*Entrepreneur/reality TV show star/R&B singer/producer Kandi Burress and Pastor/Gospel Singer Marvin Sapp have both opened up regarding harsh criticism about their collaboration on the song, “I Stay Prayed Up.”
While many online say they have been “blessed” by he song, others have rejected it, citing various religious reasons.
Burruss, an unmarried “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member, addressed the debate about the song via her blog on Bravo’s website. Although she went into recording the song expecting some people to judge her, the single mom thought some of the direct comments were “extreme.”
In reference to how she dealt with feedback that crossed the line Burruss said:
“Can you believe a woman actually tweeted me and said, ‘Bi*#c@h you can’t praise my God?’ . . Thank God I don’t let things get to me. I’m a very open and honest person. I say what I want to say when I want to say it. If I feel like doing something.”
In defense of recording the song that has received over 100,000 views in less than a week the singer continued, “I felt that I wanted to do this song, so I did, and I’m glad I did. This song is my testimony.”
In the February 21 post: “I love Twitter, but it is an open platform for people to slay you… But lucky for me, I have just as many people or more that show me love.”
Sapp reluctantly addressed critics via a rushed Facebook post that pointed out the ministry potential of their pairing. Following is his post in its entirety:
Usually I don’t respond to people about things like this however I must this time. The problem with many in the church is 1.) that we major in minors and 2.) ignorant (not well studied) of scripture.
Lets deal with the first, This woman who was an ex R&B singer that sells sex toys and live with her man decided on a show that reaches 10 million viewers per showing (believers and unbelievers) to sing about,,,, Not sex toys, drugs or living with a man but PRAYER!!!!!! and the saints are upset.
The lyric says, “I stay prayed up, that gets me by, that how I made it through my darkest time, see I’m a sinner and thats no lie, but thank God my prayers are heard because he knows I try” Wow!!!!! nothing elicit or comprising about the lyric….
So lets look at how Jesus dealt with the sinner….. From my study of scripture the only people he checked was the church (religious people of that day) however the sinner he consistently showed COMPASSION!!!!!!! Examples…… Woman caught in the ACT of adultery Also the Woman at the well……. Never exposed them publicly, dealt with them privately. We as believer major in minors…… So caught up in the messenger that we are missing the message “Staying Prayed UP”.
Now I close with this…Everyone that God used in scripture was flawed and or had struggles…. Let me call the roll….. Moses was a murderer, Rahab was a harlet (whore), David was a murder/adulter and still considered a man after Gods own heart, Peter was a cutting cusser however was in the inner circle of Jesus, Paul was a murderer and made many blaspheme against God however wrote 2/3 of the NT, He spoke through a Donkey and if we decide to be quite rocks will cry out…
We say we are christians which means being Christ-like but question peoples motives that model his behavior….The bible speaks about witnessing and that you need to be wise to win souls and Paul says I became all things to all men that I might win some…. Compromise was never done here nor do I condone her life style or life choices and keeping 100 you don’t know the off camera conversation we had. Again big picture 10 million people at 1 time were challenged to PRAY in difficult times WOW!!!! Thats Awesome and Ministry…..
PS Didn’t spell check because I’m late to a meeting…. Be Blessed
Billy Dorsey, a Grammy, Dove and Stellar Award-winning producer and songwriter – according to Breathcast – echoes Sapp’s sentiments, also notes Christ’s tendency to step outside of the church in his ministry.
“If Sapp is looking at it from a ministry perspective, Jesus didn’t hang around with the people “church folk” figured He should have,” says Dorsey. “He hung out with those who in all aspects were beneath His righteousness, but He used that to lift them up to greatness. You can’t help someone up if you’re not willing to get close enough to let them lean on you.”
thanks marvin for telling them about jesus, and how he loves the sinner, but hates the sin,
we all fall short, but we also have these so called saved and sanctified people, who will beat jesus in church on sunday. and they don’t even know that sunday is not even the sabbath
but thanks for sticking with Kandi and telling the truth about all those judge-mental folk, who don’t know what it means to not judge. thanks Marvin for tweeting and letting those so called haters, and so called believers.who talk about everybody. and don’t understand what kind of man jesus was. Thank GOD somebody knows. GOD bless you and have a blessed day!
“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. ” (John 9:31)
James, your comment is a good example of number 2. You seem like one of those people that say “its in the Bible” or “my Bible say”. John 9:31 wasn’t said my Jesus….
This is the problem with Christian spirituality in America. Anyone without regard to character can gather to themselves followers and have a form of godliness.
Mat 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Thank you Pastor Sapp for KNOWING that God used and is using ordinary people to spread His word. All these people talking mess and trying to point fingers better look at the four fingers pointing back at YOU! Whoever that woman was that wrote that vile message to Kandi really needs to read her Bible she may learn something
Christ did not use perfect people, look at the twelve that was with him they all had faults, how can you tell someone about something if you have not been through somethings. We are all sinners , most of the people speaking out here did not say one thing about eddie long or celflo dollar if you dont like the song dont listen if you dont like the show dont look if your going to be a hypocrite go sit on the front row of the church
I love the song. Thank you Marvin. This woman that uses B*tch and her God in the same sentence. How sanctamonious can you be. Kandi has a beautiful voice.
I believe it is all about the heart and the objective for creating this and any song. If it is just about putting a song out to make money then it will have no real power, it will just be something entertaining. That is what I believe this particular song is, entertainment. There is no anointing on it to destroy any yokes or pull down any strongholds. The anointing comes from a crushing, like oil produced from the olive only comes when the olive is pressed. It takes sacrifice and relationship to produce anything meaningful for the Kingdom of God. Most of the gospel music out has about the same power as this song…none. It’s all just about the dollar, putting music out to appeal to a money spending public yearning for entertainment and caught up on hype, image and personalities.
I agree Eddie, it is all about entertainment and making money.
Diva and Eddie, you need to do your homework. It is very unlikely that this anointed song will make a 1/3 of the money that Kandi has made on any of the Pop hits that she’s written, produced on sang on.
Even as popular as Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary are, to be somewhat financially stable when your career is in the Christian music industry takes lots of planning, budgeting and stewardship. This is the kind of talk and behavior that keeps secular artists from turning their lives over completely to Christ.
You’d think they’d be the LAST ones talking mess, after all the molestation and homosexual scandals going on in the congregation…
This is one of the reasons I don’t go to church. You have all of these so-called sanctimonious people claiming to be God-like and the first one’s to judge others! God is the only one to judge and we all have done things that are sinful. Once you recognize your sin and ask for forgiveness, the Lord will not forsake you! The main people judging are the first ones in Church spreading mess, when in fact they need to clean their own life and try to practice what they preach or assume is right. You can’t judge others if your church is futile in it’s teachings! Baptist congregations are the worst!!!!
hey timmdogg well written and well said, I agree we are not the judge and jury. your right but most people who do go to church. are the ones who are back bitters, and spreading mess
and they think they are above everyone. well said ( have a blessed day)
If Sapp is looking at it from a ministry perspective, Jesus didn’t hang around with the people “church folk” figured He should have,” says Dorsey. “He hung out with those who in all aspects were beneath His righteousness, but He used that to lift them up to greatness. You can’t help someone up if you’re not willing to get close enough to let them lean on you.”
there is NO perfect person or human alive that is without sin. sin is sin is sin no matter how u look at it,twist it or turn it.
many people act as if GOD has directly appointed them judge,juror and punisher of others for there sins or falling short of the desires of the lord. they turn there noses up,judge, say and do UNGODLY things to those THEY feel fall short of god’s glory and think they’re doing his work.
last time i checked GOD is GOD all by himself and don’t need help.
thanks marvin for what you point out in your response
I co-sign with Eddie and Diva007.
Can not serve 2 masters, if you going to serve God, be about doing that which would please him. To continue to go on with life, before giving praise to him in song,is very hyprocritical. I think Kandi have a beautiful voice, and love hearing her. The thing is, the song prayed up, is sending out 2 different kind of messages 1} A person who prays, can pray return to whatever life style, they were leaving. Praying brings about a change, not to be played with.God will not be mocked,or disrespected. 2: Cannot serve 2 masters,one you wil love, and other one you will hate, The time comes when we must change our ways, and show the world,we’ve been transformed into a vessel worthy of being by Almighty God, to continue to sale sex toys, and upcoming show, that goes into more depth about sex toys, again, I say, we cannot serve two masters, Have to pick one, and ride,this gives others the idea, they can play with word of Almighty God, and do what they want, as long as, they stay prayed up! In fact producing mindset, which open the doors for all kind of behaviors,as long as they stay prayed up. In this day and time with all that’s going on, We all should be about the business of doing what would be pleasing in the eyes of Almighty God, Concern ourselves with what He thinks about flipping and flopping from this to that, couldn’t be about money so much, Important for us to make better choices, as we have those who watch,and follow our leads. Must be careful, who sees another as a role model, they should be extremely careful, how they do things. When it’s all said, and done, we all have to come face to face with Almighty God, and we should want Him, to pleased with our actions.
I’m reading and I’m listening, some of you same ones in here throwing them Christian stones I don’t hear you yelling and fussing about all this damn mad rap music degrading our beautiful sisters, and corrupting the young black male mind offering them a false hope of a hustle every last one of us on this earth is going to sin on a daily by thought, word or deed. She may not be right in your eye sight, but you are not the master, have you thought that maybe shes wrestling with something that God may have touched her to do this song I am just so glad that man can’t put me in heaven or hell. what about some of you do good Christians you only help the homeless on the holidays come Jan. 1. its F-u. but you still call yourself a Christian.the same ones talking about her selling sex toys. are the first one behind close doors using them or ordering them. Ladymary it sounds like to me your issues are with something deep down in you take a deep look with in you may just find your answer we all have faults
Eddie, you said what I was going to say. This ploy seems transparent to me, this is about money first and foremost for this lady. She tried to do a new R&B comeback and it flopped, she tried to do a country song and that flopped. This appears to be simply the next thing to throw up in the air and hope it sticks, lol. I see I was not the only one to see that. This does not mean “sinners” cannot do gospel. To me, that is not even the issue, though Sapp and others have tried to turn it into that. That said, Ladymary, your post is strong and even harsh, but it is so well-written. Great post!
Also
So how is the sale of sex toys (ladymary, sale is a noun, not a verb) serving another master? This is for, lack of a better word, entertainment. Is masturbation serving another master? Is making love within the confines of marriage but without the intent to bear fruit serving another master? Will it be different when Kandi gets married?
You need to read your Bible again , but this time get the real understanding. Because what you are saying IS NOT what God either said or meant.
Who is you to judge her. Nobody knows her relationship with GOD but her and GOD. Look in your closet for all the bones and secrets you have in there. Did you never sinned before you call yourself a christian? Be careful of what you say because the bible says that everyone is born in sin or is it that you are greater than GOD. At least she knows she is a sinner and not hiding it. She is telling it to the whole world. She knows from where her help comes from. It comes from the LORD, no matter what is going on in her life. At least she got sense enough to pray and not be a shame to let people know that she does. What i see her doing is to encourage those who think or believe that GOD do not or will not love them for what they or doing or doing in their lives. She is ministering to those who love her music. To those who may not have had any hope until they heard that song. To let them know that they to can pray and that our FATHER listen, hears and answer our prayers. The bible says to praise HIM at all times. Just not when life is good, but most difinitly
when the times are hard and we see no way out. When we are hurting, or hungry, or feeling so alone and lonely. The more she prays, the more GOD and only GOD changes her hurt. Who are we to discourage her from coming to the other side, to stop “straddling” the fence. We pray so GOD can change us. If we don not pray we stay the same on sinful self. Maybe you temporarily forget where GOD brought you from. But i will never will. That is my testimony and she has her own. So i say more power to her. Instead of criticizing her fall down on your knees and pray for her.
@ Eddie Da’rell Williams, I loved your comment. I feel this chick is doing this for the money, bottom line.
We have to remember that God uses sinners, but that is not for them to remain in their sin. Paul was a murderer, but he didn’t continue to murder. Jesus didn’t judge the woman caught in adultery, but he told her to sin no more. We are NOT suppose to judge people with condemnation about their sins, but help them to turn to Christ.
This is not a bad song, but it lacked an anointing. It is wonderful to pray, but what about changing. People are led to believe that I can still continue in my lifestyle because God knows I try. Your life will continue to go downhill with this type of thinking. We are suppose to help people renew their mind. You can pray your whole life and never see all the promises of God. God is looking for change–
some of these same people that are upset over this song and trying to judge, is not saying one damn thing about the killings of our youth, the gay pants sagging males in your house hold or this madness of gay marriage, you better stay prayed up in this world of confusion no matter who brings you the song.
so true he who has not sin cast the first stone jesus not included ( this is for the super saints)