re: Richest Pastors in the World (Updated w/ full list)

Macedo is an interesting dude.

He's basically like Billy Graham on steroids but in an extremely religious country. They've peeled off huge numbers of Roman Catholics since the 1970's or so.

He was the peak of the anti-liberation theology (proselytized by a lot of Roman Catholic clergy at the time in Brazil and Argentina) movement in South America and drew a ton of power through that. He's essentially the anti-Pope Francis, in a way.

If Francis is one extreme that Latin Christianity can produce, then Macedo is the other.

I'd be interested to know how many of these pastors actually have that net worth due strictly to "tithes" or "donations"

I'd imagine a good portion if not nearly all of it is from some other source outside of that (books, tapes, personal investments, etc...)

I'm not opposed to anyone using their talents to acquire wealth, including pastors.

Are any of these pastors truly doing what God would want them to? Do they truly believe what they preach? I don't know, it's not my business to know and it's not my place to judge.

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There is just no way I can be of the same species of mindless animal that truly believes in the supernatural as explained in that 2,500 year old book.

I can accept it only by recognizing that 90+% of the people that profess to believe (100% of the people in the OP's list) are just lying out of some combination of peer pressure, financial/social gain, and/or fear, things that have no sway with me.

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sounds like you've really sorted it through and have it all figured out. Best wishes to you.

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PygmalionEffect

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I remember my first year of college...

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it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

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I guess they don't read their Bible and follow it.

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I immediately thought the same thing, but Rick Warren is pretty good. He's written some great books, which is where a lot of these people's money came from

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None of them are good. These types of "pastors" are just glorified motivational speakers.

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Seriously, no pastor that's worth that much is a real pastor.

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So just because they get paid to do their job, they're not real pastors?

I'd say the fact that God has given them such blessings proves that they are the only true pastors. Jesus did claim he would bless those who spread his word. Some people are just jealous I guess.

For the record. Rick Warren made his fortune from books.

When he received the first large chunk, he paid the church back for every dime of salary they had ever paid him, and now works for free.

He and TD Jakes are the only pastors on this list that aren't scam artists or preachers of "prosperity" gospel.

Billy Graham is 95 years old and is a successful author and speaker. He was an extremely hard worker earned every penny he made. At 95, if I'm still alive, I expect to be worth a good bit as well.

1 Timothy 5:17-18

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

I can't speak for the others, but I'm familiar with Billy Graham. If the insinuation is that he fleeced people for money, that is just flat-out wrong.