $150,000 for his work.
Tony Campolo
Net Worth: Approximately $4 Million. Tony Campolo has both a secular and biblical education, with degrees in sociology and theology, as well as a PhD from Temple University. This highly educated ordained Baptist minister went on to become Bill Clinton’s spiritual advisor during his tenure as president.
Campolo was responsible for founding the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education. He also stands out somewhat from others on this list with his rather liberal views on gay marriage. Campolo’s wife believes that, so long as a relationship is monogamous, sexual orientation shouldn’t be an issue and all people should have equal rights to marry. It seems her beliefs softened Campolo up a bit as he has since declared that the government shouldn’t get to dictate who can and can’t marry.
Juanita Bynum
Net Worth: Approximately $10 Million. Pastor, gospel singer and best-selling author, Juanita Bynum is a powerful force within the world of televangelism. So much so that Shaila Dewan of The New York Times, called her “the most prominent black female television evangelist in the country.” Juanita isn’t afraid to speak out on topics like domestic violence and promiscuity, dishing out blunt but kind words of wisdom to the masses.
Juanita has authored several books, some of which have appeared on The New York Times best-seller list. She’s also released a handful of gospel albums which have, again, been a big hit with the public, appearing on Billboard’s list of top contemporary Christian albums. All those royalties, along with her public appearances, have contributed to netting Juanita her impressive fortune.
Rick Warren
Net Worth: Approximately: $25 Million. Rick Warren isn’t just the pastor of a megachurch, he’s pastor of the sixth largest megachurch in the US. Which, given the amount of times we’ve mentioned megachurches already in this article, and give the fact that we’ve barely scratched the surface of them, is no small claim to fame.
The evangelical Christian preacher, who presides over California’s Saddleback Church, is also an author whose book, The Purpose Driven Life made the New York Times best-seller list after selling an incredible 30 million copies worldwide (and counting). Warren and his wife, Kay, are global thinkers with initiatives in place to assist people with HIV, combat global warming and work towards peace in war-torn regions. They definitely don’t play small with their ambitions!
Joel Osteen
Net Worth: Approximately: $40 Million. Joel Osteen is a preacher considered by most to fall in the prosperity gospel category. You may have noticed that, as we’re getting to the top end of the net wealth stakes, more and more of these seed faith preachers are popping up. Interesting, huh? Though, to be fair, Osteen does not see himself as being akin to your regular seed faith televangelist. He sees a distinction between what he teaches and the money-centric messages of most prosperity gospel proponents.
While money is apparently neither here nor there for Osteen, he has been estimated as having a net worth of around $40 million. Pretty impressive for someone who’s not that impressed by money. Osteen presides over Lakewood Church, which currently boasts the largest Protestant congregation in the US. His messages tend to be focused more on love and the mercy of the Lord rather than hell and divine judgment.
Kirk Cameron
Net Worth: Approximately $20 Million. We know what you’re thinking: “wait, wasn’t Kirk Cameron that kid from Growing Pains?” Yep, he sure was. The child star has gone on to become an evangelist who spreads his message through The Way of the Master ministry which has a radio show affiliated with it. Kirk is also responsible for The Firefly Foundation, which he co-founded with his wife (another child star), Chelsea Noble.
Along with his charitable and ministerial work, Cameron has continued to make film and television appearances. He narrated a documentary called Monumental: In Search of America’s National Treasure and has also worked on a number of Christian-themed productions like the trilogy Left Behind, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force, and Left Behind: World at War, all of which are based on survival in the apocalyptic world that remains after the return of Christ and rapture of the faithful.
Billy Graham
Net Worth: Approximately: $25 Million. William Franklin Graham Jr. was arguably the most famous evangelist of our modern era. Known to most as Billy Graham, the pastor has delivered his sermons in churches, over the radio and on television. He was known for his strong religious and political views, ideas which he staunchly supported throughout his career.
By 1947, Graham was already presiding over the Northwestern Bible College in Minneapolis. At just 29 years of age at the time, his appointment to the position made him the youngest ever president of a United States college. Graham was known to be in friendly terms with Queen Elizabeth II of England and was regularly invited to events attended by the royal family. Like a couple of other preachers on our list, Graham also served as a presidential adviser. However, he had the remarkable distinction of offering spiritual counsel to not just one but three US presidents: Eisenhower, Johnson, and Nixon.
George Foreman
Net Worth: Approximately: $250 Million You may know him more as a boxer (or the guy whose name is on that grill in the back of your kitchen cupboard), but this Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight champion is also a born-again Christian. Not only that but, when he wasn’t throwing punches and creating kitchen equipment, Foreman went so far as to become an ordained minister.
Since his retirement from boxing back in 1997, Foreman has been putting more and more energy into his religious pursuits. He claims he was inspired to take up this path after a post-fight near-death experience. After dropping from a heatstroke, Foreman says he descended into a hellish dimension, one he never wanted to return to, and this sparked his desire to spread the word of the Lord.
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