Pastor Marvin Winans, a member of the famous Winans gospel family, drew intense backlash this week after a video of him correcting a churchgoer’s donation amount mid-service at Detroit’s Perfecting Church went viral.
The 67-year-old pastor interrupted a woman during Sunday’s “Day of Giving” service after she presented a $1,235 offering—short of the $2,000 he requested.
“I’m giving in faith and standing in unity with the vision of Perfecting Church, sowing this seed of $1,000 plus $235 and receiving the blessings to come,” the woman said at the pulpit.
Winans quickly interjected. “That’s only $1,200,” he said, correcting her math before continuing, “You’re not listening to what I’m saying. If you have $1,000 plus $1,000…”
The woman, visibly trying to comply, offered to bring the remaining $800 later. Winans responded, “Well, that ain’t what I asked you to do.”
🚨🇺🇸 BISHOP SCOLDS WOMAN’S $1,200 DONATION IN FRONT OF CONGREGATION
Bishop Marvin Winans drew backlash recently after publicly challenging a woman’s pledge during a church fundraising appeal—with her child standing beside her in the congregation.
The woman and her son had… pic.twitter.com/1Mw5XRM5e4
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 21, 2025
The moment, captured on video and shared widely across social media, triggered a wave of criticism from churchgoers and online observers alike. Many accused Winans of embarrassing a loyal member in public and prioritizing money over compassion.
One Instagram user wrote, “A pastor who shames someone for giving ‘too little’ forgets Scripture. Jesus praised the widow who gave two coins, not the rich who gave much (Mark 12:41-44). God looks at the heart, not the amount. To humiliate a giver is to love money more than mercy.”
Another commenter said, “I just called your church to request that you apologize to that woman and her son for shaming them. You should do it in front of the church and also give her money back to her. That was wrong to treat someone like that.”
Others were more blunt: “Demons hang out in church too y’all don’t forget.”
Winans, a founding member of the Grammy-winning gospel group The Winans, established Perfecting Church in 1989.
He remains a prominent figure in gospel music and ministry. As of Tuesday (October 21), neither Marvin Winans nor the church had responded publicly to the controversy.