Popular televangelist and prosperity gospel preacher, died at 76 earlier this year. Jerry Savelle Ministries International announced his passing on Facebook. The post recounted how he was “a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, pastor, mentor, and resolute friend.” Savelle began his work in 1969 and reportedly has preached at around 3,500 churches in more than 40 countries.
The ministry stated that “Brother Jerry’s journey on earth was one of immense impact, rooted in the powerful love of Jesus Christ. His life testified to the beauty of grace and power of faith.” They went on to say “As he often reminded us, through God’s hands, ‘nobodies’ are turned into champions, and today, he has received the crown of righteousness laid up for all who are called according to His purpose.”
JSMI also pleaded with well-wishers to pray for “Mrs. Savelle, Jerriann, Terri, and the entire family” and to “celebrate his life, remembering and honoring the legacy of character, faith, and integrity that Dr. Jerry Savelle so gracefully built.” His group is based in Crowley, Texas, and has offices in Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
They stated “We will announce the details of Dr. Savelle’s celebration of life as they are confirmed over the next week. Please look for updates, which will be made public at the appropriate time.” Savelle was a notable supporter of the prosperity gospel. This is a controversial belief that faith in God leads to improved health and financial well-being. His thoughts were outlined in his 2014 book, Why God Wants You to Prosper.
The official synopsis, says “In this book, Jerry Savelle establishes a biblical foundation for understanding the principles of divine prosperity, with a special focus on the reasons why so many of God’s people are in financial bondage.” It also explains that the teachings “Based on more than forty years of ministry experience, he then provides a step-by-step explanation of what it takes to walk out of financial bondage and receive God’s promised prosperity.”
It does temper these promises by explaining that people have “mistakenly approached biblical prosperity as if it were a get-rich-scheme,” the synopsis added that “God has already provided the way out of financial bondage and into a lifestyle of prosperity — if you are willing to obey His instructions and apply His principles to your life.” People have criticized prosperity gospel preachers, like the infamous Kenneth Copeland, for their great personal wealth.
Russell S. Woodbridge of The Gospel Coalition wrote a seminal piece that examined the movement and cited Savelle as a specific example. “The prosperity gospel is built on a quasi-Christian heresy, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States, known as New Thought. This philosophy teaches that the key to health and wealth acquisition is thinking, visualizing, and speaking the right words,” he wrote.
He also noted that “The prosperity gospel says you are good and can bend circumstances to your will. Simply change your thinking and your words, believe, and then God — your cosmic bellhop — will give you a push on the road to success.” Less than a year ago, Savelle’s daughter posted a video with her father posing next to a $3 million private jet.
Users on X have long criticized prosperity gospel preachers. “Hey @NinjaJedi1 & @DaronKnol, if this is true, he will probably buy a few more million dollar jets!” one post reacted. “He’s an evil guy man. You can see it in his eyes,” another user mentioned. Another online commentator said “Kenneth needs to be exposed.” However, some users were more positive. “Only time will tell, hopefully, God will continue to speak to him and he will obey,” this user pointed out.