Shaunie Henderson Fires Back at Angry Critics Calling Husband Pastor Keion a ‘Scammer’ for Requesting Millions In Donations from Church Members
Shaunie Henderson is working to spread “some positivity” following the backlash her husband endured from the internet.
At the beginning of this month, Shaunie’s husband, Pastor Keion Henderson, received accusations of being a “scammer” online after asking his congregation and donors to contribute $4.4 million over the next three weeks. The money will be used not only to double the size of The Lighthouse Church but to also fix any remaining damages that the church faced from Hurricane Beryl.
Unfortunately, the request did not sit well with viewers who felt the Pastor’s ask was insensitive to his church members and followers who may be going through their own financial struggles, while others resulted to name-calling, accusing Keion of being a “con artist.” But not on Shaunie’s watch.
The “Basketball Wives” mogul took to her Instagram on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to write a respectful response to people making negative comments about her husband.
She posted a video of her walking gracefully in a cream-colored suit and heels with a screenshot of her Threads post that reads, “You are not responsible for anyone’s distorted perception of you. Stand firm in your own truth and light.”
The video was accompanied by a song by Christian hip-hop artist Miles Minnick called “God Ain’t Done.”
Written in the caption, Shaunie’s strategic clapback continued by encouraging her followers to join in on the positive act. She wrote, “Happy Tuesday. What is one thing you do to stay true to yourself and block out negative perceptions? Let’s share some positivity and self-love in the comments!”
In the comments section, which Shaunie made sure to limit, One person wrote, “When you KNOW who you are and whom God has called you to be, nothing & no one else matters! Only validation is needed is God’s!!”
Someone else said, “I know who I am and who’s I am so I know I can’t fail ! Even when I make mistakes it’s all working for my good.”
One day following Shaunie’s post, Keion uploaded his own IG video with clips of his congregation. In the video, he reiterates the same statements in his original video where he reveals that his church has had to turn away up to about 600 people per week.
“And the Lord spoke to me about three months ago, he said, “and told me to add seats to this sanctuary. I had no idea that God had another plan.” With that post, Keion added a link to the Out of the Harbor fund for donors to give money.
In his original video that came out at the top of this month, Keion expressed to his followers and people watching from around the world that they already had plans to “do this” in October and said he wants to expand the church “so that no one who has an opportunity to get in is turned away because we don’t have a seat. We can’t wait on the insurance company to do that.” Keion asked that 2,100 of his followers give $2,100 in the next 21 days to reach their $4.4 million goal.
Um… Pastor #KeionHenderson of Houston’s Lighthouse Church & Ministries, and husband of #ShauniOneal, asks congregation for $4.4 Million from 2,100 Members for Church Repairs following Hurricane Beryl pic.twitter.com/Q33mkvDewd
— All Tea All Shade (@TeaTimeTips2) August 13, 2024
The ask left some questioning why don’t he and Shaunie don’t come together to donate their own funds. Someone wrote, “They gon have to use they own funds lol and then when that insurance hit be reimbursed this is nuts.”
Another encouraged Keion to be more patient writing, “Wait on the Lord. Why is he impatient with the insurance company?”
Referring to their 2022 wedding special that aired on television, one person in the comment section of She.Gossipz wrote, “Him and Shaunie better get it from vh1.”
Another said, “This man is a con, that church as a 501c 3 must and is definitely insured! He is a thief, robbing the people!.”
A third added, “Man you sound like a fool.”
Hurricane Beryl damaged all four of the church’s campuses but left the north campus out of service, forcing it to close down indefinitely. With that, Henderson and his followers had no place to have their Sunday revivals. That is until Pastor Joel Osteen agreed to let him host the services at Lakewood Church.
He shared in an Aug. 8 video that his “church is still open” and that they will continue to have revivals every Sunday night for the month of August at Osteen’s Lakewood Church.
