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Gospel Singer Marvin Sapp has responded to accusations of hustling $40K from the Congregation in the name of God. He defended himself, stating, in part,
"It is not manipulation. It is in order. It is consistent with Scripture."
In a now-sensationalized viral clip, Singer Marvin Sapp is seen asking people in the congregation for money. The singer asks the group to donate $20 each so they can collect $40,000 in one night. In the clip, he can be heard saying, urging people to "the seed".
“There’s 1,000 of you. I said close them doors. Ushers, close the doors,” Sapp says in the video. In justification he added, "Leadership lead and they understand the cost that is involved. I’m challenging each of you all down here to give a $20 seed."
The singer who once performed at P Diddy's birthday party is now under scrutiny because of his actions at the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Convention in Baltimore in this resurfaced clip from July 2024. This has led to a massive backlash from people on social media.
Marvin Sapp's statement
Responding to the accusations, Marvin has released a statement in the form of a Facebook post to defend his actions. He wrote:
"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. In that same moment, I also challenged leadership to lead by example by sowing $100. That evening, I personally gave much more.
Marvin Sapp continues in his lengthy post, explaining why he asked the Ushers to close the doors,
"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."
To further his claims and justify his actions, the singer quoted a scripture from the Bible,
"In 1 Chronicles 29, we find a powerful moment where David, preparing for the building of the temple, challenges the people to give. He starts by giving of his own treasure over and above what he had already set aside. Then he calls on the leaders to do the same. What happened next? The people gave willingly and generously. In fact, they gave so much that a record was kept of each gift, and ultimately, David had to tell the people to stop giving because the need had been exceeded."
Sapp continued,
"The Bible says they gave gold, silver, bronze, iron, and precious stones. Specific amounts were recorded not because God needed their money, but because the people needed to show their commitment to the vision and because stewardship demands accountability. So when someone challenges people to give a specific amount, it is not unbiblical. It is not manipulation. It is in order. It is consistent with Scripture."
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Marvin Sapp concluded his explanation by saying,
"Honor, clarity, and truth are what I owe the people and I’ll always provide just that."
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