Jesse Duplantis is an American evangelical minister, televangelist, and author who has a net worth of $20 million. Jesse Duplantis is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, a Christian organization headquartered in Destrehan, Louisiana.

Duplantis has preached internationally and appeared on religious television for several decades. He is associated with the prosperity gospel, a theological movement whose teachers emphasize faith, positive confession, donations, and the belief that spiritual commitment can produce material prosperity.

Known for combining sermons with humor and personal stories, Duplantis has been nicknamed the "Apostle of Joy." His television broadcasts have aired across the United States and internationally, while his books have reportedly sold more than 1.2 million copies.

Duplantis has also generated controversy because of his ministry's private aircraft and the large residence it provides for him. In 2018, he attracted national attention after discussing plans to acquire a Dassault Falcon 7X valued at approximately $54 million. Because the residence and aircraft are ministry-owned assets, their full value should not automatically be included in Duplantis's personal net worth.

Jesse Duplantis was born on July 9, 1949, in New Orleans, Louisiana, and grew up in Houma. He was raised in a Catholic Cajun family.

Before entering ministry, Duplantis worked as a musician. He played guitar and performed with the band Summer Wine under the stage name Jerry Jaxon. He has said that he also worked as a replacement musician for touring acts.

Duplantis became more interested in Christianity after hearing evangelist Billy Graham speak about salvation. He preached his first sermon in 1976 and entered full-time ministry during the late 1970s.

Duplantis founded Jesse Duplantis Ministries to support his preaching, television programs, publications, speaking appearances, and international outreach.

The ministry established its headquarters in Destrehan, a community outside New Orleans. Its operations have included television production facilities, offices, a church, publishing activities, and aviation facilities.

Duplantis developed a preaching style that mixed prosperity teachings with comedy, personal anecdotes, and stories about his experiences as a traveling minister. The nickname "Apostle of Joy" became closely associated with his public image.

His broadcasts have appeared on religious television networks in the United States and abroad. The ministry has also distributed sermons through radio, books, magazines, recordings, streaming services, and its own digital platforms.

In 1997, Jesse and his wife, Cathy Duplantis, founded Covenant Church as a local extension of Jesse Duplantis Ministries.

Cathy has served as a pastor, teacher, administrator, magazine editor, and television co-host. She has also led women's conferences and produced her own teaching materials.

The church operates on the ministry's Destrehan property and serves the surrounding New Orleans area.

Duplantis has written numerous religious and motivational books. His best-known titles include "Heaven: Close Encounters of the God Kind," "Wanting a God You Can Talk To," "Jambalaya for the Soul," and "The Battle of Life."

His books have been translated into multiple languages and distributed internationally. According to his publisher, his titles have sold more than 1.2 million copies.

Duplantis has also produced a large catalog of sermon series, audio programs, videos, devotionals, magazines, and partner-exclusive publications. Revenue connected to his work may include royalties, speaking income, licensing payments, compensation from the ministry, and sales of books and recorded material.

Jesse Duplantis Ministries has owned and operated private aircraft for Duplantis's domestic and international travel.

Duplantis has argued that private aviation allows him to reach multiple destinations quickly, avoid airline schedules, transport his staff, and continue working while in flight. Critics have argued that luxury aircraft are excessive for a tax-exempt religious organization supported by donations.

In 2018, Duplantis discussed his desire to acquire a Dassault Falcon 7X, which was valued at approximately $54 million. He said the longer-range aircraft would allow the ministry to travel internationally without stopping to refuel.

The proposal produced widespread criticism. Duplantis later emphasized that he was asking supporters to pray about the aircraft and contribute only if they felt called to do so.

The aircraft connected to Duplantis have generally been described as ministry assets rather than planes owned by him personally.

Duplantis lives in a large ministry-owned residence in Destrehan. The building contains roughly 22,000 square feet of interior living space and nearly 35,000 square feet when garages, patios, and accessory areas are included.

The property has been classified as a parsonage and is owned by Jesse Duplantis Ministries. That ownership structure has made the property eligible for religious tax exemptions.

Duplantis has publicly described the residence as being worth considerably more than its original assessed construction value. However, because the ministry owns the property, it should not be treated in the same manner as a personally owned home when calculating his net worth.

Jesse married Cathy Duplantis in 1970. They have one daughter, Jodi. Cathy and Jodi have both appeared in ministry broadcasts and family programs produced by Jesse Duplantis Ministries.