The City of Detroit Drops Lawsuit against Gospel Singer Marvin Winans, His Perfecting Church

“Under a stipulated order of dismissal, both parties have reached a resolution which we believe will result in Perfecting Church resuming construction at their 7 Mile and Woodward Avenue location,” Detroit Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallet Jr. said in a statement cited by Click On Detroit. “The agreement includes specific commitments from Perfecting Church to the city of Detroit regarding the timeline for construction, permitting and financing.”

The lawsuit had claimed that the construction site was a “nuisance.”

But in a recent agreement, the church and the city of Detroit said work on the project could resume as early as spring 2024.

City officials had initially asked the church to clean up its property by April 3, or it would be returned to the city for the building to be demolished and the land sold.

The land was sold to Perfecting Church in March 2005 for $13,000. Initially, a 4,200-seat auditorium for worship, a 35,000-square-foot administration building, a parking facility, and condos were planned to be built on the property.

“Perfecting, as termed affectionately, is experiencing the favor of God as He proves Himself by adding to the ministry. Perfecting Church will soon relocate to 7 Mile & Woodward. The new campus, which has over 20 acres, will include a 4,300-seat sanctuary, parking structure, office building, and market-rate condominiums,” the church’s website reads. “As a ministry, Perfecting Church strives to attain the purpose for which God has called. Not for vainglory but that we stand ready to meet the needs of the people; ever mindful of the phrase spoken in that vision to Pastor Winans, ‘they are coming to you.'”

Photo courtesy: Doug Zuba/Unsplash

Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.