March 27, 2025
Marvin Sapp ‘Never Would Have Made’ 40K Without Confining Church Congregants
Sapp called for a lockdown to get $40K in tithes and offering.
Pastor Marvin Sapp sparked controversy in the religious community after he reportedly closed parishioners inside his church until he raised $40,000.
The incident took place at Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas. During a sermon, Sapp instructed church ushers to “close the doors” of the sanctuary until attendees contributed the full amount. He told the congregation, “Giving is worship,” as he urged both in-person and online participants to donate.
Sapp framed the request as achievable, estimating that the 1,000 congregants could meet the goal if each donated $20. The “Best in Me” singer insisted the amount was not unreasonable, even invoking his late wife’s memory to illustrate its value.
“When my wife, Melinda B. Sapp, was alive, $20 was a good date. I could take her to the movies, buy a box of popcorn, get one soda with two straws. I wasn’t cheap—that’s swag. I was looking in her eyes, she was looking in mine. You can’t do that anymore,” he said.
Sapp then asked participants on stage to contribute $100, stating, “It costs to sit [on the stage].”
It is unclear whether Sapp raised the full $40,000. Regardless, social media users reacted with outrage.
One X user described the act as a “shakedown” and accused Sapp of being a hustler and exploiting his congregation.
“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,” an X user posted.
Some critics cited scripture to condemn Sapp’s actions. The user claimed the altar call was “why Christianity is lost.”
One user referenced 2 Corinthians 9:7, which states: “Every man as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
Others questioned the necessity of the money and whether it would benefit the community.
Sapp is neither the first nor the last pastor to request large tithes and offerings. However, some historically significant African American churches are not facing the same financial pressure.
In February 2025, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on the third annual Preserving Black Churches (PBC) grant program, which aims to protect the legacy of longstanding religious institutions. The program will award grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 to 30 churches. The funding will go toward preservation efforts, including repairs and structural maintenance.
While Sapp’s Chosen Vessel Cathedral is not a historic site, it is ineligible for the grants.
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