Detroit pastor Bishop Marvin Winans scolds congregant Roberta McCoy for donating 1,200 instead of 2,000

The Detroit pastor, Bishop Marvin Winans, has found himself in hot water after a video surfaced of him scolding a congregant who tried to donate $1,200 instead of the requested $2,000 during a fundraiser at Perfecting Church. The incident took place during the church’s “Day of Giving” event on October 19, 2025.

In the video, congregant Roberta McCoy can be seen offering her donation of $1,235 to the church, falling short of the $2,000 requested by Winans. The pastor interrupted McCoy, criticizing her for not following his instructions and insisting that she needed to meet the full donation amount.

Despite McCoy’s attempts to explain that she would work on getting the remaining $800, Winans remained adamant that she did not comply with his request. The interaction between the pastor and congregant was captured on a livestream and quickly went viral, drawing millions of views on social media.

Winans defended his actions, explaining that he was calling congregants up by increments and wanted everyone to follow the same guidelines during the fundraising event. McCoy, on the other hand, took responsibility for the mix-up and clarified that Winans did not rebuke her but merely corrected the situation.

Since the video went viral, McCoy has faced online threats and harassment but has chosen to stand by Winans and continue supporting the church as she has done since 2013. The pastor personally apologized to McCoy after the incident and assured her that she could still contribute to the church.

The Perfecting Church Cathedral project, initiated by Winans nearly two decades ago with the goal of building a 3,200-seat cathedral, faced setbacks in 2008 due to funding issues caused by the recession. After being abandoned for years, construction resumed in 2024, with plans to open the building in June 2026.

Despite the challenges and delays, Winans remains committed to completing the $23 million project and fulfilling his vision for the Perfecting Church Cathedral. The ongoing construction efforts have been a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the church community in Detroit.