Shaunie Henderson’s Pastor Husband, Keion Henderson, Hushes Woman During Service In Viral Video; Spawns Social Media Discourse

Houston pastor Keion Henderson is defending himself after the backlash he received for telling a woman to “hush” during a recent church service. Henderson, who told his side of the story when he appeared on the Tamron Hall Show on May 7, said he was trying to bring order at Houston’s Lighthouse Church “so people could hear God and not her.”

“What people have to understand is that every time you hear noise in church, it isn’t worship. And so, there has to be order,” Henderson told Hall, the news outlet CHRON reported.

Henderson, who is a well-known pastor around the country, has amassed millions of Instagram followers. The 42-year-old appeared on the Tamron Hall Show with his wife Shaunie O’Neal. The pair promoted O’Neal’s new book, Undefeated: Changing the Rules and Winning on My Own Terms. But naturally, Hall asked the pastor “How did you go viral this weekend?”

Henderson said the viral clip didn’t tell the whole story about the incident. He also added that the woman has been doing the same thing for years.

“Social media is into cuts not context. Every suggestion that I’ve gotten from every naysayer, I’ve already done. This is a four-year battle,” Henderson said. “I’ve already talked to her personally. I’ve already had ushers go up to her. I’ve already had prayer warriors [talk with her]. I’ve had everything. So, she did it publicly after being asked not to.”

The video shows Henderson getting distracted by a woman in the choir who was crying and repeatedly screaming as the pastor was praying with the church members. The Houston pastor then walked toward the woman on stage, repeatedly snapped his fingers and said, “Shhhh. Hey, stop her! Hush, hush.”

“Silence in the name of Jesus,” Henderson added. “The only voice I want heard is His.”

Some of Henderson’s critics said the woman had the right to express herself in church.

“If y’all knew what real pain and struggle looked like you’d be screaming thank you Jesus until your voice cracks…stop normalizing lack of emotion towards others that’s why we are in such a terrible state now,” one person wrote on social media, according to CHRON. “Baby girl find another church.”

Another person on X described the pastor as a narcissist.

Henderson also had several people who spoke up in his defense.

According to some of Henderson’s supporters, the woman’s screaming didn’t have anything to do with worshipping.

In his interview with Hall, Henderson said he felt terrible for his wife because the church incident became a distraction while she’s trying to promote her book.

“The most egregious part of this weekend in the clip you showed is that I felt so bad because here it is her moment and everybody’s talking about me and I felt so bad about it it grieved me because I want people talking about her,” he said.

What do you think about the viral moment?