Even though he has a strenuous schedule as a dedicated pastor and sought after recording artist, Marvin Sapp has fully embraced the title and role of Bishop that was bestowed upon him in July of 2015 by Bishop Neil C. Ellis, presiding prelate of Global United Fellowship. In fact, he has been so dedicated to his assignment that he was recently given even more responsibility as Bishop Ellis announced that Sapp would be one of five leaders given expanded roles as Metropolitan Bishops. In this role, Bishop Sapp will oversee more than 100 churches in the Central Deanery of Global United Fellowship, which includes the states of Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio and Texas. This role is expanded from his previous role of Bishop over the North Central Province, where he oversaw 75 churches in 10 states.
Sapp says: “Bishop Ellis is a visionary, a caster of vision and a motivator. This is a wonderful opportunity for me because I am a servant at heart. Though people see me on stage, my heartbeat is serving others and, in particular, helping to empower other pastors. It is not only my responsibility but my great honor to encourage and build pastors and help to make them better and stronger, which helps to make our local churches better and stronger.”
Bishop Ellis made the announcement on Friday, July 15, during Global United Fellowship’s third annual gathering, which was held in Baltimore, Maryland. Other leaders appointed Metropolitan Bishops included Sir Walter Mack of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Craig Johnson of Riverside, CA and Jeffrey Reeds of Petersburg, Virginia. .Additionally, Bishop Brian Moore of Charlotte, North Carolina, was elevated from Metropolitan Bishop to Senior Metropolitan Bishop. During the week-long annual gathering, Sapp participated in daily instructional sessions and leadership meetings. He was also part of theThursday evening praise and worship team led by Bishop Cortez Vaughn of Kansas City and also featuring Bishops Moore, James Nelson, Leofric Thomas and A.J. Wright. Sapp was the special guest psalmist for the closing service on Fridaynight.
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Sapp says that Thursday evening was his personal highlight from this year’s Gathering: “That evening was powerful. Helping to lead praise and worship, and seeing people respond to this lead so vigorously that the Spirit of the Lord broke and the preacher could not even preach was phenomenal. It let me know that the Holy Spirit is absolutely in control. Even though we had a program we were to adhere to, we were not so rigid that we HAD to have a preacher. When the Holy Ghost speaks, it is louder than any man’s preaching gift could.”
“My experience in Global has been, without question, exceptional. To be able to come together with people from different continents and different ethnicities, all with one sole purpose of glorifying our God, is an incredible experience. It has been amazing for me and for my children. That is the reason that I came to Global. I wanted to be part of something that would enhance and enliven my children’s faith even more, and Global has done that. Global is serious about making an impact in the lives of children. Global is also serious about the well-being of pastors, and making sure we are healthy in every aspect of our lives. This is an organization like no other that I have experienced in all of my years being a believer. Global takes a holistic approach to making sure that those in the body of Christ are complete in entirety. I feel at home here.”
This week, as Sapp outlines plans for his new administrative jurisdiction, he will appear in Kansas City and Charlotte for preaching engagements. This Friday, July 22, he appears in Houston with the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour, which hits Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta and Memphis later this summer.
Marvin Sapp is a multiple Grammy and Billboard Award nominee, a two-time BET Award winner and a multiple Stellar Award recipient. He is one of the most beloved voices in Gospel music, as exemplified by being recently named Billboard’s Top Male Gospel Artist and also having one of the highest ever Billboard Top-200 charting Gospel albums with his 2010 release “Here I Am”. His current project, You Shall Live, is Sapp’s 10 th album and his fourth consecutive #1 debut.
