Social media is still buzzing over a resurfaced video of legendary Gospel singer/Bishop Marvin Sapp asking congregants to give a cool $40,000 and demanding that the doors of the church be closed so that it can be paid. “I said, close the doors!” Sapp says in the resurfaced video, which immediately sent the internet into a frenzy. The footage is actually from the 109th Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Convention in Baltimore which took place in July 2024. In the full video, Sapp preaches a sermon titled “Temporary Tears: Your Crying Days Are Over” about people being “challenged on every level” and suffering from depression.

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He encourages parishioners not to give up and “throw in the towel” before ending his sermon with his hit “Never Would’ve Made It.” At one point, he asks, “How many of you all really received something from the word of the Lord tonight?” and recalls how the patriarchs in the bible would set up an altar and “offer up sacrifice.”

“Because of your acknowledgement of what God did in word, there is an obligation that is attached to that acknowledgment,” says Sapp in the video. “In biblical days, they offered livestock, grain, that was a type of currency. I did not say money, there’s a reason I said currency because the root word is current. “Current means a flow, current in a ocean, current in a lake, current in a river, but it also means now, current events. Stuff that’s happening now, this is what I feel led of God to do now.”

Oh, but he was just getting warmed up.

“This is what God is saying for at least 1,000 of you in the building. I’m not going to challenge you like Bishop did. This is simple: 1,000 people giving what I’m about to challenge will be $20,000. Now, for those of us who are on the dais, I’m taking you higher, so put it back. I’m a strong believer that leaders lead,” said Sapp, noting that leaders lead in “time, talent, and treasure.” “I was told a long time ago that it costs to sit up here, y’all don’t like me,” he jokes before talking about getting his license in ordination renewed for $2,000. “How in the world I’mma preach up here and not lead by example? Leadership leads, and they understand the cost that is involved. ”

He then focused his attention on the ushers.

“I said, close those doors—ushers, close the doors,” says Sapp. “We all gonna leave together, y’all ain’t going no place but to the restaurant. A thousand people need to give $20, 1,000 people online need to give $20, we should be able to raise $40,000 tonight just from y’all giving.

You can watch the full video below: As expected, Marvin Sapp issued a statement to clarify the situation, explaining via Facebook that the clip was taken out of context and that his order for the ushers to “close the doors” was intended to address a potential safety risk, not to trap worshippers. He also stated that he was responsible for raising the conference budget and did so as an act of “stewardship.”

Recently, a clip has gone viral of me challenging 2,000 individuals(virtually and in person) to plant a seed of $20 during an international gathering held at a convention center, with over 4,000 people in attendance that evening plus virtual viewers,” wrote Sapp on Facebook. “In that same moment, I also challenged leadership to lead by example by sowing $100. That evening, I personally gave much more. Some have taken issue with a particular moment when I instructed the ushers, rather firmly, to close the doors during the offering. To those unfamiliar with the church context or who may not regularly attend worship gatherings this has been misinterpreted as holding people hostage as well as offensive. That was never my intent. 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. Unfortunately, in this social media age, snippets are easily shared without context, and assumptions are quickly made without understanding the full picture. 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.

Do you think Marvin went too far? What would you have done in that situation? Tell us down below and peep the funniest, wildest, and pettiest reactions to his now-infamous $40,000 request on the flip.

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