Bishop Marvin Winans draws backlash after confronting churchgoer over fundraising donation

Footage of Bishop Marvin Winans confronting a churchgoer over $1,200 donation began circulating online this week.

Four-digit tithes to the church, in this economy?

After footage began circulating online this week of Bishop Marvin Winans at Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan, seemingly confronting a churchgoer over her fundraising donation, the 67-year-old clergyman is facing backlash.

In the clip, which has since gone viral, Winans is seen standing before the congregation after reportedly asking for two donations, each totaling $1,000. As members of the stately congregation form a line up to the pulpit, a woman steps forward and presents him a check for $1,000 plus an additional $235.

“That’s only $1,200,” Winans says, holding up the check and shaking his head before adding, “Y’all not listening to what I’m saying.” 

He then reiterates his ask, “If you have $1,000 plus $1,000.” 

When the woman replies that she’ll “work on the other $800,” Winans curtly responds, “Well, that is not what I asked you to do.”

The moment reportedly took place during a recent “Day of Giving” event at Perfecting Church. It remains unclear where the confusion stemmed from—or whether Winans was indeed asking for $2,000 in total.

Winans, a member of the legendary Winans gospel family, has long held an influential place in both the faith and music industries. In addition to his decades-long ministry and Grammy-winning career, the pastor has held a recurring role in Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” and recently appeared on Justin Bieber’s “Swag” album, released in July. 

Meanwhile, his Detroit-based church, Perfecting Church, has reportedly been under construction since the early 2000s. Although its massive new campus has been touted as a beacon of faith and progress, local outlets, such as the Michigan Chronicle, report that construction has been intermittent for decades.

Since the footage surfaced, the pastor’s actions have sparked fierce debate online. Many have criticized him for publicly calling out the woman in front of the congregation and for appearing to pressure worshippers into giving more than they felt comfortable. Others have pointed out the tone-deaf timing, assuming the event happened this year amid a struggling economy where job losses are mounting and the Black community, particularly Black women, are being hit hardest.

The moment has also brought to mind a similar controversy involving gospel singer and pastor Marvin Sapp in August 2024. During a viral service clip, Sapp was seen instructing ushers to “close the doors” of his church until the congregation had given enough money to meet a specific donation goal.