Marvin Sapp, the esteemed gospel singer and pastor, has recently found himself at the centre of controversy surrounding his recent wedding. Sapp married La’Boris Cole on March 20 at The Chosen Vessel Church in Fort Worth, Texas, where he serves as pastor. Following the ceremony, speculation arose regarding the financial backing of their extravagant wedding, with claims that it had been funded by church resources.
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In an effort to dispel these allegations, La’Boris Cole addressed the rumours during an Easter Sunday service at their church on April 5. Standing beside her husband, she firmly stated, “The church didn’t pay for the wedding. Y’all stop lying.” Her remarks were a reaction to accusations circulating on social media that questioned the couple’s financial integrity.
During the service, Cole praised her husband, defending his character against the negative narratives online. “Despite what the haters on the internet say about you, you are an integral man. You don’t take or rob the church,” she expressed while reinforcing her commitment to dispelling the unfounded claims. Cole called for critics to cease their unfounded assertions, proclaiming, “God’s been good to me. Y’all stop that. Now, y’all stop. Devil, you are defeated.”
The wedding, which took place just weeks after the couple’s engagement announcement in February, did include some notable moments, including a grand entrance via helicopter. Cole shared this experience with Essence, revealing the joy of sharing such a unique moment with her father and sister. She remarked, “It was an amazing bonding experience with them; my dad had never ridden in a helicopter before, and I’m so happy to have created that memory with him.”
Cole continued her address to the church congregation, urging those sceptical of their financial independence to reconsider their assumptions. “Stop it. Everybody not broke. And everybody don’t need the church’s money to pay,” she asserted, emphasising that the couple maintains several income streams outside of their church activities. Her remarks aimed to clarify that their wedding expenses were funded through personal means rather than church contributions.
The controversy surrounding the wedding financing comes on the heels of an earlier incident wherein a video went viral of Marvin Sapp instructing church ushers to “close the doors” whilst taking up an offering. In the video, Sapp is heard engaging the congregation, urging them to contribute $20 each, aiming to collect a total of $40,000. Following the backlash from this clip, Sapp took to Facebook on March 26 to clarify his intentions, stating that his directive was about fostering a respectful environment for donations rather than exerting control over attendees.
In further discussions about their wedding, Sapp explained that it was a surprise ceremony for all but their closest family members. He recounted that they had decided against waiting until 2027 to marry, emphasising their wish to mark the beginning of spring as a significant new season in their lives. “We chose March 20 since it is the beginning of spring, representing a new season both literally and figuratively,” he noted, reiterating how the date had been decided long before their engagement was publicised.
Having previously been married to MaLinda Prince until her death in 2010 due to colon cancer, Sapp expressed his enthusiasm about entering this new chapter of life as a husband again. “I’ve always told La’Boris that I’m a better husband than I am a boyfriend because I have more experience being a husband than I do being a single man,” he shared. With a strong commitment to his new role, he added, “I love being a husband. I’m looking forward to being who I’ve always known myself to be.”
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, both Sapp and Cole have presented a united front, reinforcing their stance against negativity. They aim to focus instead on their shared faith and the positive aspects of their lives and marriage. As they navigate this new chapter, the couple appears determined to celebrate their love while mitigating the external pressures and misinformation that have arisen in the public eye.