Pastor Marvin Sapp defended his $40,000 request to his congregation.
At a sermon at Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas, Sapp instructed church ushers to “close the doors” of the sanctuary until attendees contributed the full amount. “Giving is worship,” he told the congregation, as he urged both in-person and online participants to donate.
After a service featuring the famed pastor went viral, fans and detractors critiqued Sapp’s request. But in a post on Facebook, the “Best of Me” singer set the record straight, lest the judgment continue.
Sapp assured critics and supporters that his plea was in the spirit of stewardship. The cathedral will hold the “Engage Conference: A 3N1 Experience” on May 22. Any funds raised during the service will cover the costs of the international gathering.
“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.”
He explained the risks of collecting large sums of money in a physical location, which led to the decision to lock the sanctuary doors.
“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,” Sapp wrote.
Contrary to opinions on social media, Sapp asserted that his request aligned with scripture. As a gospel singer and, first, a shepherd of the Lord, he turned to the word for support. He cited the story of David.
“The Bible says they gave gold, silver, bronze, iron and precious stones. 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.”
The selection of scripture was taken from 1 Chronicles 29. Conversely, the same chapter was used in online critiques of the paste. Many were displeased with the snippet of the service. The pastor was called a hustler. His dedication to the community was questioned. Some even claimed his actions would turn away potential believers.
Sapp challenges those who covered the controversy to note his response.
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