A megachurch pastor is facing backlash for aggressively pressuring his congregation to donate $40,000.
A resurfaced video shows Pastor Marvin Sapp at an unknown church ordering ushers to "close the doors" and demanding that everyone, including 1,000 virtual visitors, contribute $20 each to reach the total sum.
As he became more forceful, he said: "We all gone leave together. Y'all ain't going no place but the restaurant," and reassured them, "This is a small seed... This is easy, saints." He continued to make light of the situation, joking that $20 was the cost of a movie date with his late wife.
Pastor Sapp's approach then escalated when he asked attendees to come forward and show their donations, even calling for those behind him to give $100 each because "it costs to stand up here." He maintained a tense atmosphere, repeating, "This ain't a time to talk," and reminding everyone they needed to contribute $20.
His actions drew significant criticism, with many followers expressing outrage on social media. One person called it "greed," while another accused him of using God's name to "hustle" his congregation.
In response to the backlash, Pastor Sapp defended himself on Facebook, explaining that the closed doors were for security reasons, as receiving finances during worship is a "vulnerable and exposed time." He also referenced a passage from the Bible, arguing that challenging people to give specific amounts is not manipulation but a call for commitment, likening it to King David's actions in the book of Chronicles.
The Pentecostal Assemblies of the World also released a statement in support of the pastor, describing him as a “devoted member.”
“Fundraising is a critical component to the success of our non-profit organization, and the funds raised are utilized to support not just this event, but our extensive international missions work, auxiliary programming, educational endeavors and more,” the organisation said.
