Jimmy Swaggart
No rich pastor list would be complete without Jimmy Swaggart, who is considered one of the biggest names in Evangelism.
Ordained in the 1950s, Swaggart devoted much of his life to religion, and even launched his own telecast on a small AM radio network. His religion enjoyed tremendous success early on, which made Swaggart want to reach larger audiences and soon enough, he invaded televisions with weekly sermons and an hour-long weekend telecast that aired on over 200 networks.
The LA Times reported that Swaggart’s ministry was so successful in the 1980s that it made over $150 million a year. But, this was rather short lived, as the evangelist’s reputation tanked hard in the late 1980s and early 1990s after facing prostitution and sex scandals. He would later confess via what’s become known as the “I have sinned” speech, which earned him back many of the followers that left him, as well as helping him gain even more.
He’s since built an estimated $1.5 million fortune through his music, radio, and television ministry.