Grammy-winning Detroit pastor slammed for shaming church member over $1,200 donation
The viral video was taken from the webcast of the service at the church and has now drawn criticism from social media users
This week, a Grammy-winning megachurch pastor from Detroit went viral after criticizing a member for giving his church just $1,235.
The widely shared video shows Perfecting Church pastor Marvin Winans accepting a donation from a mother and her child during Sunday's Day of Giving ceremony. According to the Perfecting Church website, Winans, 67, is also a member of the well-known gospel quartet The Winans, which has earned five Grammy awards.
When the woman handed Winans her donation, he replied, "Now, that's only $1,200. You’re not listening to what I’m saying,” he continued. “If you have $1,000 plus $1,000.” When the woman offered to "work on" the remaining $800, Winans retorted, "That ain't what I asked you to do."
The viral video was taken from the webcast of the service at the church. According to the Atlanta Black Star, Winans' response to the woman's donation has now drawn criticism from social media users.
“I would’ve took my money back so fast and would never set foot in that building again,” a Threads user commented. Another user wrote: “And then wonder why ppl are leaving the church in droves — these mega pastors are literal thieves — aren’t millions of ppl unemployed right now?!”
Winans clarified that his actions at the event were intended to keep things in order and prevent senior members from having to stand for long stretches of time.
"I was calling because the whole church was giving, and it was our day of giving, and the whole church was coming, and we didn't want people standing, the mothers and all that, so I was calling them by increments," Winans said. "And we had someone that had given out of before, and I corrected it, and I told everybody to listen and come when you call, and that's all that was."
Winans and his church have been the subject of controversy before. The city of Detroit filed a lawsuit against his church two years ago over a building project that started in 2004. According to the Detroit Free Press, the city said that the church had not received a building permission since 2015 and that the ongoing project had turned into a public nuisance.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the city, however, dismissed the case after coming to an agreement with the church that required the building developer to provide proof of funding and secure official approval before proceeding with construction.
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"The church and its Board of Directors looks forward to working cooperatively with the city to complete this important project," Winans said in a statement after the case was dropped.
According to Perfecting Church CEO Cindy Flowers, who spoke to the Detroit Free Press in August of last year, building may begin in October 2024 and be finished by March 2026. It's unknown how the project is doing right now.