Detroit Pastor under fire for scolding church member over $1,200 donation
Perfecting Church congregant Roberta McCoy offers $1,235 to her church during a “Day of Giving” event on Oct. 19, 2025. Perfecting Church
A Detroit pastor is facing criticism after an interaction with a worshipper at a church fundraiser went viral, sparking debate over his handling of donations.
During Perfecting Church’s “Day of Giving” on October 19, Bishop Marvin Winans was filmed confronting congregant Roberta McCoy after she attempted to donate $1,200 toward a $2,000 goal he had requested.
“I, Roberta McCoy, give in faith, and stand in unity with the vision of Perfecting Church with sowing this seed of $1,000, plus $235 in receiving the blessings to come to all that participate,” McCoy read aloud as she presented her donation.
Winans, who organized the fundraiser to raise $2,000 per congregant for the church’s new cathedral, interrupted her. “Now that is only $1,200,” he said, adding, “Y’all not listening to what I’m saying.” When McCoy explained she planned to contribute the remaining $800 later, Winans replied, “That ain’t what I asked you to do,” prompting murmurs from the congregation.
The encounter, captured on the church’s livestream, quickly spread online, amassing millions of views.
Winans defended his approach, explaining he called congregants to the stage according to donation amounts to maintain order during the event. “We had someone that had given out of order, and I corrected it, and I told everybody to listen and come when you call, and that’s all that was,” he told ABC7 Detroit.
McCoy, for her part, said she did not feel rebuked. “He absolutely did not rebuke me. Now there’s a difference. There was a correction because let me clearly state that Pastor gave instruction on the lines to get into,” she said. McCoy also revealed she has faced online threats since the video circulated but emphasized that Winans apologized to her personally, and she plans to continue supporting the church as she has since 2013.
The Perfecting Church Cathedral, a 3,200-seat, 168,000-square-foot project, began nearly two decades ago with a $23 million budget. Construction stalled in 2008 due to the recession, leaving the unfinished building an eyesore until the city of Detroit sued the church in 2023. A new plan was approved, and construction resumed in August 2024, with the cathedral expected to open in June 2026.
“We’ve been working. This is 2025, we’ve had people in and out since we started back up,” Winans said. “It has been a continual grind, slowing in some areas due to long-lead items where you have to place orders months ahead.”
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