Gospel singer and pastor Marvin Sapp has responded to criticism after a video of him telling ushers to “close the doors” while collecting a church offering went viral.
The video, which resurfaced on social media this week, was taken at a conference in July 2024, where Sapp was addressing thousands of attendees. In the clip, he can be heard saying, “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.”
Sapp then urged 1,000 people present and another 1,000 online viewers to give $20 each, aiming to raise $40,000.
The viral moment sparked outrage, with many social media users accusing him of using pressure tactics to collect money. One user wrote, “Marvin Sapp is clearly HUSTLING his congregation for 40k— and using God’s name to do it.” Another added, “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.”
Reacting to the backlash, Sapp took to Facebook to clarify his actions.
“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 explained.
He also said he encouraged church leaders to give more. “I also challenged leadership to lead by example by sowing $100. That evening, I personally gave much more,” he added.
Addressing the most controversial part of the video, Sapp denied trying to force people to stay.
“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.”
Sapp explained that movement during an offering can be “distracting and, at times, even risky.” He added, “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 also defended the need to raise funds, stating, “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,” he said. “That’s not manipulation, it’s stewardship.”
Sapp ended his statement by encouraging people to look beyond the short video clip. “So yes, you saw a moment. But I invite you to understand the movement behind it. Honor, clarity, and truth are what I owe the people, and I’ll always provide just that.”
