List of millionaire Protestant pastors published in the U.S.

American televangelists. Photo: uoj.news

The American edition of UOJ has published a list of the richest televangelist preachers, shedding light on the Protestant concept known as the “prosperity gospel.”

According to UOJ journalists in the U.S., the idea of the “prosperity gospel” has long taken root in American Christianity. It teaches that material wealth is a sign of God’s love. Many televangelists and megachurch pastors have built their ministries around this concept, turning religion into a profitable business.

Some of them openly urge their congregants to donate money in exchange for promised financial miracles. For example, televangelist Mark Murdock once claimed, “If you donate a thousand dollars, God will wipe out your credit card debt.”

A recently published list in the U.S. highlights the wealthiest pastors who have earned millions by preaching financial success as a manifestation of divine will.

At the top of the list is Kenneth Copeland, whose net worth is estimated at $300 million (down from $760 million in 2021). He lives in an 18,000-square-foot mansion worth $7 million. In 2019, Copeland bought a private jet from actor Tyler Perry, saying: “[Tyler] made that airplane so cheap for me I had to buy it.”

In second place is Joel Osteen, with a net worth of $100 million. His reputation took a hit in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey, when he refused to shelter victims in his spacious church to avoid damaging newly installed carpets. In 2021, $600,000 in cash and checks – previously reported stolen – were discovered hidden behind a wall in his church.

Benny Hinn ranks third with an estimated fortune of $60 million. Known as a “faith healer” and flamboyant preacher, he made headlines in 2011 when he was seen in Rome holding hands with televangelist Paula White, despite both being married at the time. Hinn has divorced and remarried the same woman twice – once in 2010, and again after they had sold enough DVD copies of their second wedding ceremony.

These multimillionaire televangelists have become the face of Protestant America. Their influence on society has coincided with a sharp decline in religious observance across the country. However, researchers note that this decline is beginning to slow, as growing numbers of disillusioned believers turn to traditional liturgical churches, including Orthodoxy.

This trend is raising concerns among Protestant leaders. In recent years, numerous anti-Orthodox videos have appeared on YouTube, produced by Protestant apologists seeking to counter the exodus. However, many make little effort to understand Orthodoxy, dismissing it as merely an Eastern version of Catholicism.

Meanwhile, the number of Orthodox parishes in the U.S. continues to grow, with many building new churches and welcoming young families into their communities.

Earlier, UOJ reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on television with an Ash Wednesday cross on his forehead.

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