Bishop Marvin Sapp has responded to a viral video that stirred uproar online, clarifying that his call to “close the doors” during a fundraising moment was about safety, not coercion, and defending his actions as responsible stewardship rather than manipulation.
The footage, resurfaced from the 109th Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Convention in Baltimore in July 2024, shows Sapp urging 2,000 attendees to donate $20 each, aiming to raise $40,000 for the conference budget.
In the clip, he also challenged clergy onstage to give $100, emphasizing leadership by example, and instructed ushers to shut the doors—a move that sparked accusations of a “sanctified shakedown” and claims he was holding congregants hostage.
In a Facebook statement, Sapp addressed the backlash: “Recently, a clip has gone viral of me challenging 2,000 individuals…to plant a seed of $20 during an international gathering… Some have taken issue with a particular moment when I instructed the ushers, rather firmly, to close the doors during the offering.”
He explained that in worship settings, the collection of funds is a vulnerable time for finance and security teams, where movement can pose risks.
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“My directive was not about control—it was about creating a safe, focused, and reverent environment,” he wrote, lamenting how “snippets are easily shared without context” in the social media era.
As the designated minister for the event, Sapp underscored his role in raising the conference budget: “That’s not manipulation, it’s stewardship.”
He noted his significant contribution that night, far exceeding the $20 he asked of others, and framed the appeal as a biblical response to receiving God’s word, likening it to ancient offerings of livestock or grain—currency of their time. “Current means a flow… Stuff that’s happening now, this is what I feel led of God to do now,” he said in the full video.
The sermon, “Temporary Tears: Your Crying Days Are Over,” preceded the offering, encouraging resilience amid life’s challenges.
Sapp then tied giving to gratitude: “Because of your acknowledgement of what God did in word, there is an obligation that is attached.”
He jokingly told attendees they’d all leave together—likely for dinner—after 1,000 in-person and 1,000 online donors met the $20 goal, while pressing leaders to “lead in time, talent, and treasure.”
Social media erupted, with critics like @Carramello arguing, “That video of Marvin Sapp hustling the congregation for $40,000 is exactly why people stray away from the church”
@ABitOfKwansLife threatened to call 911 over perceived “false imprisonment.” Sapp, however, remains steadfast, asserting that the misinterpretation overlooks the broader context of faith, duty, and communal support.
