

Morris Cerullo While Morris Cerullo also falls under the category of televangelists who claim to have healing powers, it seems like he had a number of cases that had the opposite effect. For example, after a woman claimed that Cerullo had healed her epilepsy, she believed that she no longer required medication. However, she passed away not too shortly after. The same thing happened to a girl who believed Cerullo had cured her cancer. Nevertheless, she died two months later.

Pat Robertson Unlike many of the other televangelists on this list, there doesn’t seem to be one defining secret that has single-handedly tarnished Pat Roberston’s reputation. Over the years, the preacher has generally offended people for the things he has said about certain religions and ethnic groups. He has also expressed extremely controversial views about topics such as homosexuality and abortion. In 2010, in light of the Haiti earthquake, Robertson claimed that the Haitian people were cursed ever since their founders made a “pact with the Devil.”

Peter Popoff With supposedly “divine powers” at his disposal, Peter Popoff’s show would see him unleash these powers on random members of his audience. In one stroke, he would identify their condition and with another, he apparently had the ability to heal them. However, Popoff was so exposed as a fraud, using an earpiece and receiving pre-submitted information about the people in question. And after people believed that Popoff was giving them “miracle water,” this was also later debunked. He actually bought the water from Costco.

Jimmy Swaggart Appearing on thousands of channels every week, Jimmy Swaggart was one of the most recognizable televangelists of the ’80s. After building one of the most profitable businesses in the world of televangelism, Swaggart ended up nearly losing everything. In 1988, the preacher was caught with an escort by his side. Despite this, Swaggart was able to maintain his career for a little longer. Just a few years later though, the same exact thing happened and there were no more second chances for him.

Joyce Meyer She still might be going ’til this very day, but there is no doubt that Joyce Meyer has her fair share of critics. This is in no small part due to her ostentatious displays of wealth, such as her many luxury homes and private jets. Critics have called the lifestyle hypocritical and have even been skeptical about the source of so much money. Nevertheless, Meyer is one of the most popular female televangelists out there and was ranked by Time Magazine as the 17th most influential evangelical.

George Alan Rekers Before his own fall from grace, George Alan Rekers was one of the most famous televangelists who used therapeutic methods to “turn” homosexuals. So when The Miami New Times reported that the preacher was at an airport returning from a romantic getaway with a younger man, there was no denying the sharp twist of irony in this scandal. Although Rekers was quick to deny that the trip was in anyway romantic, he still ended up resigning from the NARTH board – the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality.

Gilbert Deya Another televangelist who claimed to have special healing abilities was Gilbert Deya, who moved to the U.K. from Kenya in the ’90s. After becoming the head of a number of churches, Deya claimed that his powers were able to make infertile women have children. However, it was soon revealed that Deya and his family were actually kidnapping babies from their home country and using this as the cover up for his supernatural powers. A few years after his arrest, Deya was extradited back to Kenya.

Kent Hovind One of the televangelists that many scientists have criticized over the years is Kent Hovind, whose radical creationist theories have made the headlines a number of times. The Baptist minister believes that there was a time in history when humans and dinosaurs coexisted, which he calls the “Hovind Theory.” As a result of this, both creationists and scientists have been extremely critical. That’s not all though. Hovind also got into legal trouble when he falsely declared bankruptcy. He is currently serving 10 years in prison.

Robert Tilton One of the other televangelists to make a name for himself during the ’80s was Success-N-Life host Robert Tilton. Referred to as “the fastest growing television ministry in America,” Success-N-Life catapulted Tilton into the ’90s as one of the most successful TV preachers around, raking in a cool $80 million each year. However, after it was revealed that he was taking home the money that viewers submitted to have their prayers answered, it was time for Tilton to call it quits.

W.V. Grant Another one of those televangelists who claimed to have “healing powers,” Walter Vinson “W.V.” Grant soon attracted a lot of skeptics after leading his Dallas-based ministry. Just like Peter Popoff, Grant was provided with information about members of the audience and read it out loud. However, Grant’s fall from grace was sealed when he was arrested in 1996 for tax evasion. Despite this, Grant came back louder and stronger upon release, only to be called out again on his healing powers.

Mike Warnke One of the most unique televangelists on this list, Mike Warnke separated himself from the crowd with the belief system that he once subscribed to – Satanism. However, he eventually became a Christian and saw his most successful years during the ’80s and ’90s. Then, after a number of friends spoke about him in interviews, it was soon revealed that pretty much everything Warnke had claimed over the years wasn’t true. Moreover, it was also revealed that Warnke had had numerous affairs and divorces.

Creflo Dollar With so many ministries and institutes to his name, Creflo Dollar has achieved so much in his time as a televangelist. In 2012, the founder of Georgia’s non-denominational World Changers Church was arrested after reportedly choking his daughter. Despite this report about his violent behavior from the Fayette County, Georgia sheriff’s office, Dollar denied such allegations. Nevertheless, it is well-documented that the preacher has taken courses in anger management and the charges were believed to have been dropped in 2013.

Billy James Hargis Although he was one of the most well-respected radio evangelists during his prime, Billy James Hargis fell from considerable grace after running the American Christian College. He founded the institution back in 1971, which aimed to teach Christian values to its students. However, the seemingly normal setup escalated into a scandal, with many accusing Hargis of having acted inappropriately with a number of the college’s students. This caused him to step away from his position and then, soon after, the entire school was shut down.

T.B. Joshua Another televangelist who claimed to have a healing water for his followers was Nigerian minister T.B. (Temitope Balogun) Joshua. According to him, his “New Anointing Water” had the potential to heal all sorts of illnesses. Furthermore, the preacher’s ads claimed that whoever simply took a sip of the water would “break through the medium of anointing water.” However, skeptics would soon debunk these bizarre claims and, as a result, this would end up severely damaging T.B. Joshua’s reputation.

Bob Larson A self-proclaimed expert of all things supernatural, Bob Larson has been inspiring the people of Phoenix, Arizona for years at the Spiritual Freedom Church. However, the televangelist has been caught up in a number of issues revolving around money and, most notably, gross misconduct. To explain the latter, Larson claimed that there were demons who were impersonating him. As a result of this, Larson believed that God was telling him to “revive Christian radio,” and would need $1.9 million to achieve this.

Earl Paulk For the good part of 30 years, Earl Paulk was the head pastor at Chapel Hill Harvester Church in Decatur, Georgia. However, it was soon revealed that the preacher had been up to some clandestine activity during that time period when a number of female attendees claimed to have had affairs with Paulk. Then, things went from bad to worse for Paulk, when his supposed nephew, Donnie Earl Paulk, found out that he was actually his son after a court-ordered DNA test. This meant that Paulk had been romantically linked to his sister-in-law.

Benny Hinn Probably the most notable thing that Benny Hinn is known for is his Miracle Crusades – an initiative that helps inspire people through meetings and faith healing. It was during this time that many claimed to have been healed by Hinn for conditions such as AIDS, cancer, and blindness, to name a few. Naturally, though, Hinn fell under much scrutiny over whether his healing powers were legitimate or not. Also, the IRS and the FBI have previously raided Hinn’s house.

Tony Alamo One of the most infamous stories revolving around a televangelist was that of Tony Alamo and his wife, Susie. After founding the cult Alamo Christian Foundation, the Alamos fell under much suspicion and were eventually accused of abuse of minors, as well as polygamy. As a result, the FBI went to their headquarters in 2008 and, just a year later, Alamo was arrested. Soon enough, Tony Alamo was sentenced to a staggering 175 years in prison, meaning that he still has a long way to go.

Kerney Thomas Kerney Thomas might not have gotten into too many legal entanglements over the years, but he is certainly one of the strangest televangelists out there. The preacher has made a living out of taking calls on morning programs, normally on BET, and giving people advice. However, it’s the way that Thomas delivers his words of wisdom that has raised a lot of eyebrows. He has been called “The Screaming Preacher,” due to his tendency to scream during his sermons.

Lonnie Frisbee While many televangelists claim to have healing powers, not many of them claim to be fully-fledged prophets. However, Lonnie Frisbee was an exceptional case, convincing many that he was, in fact, a “seeing prophet.” The Pentecostal evangelist even sported the stereotypical Jesus look, with the long flowing hair and beard. Having a large part to play in the development of the Calvary Chapel, Frisbee was soon kicked out of it after it was revealed that he was actually homosexual. In 1993, he died from AIDS.

Marcus Lamb If you are the founder of the second largest Christian TV network on the planet, you must be doing something right. Marcus Lamb is the man in question, helming a network with his wife that has over 90 TV stations. However, when 2010 came around, Lamb made a confession on TV for millions to see – he had cheated on his wife. Not only that, but he also explained that the reason he made the confession was that he had been blackmailed for $7.5 million.

Jim Bakker Televangelists have the power to influence millions with their words inspiration. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and some of the biggest stars in the world of televangelism have failed to use it well. Arguably one of the most prolific televangelists of his time, Jim Bakker eventually had to face the music when a former employee, Jessica Hahn, accused him of gross misconduct. That’s not all though. It is also believed that Bakker was taking home large chunks of his followers’ donations.

Aimee Semple McPherson Although her time as an evangelist came during the dawn of TV, Aime Semple McPherson was just as notorious as all the other preachers on this list. She ended up faking her own death in order to hide from the accusations that she had previously had an affair. However, she was eventually found alive and well. As a result, McPherson prolonged the lie, claiming that she had been kidnapped. The preacher was also sued by her daughter. She ended up dying from an accidental overdose.

Joe Barron Out of the 40 ministers who served at Texas’s Prestonwood Baptist Church, there was no denying that Joe Barron was the most scandalous. With over 26,000 members, Prestonwood is undoubtedly one of the biggest Christian institutions in the United Stated. However, things took a very dark turn when Barron was exposed. Apparently, after meeting a 13-year-old girl online, he had driven to another city to meet her. But when he arrived at the meeting spot, it turns out that a policeman was there, ready to arrest him.

Paul Crouch With the biggest evangelical Christian TV network on the planet, Pat Crouch and his co-founder wife Jan were seemingly untouchable. After establishing Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Crouch became the host of the network’s most popular show, Praise the Lord. However, it would soon come to light that Crouch’s fundraising techniques were nothing short of questionable. Not to mention the rumored affair that Crouch had with his employee, Enoch Lonnie Ford. Nevertheless, it was revealed that the Crouches had used donations to live a life of luxury.

Joel Osteen Arguably the most popular televangelist in recent times, Joel Osteen is a second-generation preacher who attracts more than 20 million viewers hailing from over 100 countries. All in all, Osteen has had a fairly clean-cut career. However, even he has been involved in a handful of legal issues over the years. While Osteen and his church were sued for copyright infringement in 2011, a much more serious accusation came six years later when a family sued the preacher, claiming that their 18-year-old daughter had been injured during an altercation at his church.

Todd Bentley Todd Bentley’s fall from grace was much more gradual than some of the other televangelists on this list. Although it was believed that he had healed tens of thousands of people at his Lakeland Revival in Florida, the cracks soon started to show. In fact, ABC’s Nightline conducted a thorough investigation and soon learned that not one successful case had been confirmed. Bentley’s affair with his co-worker Jessa Hasbrook certainly didn’t help his case and he quit the revival after he left his wife.

Michael Reid One of the most notorious televangelists to have come out of the United Kingdom, Michael Reid first stole the headlines about a decade ago. In April 2008, the man from Essex got into trouble when he confessed to having an affair that went on for eight years. As a result, Reid walked away from Peniel Church and stepped down as its pastor. Since then, Reid has been trying to right his wrongs, traveling around the world and giving inspirational talks.

Oral Roberts One of the pioneer televangelists, Oral Roberts began working on the radio back in 1947 and eventually transitioned into TV. Despite being well respected in the Christian world for such a long time, many grew skeptical when the preacher did something out of the ordinary in order to raise money for his ministry. After locking himself in a tower, Roberts made an emotional announcement, saying that God would “call him home” if he couldn’t raise $8 million worth of donations. In the end, though, he was able to raise more than that – $9.1 million.