Gospel musician and pastor, Marvin Sapp, has been widely criticized by the online community after he made a fundraising appeal at a recent church convention in the United States, which has been considered as absurd by many.
Netizens are criticizing him after a video surfaced online showing him asking congregants to collectively donate $40,000 during a church gathering.
In the widely circulated footage, Sapp is seen instructing ushers to lock the church doors to ensure that attendees contribute financially to the appeal. “There’s 1,000 of you. I said close them doors. Ushers, close the doors,” Sapp is heard telling the gathering. He is further seen encouraging worshippers to “sow a $20 seed,” with some participants spotted giving $100 notes.
The incident has triggered mixed reactions, particularly on social media, where critics have accused the preacher of employing coercive tactics to compel donations.
One social media user fumed, “That’s not faith, that’s a shakedown,” while another posted, “He’s hustling his congregation for $40K in God’s name.”
Marvin Sapp responding the criticism in a Facebook post denied any intention to manipulate or control worshippers.
“My directive was not about control,” he clarified. “It was about creating a safe, focused, and reverent environment for those choosing to give.”
Read some comments below:
@stoppfeenin – “2 CORINTHIANS 9:7— Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
@OnikasKatana – I promise I would’ve called the police and screamed I’m being kidnapped
@DrAPearson – Waitwaitwait, I just watched the full video, he told them to shut up??? Black people we gotta be better
@alienwithclout – preachers or whatever he is playing with their religion
@ESQSOUND – I remember him being very money hungry and worried about cashing in on tithes rather than doing it in the name of. I have some other stuff to say but I’ll keep that to myself.
@vivixnojim – I’m so tired of seeing these things in the church. Then when someone doesn’t want to come to church we wonder why. There is a way to raise money for the ministry. Churches need the support of their congregations but this is just not it.
@tap3000 – The way I am an ordained minister and when those pastors start that sew a seed of __amount, I don’t participate anymore. I remember my former pastor had the first fruit seed of $125 and you write out your decree once you sew your seed. I wrote the check for $125, wrote out my decree which included a Godly Husband. Please note I have never been married and that decree was in 2011. I am still waiting on my Godly Husband.
@HellRell1990 – You should never have to lock doors to FORCE people to give money. This was an organized bank robbery just done at church.
@NessyTheRilla – “Nevaaaa would paid ittttt
@ezotic – This is the stuff that I don’t miss about church.
@SamuraiPrimz – This isn’t kidnapping???? wth
@jupitergrl_ – But this the Bible they following ? Jesus destroyed the temple when they were hustling in the church. It shows people really don’t read their Bible, they just show up on Sundays and do as they’re told. That literally would’ve sounded off so many alarms for me and I would’ve walked out. Y’all gone unlock this damn doe
@jplfit – Religion is one of the best hustles and biggest scams
@JClydeNealMusic – I’m not excusing him in any way. I don’t agree with anything he said but he did NOT tell the ushers to LOCK the doors. He said close the doors. There is a big difference. One is a little more dangerous than the other.
@Al__Clayton – That is a hostage situation, a criminal act if they really let no one leave.
@ProsodiJ – Most of these people with big names serve Mammon but use God’s name to hustle. No spiritual power, No giving to the poor, No sacrificial acts of service like one they claim the believe in told them to do, just twist scripture to “seed” hustling from pulpit to pulpit.
Watch video:
Marvin Sapp is clearly HUSTLING his congregation for 40k— and using God’s name to do it.
he’s calling for the doors to be locked? that’s not faith, that’s a shakedown and a false prophet.
someone had a bill to pay, and it wasn’t to the church. https://t.co/MtBRENSb0t pic.twitter.com/SqLtOwRrSW
— Boochie is the Name (@stoppfeenin) March 26, 2025
