Very few pastors oversee their own church while maintaining a demanding singing career. Gospel singing sensation Marvin Sapp is one of those few.
Very few pastors oversee their own church while maintaining a demanding singing career. Gospel singing sensation Marvin Sapp is one of those few.
The Grammy Award-winning recording artist and pastor of the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. is riding high these days with his seventh solo album, "Thirsty", and its mega-hit single, "Never Would Have Made It."
Sapp wrote the hot-selling song two days after his father’s funeral in 2006.
“It just seemed like the right time to do it. I give all praise and glory to God but my father truly was the rock in my life, and I know if it were not for his love and support, I would not be the man I am today,” Sapp told the Defender. “My parents were both in the choir so God was introduced to me at an early age.”
The 42-year-old pastor said while he loves singing, his first love is doing God’s work.
“Singing can uplift a person, but the work I do at my church saves souls and I cannot tell you how good that feels,” Sapp, who is also the 1,700-member church’s founder, explained.
He was born and raised in Grand Rapids and remains there with his wife of 17 years, Melinda, and their three children.
Sapp recalled a childhood rooted in church, and even “playing church” with his friends.
“Unlike other kids who play house or school, my friends and I played church. We had deacons, ushers, you name it, we had it,” he recalled. “I can’t see myself doing anything else but what I am doing today.”
He thinks he could have been a teacher, but on second thought, “Ministry is what God chose for me to do so this is what I plan to do for as long as God wants me to serve,” Sapp said.
The award-winning singer, whose past albums include his self-titled 1995 debut album, "Diary of a Psalmist (2003)" and "Be Exalted (2005)," has performed with a number of gospel artists and would love to someday do a duet with Stevie Wonder. He claims singers Teddy Pendergrass and Pebo Bryson as early inspirations to his career.
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