Renowned American gospel artist and pastor, Marvin Sapp, has addressed the controversy surrounding a resurfaced video in which he instructed ushers to close the doors while collecting an offering at a church conference.
The clip, originally recorded in July 2024, gained traction online this week, drawing sharp criticism from social media users.
In the footage, Sapp is seen encouraging attendees to contribute, stating, “There’s 1,000 of you… I said close them doors. Ushers, close the doors. Close the doors, close the doors. We’re all gonna leave together.”
He then urged both the in-person congregation and online viewers to donate $20 each, aiming to generate $40,000 in contributions.
Many online reactions accused Sapp of using coercion to solicit funds. One critic wrote, “Marvin Sapp is clearly HUSTLING his congregation for 40k— and using God’s name to do it.”
Another person commented, “I would have immediately dialed 911 as I walked toward the exit. You gone open these doors, or you’re catching a false imprisonment charge.”
In response to the criticism, Sapp took to Facebook to explain the context behind his words.
“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,” he wrote.
He clarified that leaders within the church were encouraged to give even more. “I also challenged leadership to lead by example by sowing $100. That evening, I personally gave much more.”
Addressing the most controversial aspect of the video, Sapp dismissed claims that he was trying to detain attendees.
“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,” he stated. “That was never my intent.”
He explained that limiting movement during offerings is a common practice in many churches.
“Movement during an offering 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,” he noted.
Sapp also emphasized the financial realities of church events, stating, “Conferences have budgets. Churches have budgets. And people have budgets.”
The cleric added, “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 urged critics to consider the broader context rather than judging based on a short video clip.
“So yes, you saw a moment. But I invite you to understand the movement behind it. Honour, clarity, and truth are what I owe the people, and I’ll always provide just that,” he explained.
