God delights in the prosperity of His servants. Many pastors have seen their lives and ministries abundantly blessed because they dedicated themselves to serving Him. One such pastor is Bishop Dag Heward-Mills. After the early church era, there was a period in Christianity when poverty was closely associated with faith, and the poorer someone was, the more they were seen as devout. Christians during that time believed that wealth was linked to the devil.
However, years later, God raised up various faith and prosperity preachers who ushered the church into a new season of abundance and blessing. As a result, Christians began to understand that it is not God’s will for them to live in poverty, but rather, He desires for them to prosper. God’s blessings upon His servants demonstrate that serving Him brings great reward. A testament to Bishop Dag’s prosperity is the numerous church building projects his ministry has successfully completed.
List of other rich pastors in Africa
Among the wealthiest pastors in Africa are David Oyedepo, E.A. Adeboye, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, and Uebert Angel. David Oyedepo is the pastor of Living Faith Church Worldwide and the presiding bishop of Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. His church, also known as Winners’ Chapel International, is one of the largest in the world, with an auditorium seating 50,000 people, filled to capacity four times each Sunday. Bishop Oyedepo is currently overseeing a major construction project for a new auditorium, called “The Ark,” which will seat over 100,000 people. When asked about his net worth, Oyedepo famously responded, “I am worth whatever I need.”
Another prominent figure on the list is E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). The RCCG is one of the few churches with thousands of branches worldwide. The RCCG has branches in approximately 198 countries and around 14 million worshipers in Nigeria alone. Some consider E.A. Adeboye a prosperity teacher, as he believes it is God’s will for His children to prosper on earth, as this brings great glory to Him.
E.A. Adeboye also served as the second national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.
About Dag Heward-Mills
Dag Heward-Mills is one of Africa’s prominent preachers, with a ministry that exemplifies God’s prosperity. Born on May 14, 1963, he gave his life to Christ during his secondary school years, where he also developed a deep passion for the Lord that has remained ever since. His Christian foundation was nurtured by the Scripture Union, a Christian fellowship on his school campus. After secondary school, Dag pursued his education at the University of Ghana Medical School. In his final year, he founded the Lighthouse Chapel International church.
A pivotal moment in Dag Heward-Mills’ life and ministry occurred during his housemanship rotation at age 25. One night, while praying and listening to a sermon by Kenneth E. Hagin, he felt something “jump” from the tape into his belly. He then heard a voice say, “From today, you can teach.” This encounter marked the moment he received the grace to teach the Word of God.
God anointed Dag Heward-Mills at a young age because He found him faithful in His work. When God anoints someone for ministry, He also provides the grace for them to prosper financially, as the anointing often attracts provision and resources for the work of the kingdom.
Called to the ministry
Bishop Dag Heward-Mills is a renowned megachurch pastor, best-selling Christian author, healing evangelist, and international conference speaker. The church he founded, originally called Lighthouse Chapel, is now known as the United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches and has grown to nearly 4,000 branches worldwide. Bishop Dag is deeply committed to the Great Commission, training and sending out pastors to serve in mission fields across the globe. His church’s vast network of branches is a result of his dedication to raising up young men and women to serve God with their lives.
As a prolific author, Bishop Dag has written over 100 books, with more than 50 million copies in circulation worldwide. His popular titles include “Loyalty and Disloyalty”, “The Mega Church”, “Model Marriage”, “Church Growth”, and “The Art of Leadership”, among many others. His teaching gift allows him to explain complex Christian principles in a practical and easy-to-understand way, making his books accessible to readers everywhere.
In addition to his role as a pastor and author, Dag Heward-Mills is also a healing evangelist who holds large-scale evangelistic campaigns across Africa through the Healing Jesus Campaign, which he founded to win souls for Christ. During these campaigns, many people experience the miracle-working power of God, receiving healing and deliverance from sickness and oppression. Bishop Dag is also a sought-after international conference speaker and hosts the Give Thyself pastors’ conferences, where he imparts his years of ministry experience to pastors and church leaders around the world.
How he became rich
A few years after founding Lighthouse Church, Dag Heward-Mills felt led by God to enter full-time ministry. One day, while praying and reading the Bible, he came across 1 Timothy 4:15: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” This scripture deeply resonated with him, and he sensed God calling him to dedicate himself fully to ministry. Many Christians may not realize that obeying God’s call and prioritizing His kingdom is a key to true prosperity. The success of Dag Heward-Mills’ ministry today is a reflection of his obedience to that call.
Bishop Dag once shared a dream where he was on a journey and encountered a large pile of money on the road. As he began to gather it, he heard God’s voice instructing him to take only what he needed, reassuring him that there would be more such piles along the way. His ministry is a living testament to God’s financial promises, demonstrating that when we seek His kingdom first, He will provide for and prosper us.
Jesus and prosperity
Contrary to what some believe, Jesus was not a poor man. The Bible reveals this in several instances throughout the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians 8:9, it says, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” This verse shows that Jesus was rich but chose to become poor for our sake.
Another indication of Jesus’ wealth during His time on earth is found in Matthew 26:11, where He says, “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.” Here, Jesus distinguishes Himself from the poor, further supporting that He was not among them. Additionally, throughout His ministry, Jesus frequently promised His disciples houses, lands, and other blessings, acknowledging their sacrifices for following Him.
When Jesus speaks of God the Father, He often emphasizes God’s abundance, noting that “in His house are many mansions.” Just as a loving parent delights in providing for their children, God takes pleasure in seeing His children prosper on earth, especially those who serve Him faithfully. That is why God makes Pastors like Dag Heward-Mills, David Oyedepo, E.A Adeboye, Pastor Christ and so many other men of God rich.
The everyday christian and prosperity
Although God desires for Christians to prosper on earth, He does not want us to serve money. In Matthew 6:24, it says, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” One of the greatest idols impacting the body of Christ is money. It has become the master of many Christians, hindering their ability to fully serve God. While money itself is not inherently bad, the love of it leads to destructive consequences.
As 1 Timothy 6:10 warns, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Christians must recognize that chasing after money brings pain and sorrow, and it should not be something we desire above our relationship with God.
Christians who pursue wealth are often focused on earthly matters. An earthly-minded Christian is preoccupied with the things of this world and remains blind to the reality of eternity. Instead, believers should be heavenly-minded, seeking to store up treasures in heaven. It is far more valuable to be rich toward God than to accumulate wealth on earth, as earthly riches quickly fade and are subject to decay. Even though God wants us to be rich, he does not want us to serve money.
Conclusion
It is undoubtedly God’s will for His children to prosper. He desires for them to have houses, cars, and many other blessings here on earth. However, the issue arises when they idolize money and serve it rather than God. God raises men of faith to exemplify the rewards of serving Him. Leaders like Bishop Dag Heward-Mills are living proof of the blessings that come from prioritizing the kingdom of God. Choosing full-time ministry often means embracing a life of uncertainty, and Dag Heward-Mills was willing to take that step. God rewarded him for his faithfulness. When a Christian seeks God’s kingdom first, everything else that people usually strive for is added to them.