Pastor calls his Kansas City congregation ‘cheap’ for not buying him a Movado watch

A Kansas City pastor says he asked his congregation for a designer watch last year, and when he still didn’t have one during a recent sermon, he called the churchgoers “poor, broke, busted and disgusted.”

A 56-second clip of his Aug. 7 sermon was shared to TikTok earlier this week, prompting the senior pastor to apologize after it was watched thousands of times.

“That’s how I know you’re still poor, broke, busted and disgusted, because of how you’ve been honoring me,” Pastor Carlton Funderburke, of Church at the Well, said in the clip. “I’m not worth your McDonald’s money? I’m not worth your Red Lobster money? I ain’t worth your St. John Knit? You all can’t afford it nohow. I ain’t worth y’all Louis Vuitton? I ain’t worth your Prada? I’m not worth your Gucci?”

He goes on to say he wants his Missouri congregation “to understand just what God is saying.”

“You can buy a Movado watch in Sam’s,” he added. “And y’all know I asked for one last year. Here it is the whole way in August, I still ain’t got it. Y’all ain’t said nothing. Let me kick down the door and talk to my cheap sons and daughters.”

@kansascitydefender

Kansas City Pastor GOES OFF on congregation calling them "poor, broke busted and disgusted" because they didn't give him enough money to buy a new watch he's been wanting. It's pastors like these that give the church a bad name smh an also why a lot of our generation left the church. What y'all think?

♬ original sound - kcdefender

The apology

In a live video shared to the church’s Facebook page Aug. 16, the senior pastor said the sermon clip lacks additional context he shared during the Sunday service, but “no context will suffice to explain the hurt and anguish caused by my words.”

Funderburke said he has apologized to his church, adding that his congregation is continuing to support him.

“The video clip does not reflect my heart or my sentiments toward God’s people, yet that’s not discernible in the clip,” he continued. “Therefore, I offer this sincere apology to you today ... I apologize to all who have been hurt, angered or in anyway damaged by my words. The zeal of any presentation must be tempered with love and respect, and that was not displayed.”

He also apologized to other preachers and pastors having to “stand up under the controversy” seen in his sermon.

“To those who know and love me, thank you for your support,” Funderburke said. “To those who now know me because of this video clip, I regret that your first impression of me is one of anger, hate and resentment. My actions and my words are inexcusable. I offer no justification or defense.”

Funderburke ended his statement asking for prayers and forgiveness.

Church at The Well describes itself as a “charismatic non-denominational church.”

Funderburke, a Kansas City native, leads the church alongside his wife, Sylvarena Funderburke. They founded the church together.

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