You’ve probably seen the clip. It went everywhere in late 2025—a cell phone video of Bishop Marvin Winans standing at the pulpit of Perfecting Church, seemingly "scolding" a woman because her $1,200 donation wasn't the $2,000 he’d asked for. Social media did what it does best: it caught fire. People called him greedy. They called the church a scam. Honestly, if that’s the only time you’ve heard the name Marvin Winans recently, you’re missing about 90% of a story that’s been unfolding in Detroit for over forty years.
He isn't just "some pastor." He’s gospel royalty. He’s a guy who grew up in the shadow of Motown legends and ended up winning six Grammys of his own. But he’s also the man behind a massive, unfinished $60 million cathedral on Woodward Avenue that has been sitting there, partially built, for twenty years. It’s a complicated legacy.
The Motown Kid Who Chose the Pulpit
Marvin Lawrence Winans Sr. was born in 1958, the fourth of ten children. If you grew up in Detroit, the Winans name is like the Kennedys or the Jacksons. His parents, "Mom and Pop" Winans, were strict. No secular music in the house. Period.
It’s kind of ironic when you think about where they lived. Stevie Wonder lived one street over on Greenlawn. Smokey Robinson was right on Santa Barbara. Marvin literally walked past Berry Gordy’s house to get to school. The sounds of the 1960s Motown boom were vibrating through the air, but inside the Winans home, it was all about the church.
He started a group called the Testimonial Singers with his brothers Ronald, Carvin, and Michael in the 70s. Eventually, they became The Winans. They weren't just singing traditional hymns; they were mixing in R&B and funk. They were "crossover." They were the guys who got gospel played on mainstream radio, and by the 80s, Marvin was a household name in black music.
Why Perfecting Church Matters to Detroit
In 1989, Marvin stepped away from the full-time touring life to start a church. It started in his basement with eight people. He called it Perfecting Church.
By the mid-90s, the congregation was exploding. He wasn’t just preaching; he was building a community ecosystem. He founded the Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts (WAPA) in 1997 because he saw the city cutting arts budgets in public schools. He opened the Amelia Agnes Transitional Home for women. For a lot of people in Detroit, Winans wasn't a celebrity; he was a lifeline.
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But then came the "Big Project."
In the early 2000s, the church bought roughly 16 to 20 acres at the corner of 7 Mile and Woodward. They planned a 4,200-seat sanctuary, condos, and office spaces. It was supposed to be a jewel for the city. Then the 2008 recession hit. Banks pulled out. Steel prices skyrocketed. The project stalled, and for nearly two decades, the "unfinished church" became a landmark of frustration for Detroit residents.
That Viral 2025 Video: The Context Nobody Saw
Fast forward to October 2025. The church is under pressure. The City of Detroit actually sued Perfecting Church in 2023, calling the construction site an "eyesore." Winans has been pushing hard to finally finish the building, which is now slated for completion in 2026.
During a "Day of Giving" service, Winans asked for a "one thousand plus one thousand" offering. A member, Roberta McCoy, came up with $1,235. The video made it look like Winans was a tyrant, telling her, "That's not what I asked you to do."
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But here’s what didn't make the TikTok rounds:
- The Crowd Control: Winans later explained to WXYZ-TV that he was calling people up in specific dollar-amount groups to keep the lines moving quickly so the elderly wouldn't have to stand for hours.
- The Apology: Roberta McCoy herself went on the news to defend him. She said she joined the wrong line by mistake and that Winans wasn't "rebuking" her for the money, but for not following the order of the service.
- The Perry Factor: Shortly after the backlash, Tyler Perry (who has a long history with Winans through House of Payne) sent the church $100,000 to help push the building toward the finish line.
It’s easy to judge a 30-second clip. It's harder to reconcile that clip with a man who has spent 35 years pastoring in a city many people abandoned.
The Reality of Being a Winans
Being a public figure in the church is a tightrope. Marvin Winans has been through a high-profile divorce (from Vickie Winans in 1995), a carjacking in 2012 where he was robbed at a gas station, and constant scrutiny over how his church handles its millions.
Is he a perfect leader? Probably not. But he’s a deep-rooted Detroiter. He stayed when the city went bankrupt. He kept the Academy of Performing Arts open when the neighborhood around it was struggling.
The biggest misconception is that he's just a singer who happens to preach. In reality, the music has almost always been secondary to the ministry for the last thirty years. Whether it’s his solo album Alone But Not Alone or his work with the Perfected Praise Choir, the songs are basically just extensions of his sermons.
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What We Can Learn From the Controversy
If you're looking at Marvin Winans as a case study in leadership or faith, there are a few real-world takeaways that aren't just "church talk."
- Context is everything. The internet is designed to strip away nuance. Always look for the full interview before forming an opinion on a "viral" moment.
- Legacy takes time. Building a $60 million campus in a struggling economy is a marathon, not a sprint. The "eyesore" of yesterday is often the landmark of tomorrow.
- Community roots matter. Despite the lawsuits and the viral videos, Winans still has a massive, loyal following in Detroit. Why? Because he’s been there on Tuesday mornings, not just Sunday nights.
The Path Forward
If you want to understand the current state of Perfecting Church or see the progress on the Woodward Avenue site, the best thing to do is look at the actual construction updates. The church is currently aiming for a 2026 grand opening.
For those following the music, Winans is still active. His recent single "Able" (2024) hit the Gospel Airplay charts, proving that even at 67, he’s still got the "Winans sound" that changed the industry back in the 80s.
If you're interested in Detroit's revitalization or the intersection of faith and urban development, keep an eye on that 7 Mile and Woodward corner. It’s more than just a building; it’s a twenty-year test of one man’s vision and a city’s patience.
Actionable Insights for Following the Story:
- Check Local Sources: For updates on the Woodward construction, follow the Detroit Free Press or The Michigan Chronicle rather than national gossip sites.
- Listen to the Discography: To understand his impact on music, start with Introducing The Winans (1981) and skip to his solo work like Alone But Not Alone (2007) to hear the evolution of his voice.
- Visit the Academy: If you're in Detroit, the Marvin L. Winans Academy of Performing Arts is a tangible example of his work that exists outside the church walls.
The story of Marvin Winans isn't finished yet. It’s still being built, one brick—and one controversial donation—at a time.