In recognition of National Faith Day, the Atlanta Hawks recently announced details for its “Faith and Family Celebration.” The game presented by Chick-fil-A will take place on Friday, March 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers. As part of the night’s festivities, multiple award-winning gospel artist and celebrated pastor Bishop Marvin L. Sapp will perform at halftime as well as a postgame concert.
“I am ecstatic about singing during the Atlanta Hawks’ Faith and Family Celebration,” said Bishop Sapp. “As an avid basketball fan, I’m very familiar with the saying ‘ball is life.’ The game brings fans so much joy, and it can be an all-consuming pastime. Combining that passion with an appreciation for family and the powerful hopefulness of faith is a great way to celebrate what the game of basketball means to so many people. I am grateful to be a part of it.”
Bishop Sapp’s gift is celebrated across musical genres. He is a multiplatinum-selling artist who has enjoyed a decorated music career receiving 13 GRAMMY® Award nominations, 24 Stellar Awards, two Soul Train Music Awards, two BET Awards, four Dove Awards, eight BMI songwriter’s awards for sales, Black Music Honors Gospel Music Icon Award along with many other accolades and honors from national, regional and local institutions.
In addition, Bishop Sapp is a passionate orator and biblical teacher. He is the co-founder of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the senior pastor of The Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas. He is also the Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Global United Fellowship, which consists of 2,200 churches in 22 countries. Additionally, Tv One aired his original biopic, “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” in 2022.
During previous Faith and Family Celebrations, Hawks’ fans have seen performances from GRAMMY® Award-winning inspirational hip-hop artist Lecrae and contemporary Christian music and gospel singer Koryn Hawthorne and Berean Christian Church as well as the dynamic and multiple award-winning gospel artist Jekalyn Carr.
Limited tickets remain for the game presented by Chick-fil-A on Friday, March 3. To secure tickets, visit Hawks.com/Tickets. To purchase the special ticket offer for the Family and Faith Celebration, which includes a black Atlanta Hawks t-shirt, food and beverage value and a ticket to the game, visit Hawks.com/Faith.
When I come across these types of stories, I have to remind myself there are scores of wonderful pastors throughout the country and the world who will never get recognized on a large platform but that does not mean they are not significant and not doing God’s work. Meanwhile, “pastors” such as Carlton Funderburke sully the cause of Christ by being wolves in sheep’s clothing and going viral for their shenanigans…
In the clip, Pastor Funderburke says, “That’s how I know you’re still poor, broke, busted and disgusted because how you have been honoring me. I’m not worth your McDonald’s money. I’m not worth your Red Lobster money. I aine worth your St. John knit? Y’all can’t afford it no how. I aine worth your Louis Vuitton? I’m not worth your Prada? I’m not worth your Gucci?…You can buy a Movado watch in Sam’s! And y’all know I asked for one last year. Here it is the whole way in August, and I still aine got it! Y’all still aine saying nothin’! Let me kick down the doors and talk to my cheap sons and daughters! I don’t want to hear no more excuses about what you can’t afford. You can’t afford it because you don’t see the value here! Y’all hear from your pastor and father. I’m over y’all. I’m over your cheap expressions.”
Now based on how he framed his criticism as he mentioned what he didn’t get a year ago, I imagine it was the pastor’s anniversary and that he was expecting to be honored for his service by the congregation. As I’m a pastor’s daughter who has been to many pastor’s anniversary events over the years, I firmly believe the congregation should take the time to honor the pastor on at least a yearly basis. Being a pastor is not easy and everyone needs encouragement from time to time no matter the vocation. However, where Pastor Funderburke messed up was being flat out being materialistic…Although I’m not a labels person, I don’t see anything necessarily wrong with liking labels. Still, to expect his congregation to bless him with labels AND to state that out loud is just stupid. He needs to buy his own labels and accept that his congregation will honor him in the way that they have deemed fit…This is a rant that he should have saved for just his wife. We all get in our feelings sometimes, but what we do with those feelings demonstrates our heart AND character…And the fact is although some pastors are very wealthy, the vast majority are not…if Pastor Funderburke continues to feel this way, he should find another line of work where he is guaranteed enough money to afford McDonald’s, Red Lobster, St. John Knits, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Movado on his own…
Since this video has gone viral, an apology video has been released, see below…
I’m glad he apologized, but this is not the type of man who could be my shepherd, particularly at this time of history. The world has been fighting with COVID for two years and now monkeypox is on the horizon! A formula shortage threatened to leave many of the country’s babies starving. Gas prices are out of control. And here is the pastor wasting his saliva, spewing nonsense talking’ bout a Movado watch when he probably has a cell phone that can also function as watch! People come to church to be comforted not criticized over something so inconsequential…
I’m truly excited about TV One’s “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” based on the life of gospel legend Marvin Sapp, which comes on tonight at 9 P.M. ET/8C! TV One recently hosted the official red-carpet premiere for the biopic at the Regal Atlantic Station in Atlanta. The event was packed with star power including the icon himself, Marvin Sapp alongside film stars Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Ambre Anderson, Stormy Merriweather, Zoe Greene and Jayden Griffin. Other notable attendees included director, Russ Parr, Executive Producers Phil Thornton and Keith Neal and President of TV One Michelle Rice. Check out some of the pics below!
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: Ambre Anderson, Marvin Sapp and Chaz Lamar Shepherd attend the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: (L-R) Vonii Bristow, Kevin Saunders, Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Ambre Anderson, Marvin Sapp, Charmin Lee, Seth Schenall, and Josué Charles attend the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: o, Marvin Sapp, Russ Parr, Ambre Anderson, Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Dawn Raven, and Phil Thornton attend the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: Michelle Rice and Marvin Sapp attend the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: Phil Thornton, Willie Moore Jr. and Marvin Sapp attend the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: Singer Keyondra Lockett attends the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 17: Sheree Whitfield and Lisa Wu attend the TV One Atlanta screening of “Never Would Have Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story” at Regal Atlantic Station on August 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for TV One)
In the days leading up to the premiere of the film, Sapp has much to celebrate. He was surprised by the Pandora team with the Billionaire Award celebrating more than one billion streams on the platform on Thursday at the National Museum of African American Music. There is also a re-release of his classic hit “Never Would Have Made It” out today. The impassioned unplugged version of the song continues to bring people to their feet 16 years after it was first released. The song is available for purchase and on all streaming platforms now.
Buzz has reached a fever pitch since the world premiere of the trailer exclusively within the Stellar Awards last month. Fans and industry insiders alike have been waiting to see the retelling of this legendary journey told through the lens of the man who lived it. From an intimate screening in his home state of Michigan to a prestigious showing during the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival and a special premiere at his home church The Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas, “Never Would Have Made It” has resonated with audiences through its powerful storytelling and dynamic cast. In Nashville this week, the film will wrap up its movie premiere run with a special screening at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville.
Marvin Sapp‘s biopic chronicles the prominent gospel music artist and preacher’s Michigan upbringing, battle against teenage alcohol abuse, love for his wife MaLinda Prince, rise in the music industry and growth in his faith. Sapp came into prominence more than 30 years ago as a member of the iconic gospel group Commissioned and is widely known for his award-winning, chart-topping crossover hit “Never Would Have Made It.” Currently, he is an author, radio show host and senior pastor of The Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas and pastor emeritus of Lighthouse Full Life Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan – the church he founded with his late wife, MaLinda Prince Sapp.
The film is directed by Russ Parr and produced for TV One by Swirl Films, with Eric F. Tomosunas, James Seppelfrick and Keith Neal serving as Executive Producers. Additionally, Marvin Sapp and Phil Thornton are Executive Producers. For TV One, Jason Ryan is the Executive Producer in Charge of Production, Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting and Susan Henry is Senior Director of Original Programming and Production.
For more information about TV One’s upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network’s companion website at http://www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
