Pastors are no longer solely interested in getting people to Heaven; they've devised intelligent ways to make good money while reaching out to souls. Take Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, for example. He is the founder and lead pastor of the Christ Embassy, a thriving congregation with branches in Nigeria, South Africa, London, Canada and the United States. His publishing company, Loveworld Publications, publishes 'Rhapsody of Realities,' a monthly devotional he co-authors with his wife. It sells over 2 million copies every month at $1 apiece. He also owns television stations, newspapers, magazines, a hotel, a fast-food chain,and more.
Many other Nigerian pastors are similarly building multi-million dollar empires from their churches. Today, pastors fly around in private jets, drive fancy cars like Daimlers, Porsches and BMWs, don Rolexes and Patek Phillipes, and own breathtaking mansions all over the world.
After the blog post I wrote in May about Nigerian pastors owning private jets, I was bombarded with emails from readers requesting to know the richest pastors in Nigeria. So I set out to investigate the assets of some of Nigeria's most prominent pastors, and I came up with conservative estimates of their fortunes. I contacted representatives for all of the pastors and all except Matthew Ashimolowo's representative confirmed ownership of the assets I list. Representatives for Pastor Ashimolowo did not respond to my emails.
Bishop David Oyedepo
Affiliation: Living Faith World
Outreach Ministry, aka Winners Chapel
Estimated net worth: $150 million
David Oyedepo is Nigeria's wealthiest
preacher. Ever since he founded the
Living Faith World Outreach Ministry
in 1981, it has grown to become one of
Africa's largest congregations. The
Faith Tabernacle, where he hosts three
services every Sunday, is Africa's
largest worship center, with a seating
capacity of 50,000. Oyedepo owns four
private jets and homes in London and
the United States. He also owns
Dominion Publishing House, a thriving
publishing company that publishes all
his books (which are often centered on
prosperity). He founded and owns
Covenant University, one of Nigeria's
leading tertiary institutions, and Faith
Academy, an elite high school.
Chris Oyakhilome
Church: Believers' Loveworld
Ministries, a.k.a Christ Embassy
Estimated net worth: $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. Pastor Chris
pleaded no wrongdoing and the case
was eventually dismissed. His church,
Christ Embassy, boasts more than
40,000 members, several of whom are
successful business executives and
politicians. Oyakhilome's diversified
interests include newspapers,
magazines, a local television station, a
record label, satellite TV, hotels and
extensive real estate. His Loveworld TV
Network is the first Christian network
to broadcast from Africa to the rest of
the world on a 24 hour basis.
Temitope Joshua
Church: Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN)
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. The Pastor
has remained controversial for several
years for his inexplicable powers to heal
all sorts of incurable diseases, including
HIV/AIDS, cancer and paralysis. For miracle-craving worshippers, it's the
perfect seduction. The church currently
has branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Greece. In
the past three years, he has given over
$20 million to causes in education, healthcare and rehabilitation programs
for former Niger Delta militants. He owns Emmanuel TV, a Christian television network, and is close friends with Ghanaian President Atta Mills.
Matthew Ashimolowo Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) Estimated net worth: $6 million – $10 million
In 1992, Foursquare Gospel Church, a
Nigerian church, sent Ashimolowo to
open a satellite branch in London. But
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 United Kingdom. In 2009, the church posted profits of close to $10 million and assets worth $40 million. Ashimolowo earns an annual salary of $200,000, but his real wealth comes from varied business interests including his media company, Matthew Ashimolowo media, which churns out Christian literature and documentaries. Ashimolowo's representatives did not
respond to a request confirming his net
worth and ownership of all these assets.
Chris Okotie
Church: Household of God Church
Net worth: $3 million -$10 million
Pastor Okotie made his first success as
a popular pop musician in the 80s. He
found the light, embraced the bible and
set up the Household of God Church, one of Nigeria's most flamboyant congregations. His 5,000 member church consists predominantly of Nollywood celebrities, musicians, and society people. He contested and lost Nigerian presidential elections for the third time this year under the Fresh Party, a political party he founded and funds. An automobile lover, he owns a Mercedes S600, Hummer and Porsche among several others.
www.trueheart2love.diydating.com
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