Marvin Sapp, a renowned gospel singer and pastor, has recently come under fire for a resurfaced video from July 2024. In this footage, Sapp is seen urging his congregation to raise $40,000 during a service at the 109th Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Convention in Baltimore. He requested that 1,000 in-person attendees and 1,000 online viewers each contribute $20, and even instructed the ushers to “close the doors,” implying that no one should leave until the funds were collected.
The audacity of this demand is staggering. Church should be a sanctuary, a place of spiritual solace and community support, not a venue for high-pressure financial solicitations. Congregants attend services seeking guidance and fellowship, not to be subjected to what feels like a hostage situation over monetary contributions.
Social media users have expressed their outrage over the incident. One Instagram user commented, “Never would’ve gave ittttt,” a play on Sapp’s famous song “Never Would Have Made It.” Another user on X (formerly Twitter) remarked, “Marvin Sapp is clearly HUSTLING his congregation for 40k— and using God’s name to do it.”
It’s deeply troubling when religious leaders, who are entrusted with guiding their communities, resort to such tactics. Faith should never be leveraged as a means to coerce financial gain. While churches do have operational expenses, transparency and voluntary giving should be the foundation of any fundraising efforts. Congregants should feel moved to give out of genuine support, not pressured under duress.
