8. Franklin Graham: $25 Million
Franklin Graham is the son of the famous pastor Billy Graham, and the president of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse. He was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina with four other siblings.
After finishing his primary education at The Stony Brook School, a Christian private school in New York, he attended LeTourneau College in Longview, Texas. He wasn’t there for long before being expelled from the school for keeping a female classmate out past curfew.
Three years later, the 22-year-old had a conversion experience where he fully committed himself to Jesus Christ in a hotel room while on a trip to Jerusalem. After eight years of proving himself, he was ordained in 1982 by the Grace Community Church in Tempe, Arizona.
During those years, Franklin was mentored by two senior members of the Billy Graham Team and eventually took over organizing events for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He was so successful, he became the CEO and president of the company and continues to be today.
Despite his contributions to world relief, Franklin is not without controversies. He was a supporter of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and referred to Islam as “a very evil and wicked religion.” Last year, he wrote a column titled “Putin’s Olympic Controversy,” in which he praised the Russian leader’s anti-gay crusade.
Extremely different views than his beloved father, who is covered next.
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