• Detroit pastor Marvin Winans sparked social media debate after calling out church member over $1,200 donation
• Viral clip from Perfecting Church “Day of Giving” shows Winans asking member for $2,000 instead
• Critics called moment “uncomfortable to watch” as debate over church giving practices intensifies online

DETROIT (TDR) — Bishop Marvin Winans just learned that church math and social media outrage don’t always align.

The Detroit pastor sparked debate after a clip from Perfecting Church’s “Day of Giving” surfaced, pressing a church member over their offering in a moment many called uncomfortable to watch.

In the viral video, Winans can be seen addressing a congregant who donated $1,200 during the special giving event, asking why they didn’t contribute the $2,000 he had requested instead.

Public callout sparks debate

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The footage, which quickly spread across social media platforms including WorldStar and TikTok, shows the Grammy-winning gospel singer and pastor of Perfecting Church publicly questioning the member’s donation amount during what appears to be a fundraising appeal.

The moment struck a nerve with viewers who questioned whether pastors should publicly press members about their financial contributions, particularly when someone has already given a substantial sum.

“This is why people are leaving the church,” one commenter wrote on social media. “You gave $1,200 and still got called out? That’s wild.”

Others defended the practice, noting that many churches hold specific fundraising campaigns with set goals, and that Winans may have been responding to a prior commitment.

Pattern of controversy

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This isn’t the first time Winans has faced scrutiny over financial matters related to his church. In 2021, a former housekeeper LaKaiya Harris sued Winans and Perfecting Church, alleging he demanded she donate 10% of her $18,000 annual salary to the church.

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Michigan, Winans allegedly told Harris during a 2017 meeting that she owed the church $1,800 based on her previous year’s earnings. When she stated she didn’t have the money, he allegedly offered to deduct it directly from her biweekly paychecks.

The church has also been embroiled in a lengthy battle with the city of Detroit over its unfinished megachurch project at Woodward Avenue and Seven Mile Road, which has sat incomplete for nearly two decades.

Broader conversation about giving

The viral moment comes amid ongoing debates about financial transparency and pressure in religious institutions. Similar controversies have erupted across the country as social media exposes church practices to wider scrutiny.

In March, gospel legend Marvin Sapp faced backlash over a resurfaced clip showing him calling for a $40,000 offering and instructing ushers to shut doors until the amount was raised. Sapp later provided context, explaining it occurred during an international conference with more than 4,000 attendees.

The incident also recalls a 2013 controversy when Winans refused to bless the child of an unwed mother during a public service at Perfecting Church, sparking national discussion about church discipline and public shaming.

Church faces financial pressures

Winans, 66, has been under significant financial pressure related to the long-stalled megachurch construction project. The church spent $200,000 in 2023 to restart the project after Detroit officials threatened legal action over what they called “a massive example of blight and misuse of land.”

The city had sued Perfecting Church, demanding the project be completed or the property returned. After reaching a deal to resume construction, the lawsuit was dropped in June 2023, with church representatives saying the 3,365-seat sanctuary should be substantially finished by April 2025.

Winans founded Perfecting Church and also serves as senior pastor at Perfecting Church-Toledo in Ohio. He is a six-time Grammy winner and member of the legendary gospel group The Winans.

The pastor has dealt with health challenges recently, collapsing during a church service in October 2024 due to what doctors attributed to dehydration. He also revealed in July 2024 that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2022 but was cancer-free after treatment.

Representatives for Perfecting Church did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the viral offering video.

Should pastors publicly question members about their donation amounts during church services?

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