Net Worth: $10 million Joyce Meyer’s faith is a little different to those you’ve seen so far on this list. The woman is a charismatic Christian minister, a movement that has affected a variety of different Christian denominations and that centers around proponents having “gifts” from the Holy Spirit, such as healing, divination and the ability to speak in tongues or cast out demons.
Meyer has authored several books and, like Paula White, she tends to add humor to her speaking engagements, even poking fun at typical Christian behavior. Through her television shows, radio programs, public speaking tours and publications, Meyer has amassed a considerable fortune. When criticized for the lavish lifestyle (she has a penchant for private jets, among other extravagances), Meyer has been known to respond with: “there’s no need for us to apologize for being blessed.”
Matthew Ashimolowo
Net Worth: $10 million Another Nigerian-born pastor for the list. Unlike Chris Okotie, Matthew Ashimolowo left his home nation for the Western world, settling in London, England. There, Ashimolowo presides over the Kingsway International Christian Centre. He has a daily radio program which airs, not just in London, but all throughout Europe and back in his homeland of Nigeria.
According to Forbes magazine, most of Matthew Ashimolowo’s fortune has been amassed through the sale of Christian literature and income from his media company, which bears the straight-forward title, Matthew Ashimolowo Media. The charity behind Ashimolowo’s church (which Ashimolowo is in charge of) has been investigated for improper use of charitable funds.
Jesse Jackson
Net Worth: $10 million Here’s a pastor you’re sure to have heard of before today. Along with his Christian ministry, Jesse Jackson is a civil rights activist and politician. While he was ordained way back in 1968, Jackson is perhaps better known for his political activism and civil rights work. Jackson shared Chris Okotie’s conviction that strong Christian morals were an important foundation for any presidential candidate. Just as Okotie ran for leadership in Nigeria, Jackson ran for presidency of the United States in 1984 and then again in 1988.
While Jackson was unsuccessful in his presidential bids, he did serve from 1991 to 1997 as a shadow US senator. The man is highly respected for all the work he has done for the American people and has received numerous awards over the years, including a Jefferson Award in 1979 for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged. In 2006, a black voices poll determined Jackson to be not just one of but the “most important black leader."
Peter Popoff
Net Worth: $10 million Peter Popoff is the quintessential televangelist. While he was born in Berlin, Popoff emigrated to the US and, by the late '70s, had kicked of a career as a TV minster. Popoff’s seemingly miraculous faith healing “gift” made him a sensation and people marveled at his ability to somehow know what ailments people were suffering from and even there names.
Turns out it wasn’t God whispering in Popoff’s ear, but his wife, Elizabeth. She would get a list of attendees before each show, including the ailments they were hoping to have healed. She would then communicate these details to Popoff through an earpiece. It was all just smoke and mirrors and theatrics. When the hoax was revealed in the '80s, Popoff disappeared for 10 years: long enough for the dust to settle and for people to forget his deceit. The fraudulent healer had a second coming in the '90s with the same shtick repackaged for a new audience.
Ed Young
Net Worth: $11 million Now for a pastor who has done a lot of genuine good in the world: Edwin Barry Young. Armed with his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Young founded the Fellowship Church back in 1990. From humble beginnings in a rented office space, Young gradually built the church, adding international ministry and aid work along the way.
In addition to massive international projects, like helping the survivors of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Young is responsible for outreach work back home in the States. His church now has a number of in-prison campuses to provide support to inmates. The clean-cut Baptist preacher can be seen on Ed Young Television, Fellowship Live and C3 Global and has also authored a number of books.