Gospel singer and Bishop Marvin Sapp is addressing claims that he held his parishioners “hostage” after a resurfaced video shows him demanding ushers to close the church doors while asking the congregation for $40K in donations.
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In July 2024, Marvin Sapp preached at the 109th Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. Toward the end of his sermon, Sapp talked about paying $2,000 to get his ordination and licensing renewed.
He asked, “How am I going to preach up here and not lead by example? Leadership leads, and they understand the cost that is involved.” After sharing his story with the congregation, he repeatedly proceeds to ask the ushers in the church to “close the doors.” As he urges the ushers to shut the doors, he then tells the congregation that there are 1,000 of them in the sanctuary and another 1,000 watching online. He further “challenges” everyone to donate $20 so that he can raise $40,000 total. He then “challenges” the preachers to donate $100, claiming, “It costs to sit up here” on stage with him.
Marvin Sapp Denies Keeping Congregation ‘Hostage’ For Tithes In Resurfaced Video
After receiving tons of backlash and criticism for his actions and comments, Marvin Sapp addressed it all on his Facebook page. He began:
“Response: Let’s Add Context to the Clip on Social Media. Recently, a clip has gone viral of me challenging 2,000 individuals(virtually and in person) to plant a seed of $20 during an international gathering held at a convention center, with over 4,000 people in attendance that evening plus virtual viewers. In that same moment, I also challenged leadership to lead by example by sowing $100. That evening, I personally gave much more. Some have taken issue with a particular moment when I instructed the ushers, rather firmly, to close the doors during the offering. To those unfamiliar with the church context or who may not regularly attend worship gatherings this has been misinterpreted as holding people hostage as well as offensive. That was never my intent.”
Sapp continued:
“The truth is, when finances are being received in any worship gathering, it is one of the most vulnerable and exposed times for both the finance and security teams. Movement during this sacred exchange can be distracting and, at times, even risky. My directive was not about control it was about creating a safe, focused, and reverent environment for those choosing to give, and for those handling the resources. Unfortunately, in this social media age, snippets are easily shared without context, and assumptions are quickly made without understanding the full picture. Conferences have budgets. Churches have budgets. And people have budgets. As the assigned ministerial gift for this international gathering, one of my responsibilities was to help raise the conference budget. That’s not manipulation, it’s stewardship.”
Marvin Sapp Offers Scripture While Addressing Donation Demand In Resurfaced Video
Marvin Sapp continued to offer some scripture:
“Now allow me to give you some biblical context, not opinion, not tradition, but Scripture. In 1 Chronicles 29, we find a powerful moment where David, preparing for the building of the temple, challenges the people to give. He starts by giving his own treasure over and above what he had already set aside. Then he calls on the leaders to do the same. What happened next? The people gave willingly and generously. In fact, they gave so much that a record was kept of each gift, and ultimately, David had to tell the people to stop giving because the need had been exceeded. The Bible says they gave gold, silver, bronze, iron, and precious stones.”
His shared scripture continued:
“Specific amounts were recorded not because God needed their money, but because the people needed to show their commitment to the vision and because stewardship demands accountability. So when someone challenges people to give a specific amount, it is not unbiblical. It is not manipulation. It is in order. It is consistent with Scripture. But here’s the tension: people’s traditions often conflict with biblical truth. That’s why Jesus Himself said, ‘The traditions of men make the word of God of no effect.’ (Mark 7:13) So yes, you saw a moment. But I invite you to understand the movement behind it. I felt it was necessary to provide context to this clip, and I hope you’ll share this explanation with the same passion and speed that the original clip was shared. Honor, clarity, and truth are what I owe the people and I’ll always provide just that.”
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