Gospel singer Fred Hammond has defended Bishop Marvin Winans after he faced criticisms for berating a female church member who offered $1,235 for his church fundraiser.
Pastor Winans sparked controversy by reprimanding Roberta McCoy in front of the congregation for bringing him $1,235 instead of the $2,000 he asked for.
“Now that’s only $1,200,” Pastor Winans said in a video that has been widely shared online.
“Y’all not listening to what I’m saying,” he told his congregants. “If you have a thousand, plus a thousand…”
McCoy told Winans she would “work on the other $800.”
“That ain’t what I asked you to do,” he told her
Following the backlash online, gospel icon Fred Hammond defended Winans in an Instagram post on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Hammond said organizations “raise money all the time.”
Hammond went on to share the full video of Winans speech to defend him.
“I’ll set this right here. Here’s the full context,” Hammond wrote.
“I wonder if those who cut it up will play this version? I wonder who cut it up in the first place? And what was the motive? But I’m going to put it out here for those who want to see what the full truth is.
“Organization raise money all the time. It’s nothing wrong with the church taking care of its own. Even though he condemned me to hell for being an honorary PBS he’s still my mentor and I can protect him with putting the whole thing out for The Truth. I’m still gonna do it. The church is not perfect, but overall it’s still mine. Those of you that don’t mind like and share this . #Church. #Money #Pastors.”
In the video, Pastor Winans is seen giving instructions to church members donating to the church building fund.
Winans said: “Those that have the thousand plus one, that means you’re coming with your thousand that you’re giving plus you’ve asked someone else to give… So in other words, if you say ‘Pastor Winans, I’m coming with my thousand plus another $3,000,’ then you’ll say that. You understand? And if you didn’t get the plus one, but you maybe came with $250, you’re gonna come say that this is my thousand plus $250.”
See the video Hammond shared below.
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