Welp, there is one less pastor on television as of 2020…For some that may be the good news but for others, not so much. I will let you be the judge of that…
Pastor John Gray’s local newspaper The Greenville News reported that the Relentless Church pastor’s show The Book of John Gray is “not being renewed for a fourth season on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
The website of the show at Oprah.com describes The Book of John Gray as a ‘dramedy docu-follow hybrid about the life of John Gray and his uniquely humorous way of helping people.’
Officials at the network did not respond to follow-up questions about why the show was discontinued.
Gray and his wife, Aventer, meanwhile, are considering other TV and film opportunities, according to Holly Baird, their spokesperson.
John Gray has been associated with celebrities, renowned musicians and star athletes. On Wednesday, Aventer Gray shared photos on Instagram of her and John Gray on a yacht with actor Tyrese Gibson and his wife, Samantha Gibson, during a recent vacation.”
But frankly, Pastor Gray’s show being canceled is not even the worst of his current troubles…
You can read the rest of the article HERE and another one HERE.
If you’ve lived a few years by now, you know that the book of all of our lives have inspirational chapters, tragic chapters, fast-paced ones and slower than slow ones. From the looks of it, Pastor John Gray and his family have had a series of chapters that I’m reasonably sure that he hopes the “author and finisher of our faith” didn’t have to write. Here’s hoping that Pastor John Gray carefully reviews these past chapters of his life (as we all have to do) and continues to seek God’s direction what has yet to be written…
I wish all of God’s people well in this chapter of 2020.
Imagine you’ve entered into my prayer closet…This is what is what you will hear today…
Dear Lord,
Your child Kanye is back in the news again (not that I really needed to inform You of this because You are omniscient)…as if he has ever been out of the news since his first album “The College Dropout” dropped in 2004…I loved his song “Jesus Walks” Lord because it glorified your son and it was banging…And although he didn’t seem like a usual Christian artist based on his repertoire, I knew that song had to mean something to him. It was so in your face. And then he was dating a Delta at the time (“Through the Wire” – “She was with me before the deal she been trying to be mine. She a Delta so she been throwing that dynasty sign.) And he was cute.
And it’s true that his first album was his best album to me anyway, but everything ain’t for everybody and that’s fine. And then he dropped his woman who he was with before the record deal and the fame and fortune and got with different women. But you don’t have to be a famous and fortunate man to have a revolving door of relationships and with fame and fortune, the revolving door probably turns at whiplash speed. And I appreciated his outburst about Hurricane Katrina. It may have not been true, but I respect the sentiment behind his delivery…He spoke from the heart and used his platform to highlight a critical issue…
And Lord, I really don’t understand why his mother had to die when she did in 2007 and so tragically too. I don’t care how famous someone gets and how much fortune someone amasses, nothing compares to having a loving family including your parents in your corner…And let’s be honest Lord, that’s when he started being in the news for not-so-good stuff. I mean it’s been 10 years this year since your child interrupted another one of your children Taylor Swift during one of her first big moments at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009 and people are still talking about it…Even then your child President Obama, who is from Kanye’s hometown of Chicago, had to weigh in on your child’s tomfoolery…
And then Lord, your child seemed like he was trying to return his first love…Your son Jesus…with his new Sunday Service. And yeah, I was a bit put off by the high-behind Sunday Service merch…(By the way, Lord, did you know that I was yesterday’s years old when I realized that ‘murch’ was actually ‘merch’ and short for merchandise. Why didn’t you reveal that to me sooner? All this time, when I would hear people saying ‘murch,’ I wanted to ask, ‘What is that?’ But I didn’t want to look stupid.) But on the other hand, nobody can force me to part with dollars unless that’s what I already wanted to do.
And then Lord, after your child took his Sunday Service on the road, he finally came to the capital of the Civil Rights, Atlanta, and brought his Sunday Service to New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. I didn’t make it, but I read the glowing reviews. I heard your child had folk waitin’ in line for hours just get into church. Ain’t that somethin’ Lord?! That’s what you been tryin’ get us to do. Spread the word that Jesus is King. But we are so disobedient some time…And by the way, thank You God, he no longer refers to himself as Yeezus. Lord, You stay forgiving us when we falter… Lord, your hashtag should be #GraceandMercy…I kid Lord, You know and I know You’re above all of that, but I know You’re cracking a smile because I’m one of your favorites…Just kidding…all your children are all blessed and highly favored…
And then Lord, your child acted like he didn’t even visit the civil rights capital of the world when he made some controversial statements following his visit…Your child New Birth Pastor Jamal Bryant, who once welcomed your child Kanye to New Birth, had some thangs to say ’bout that too…although his “Jesus Is King” album is spreading your word in a way that many other Christian artists aspire too…I mean, when was the last time You saw, “Jesus is King” as headline in the New York Times?!! (Here’s the exact headline…Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Is King’ Is No. 1)
In a new message to his congregation at @newbirthmbc, Pastor @JamalHBryant says it’s not Kanye West’s music or his #SundayService that’s the problem; it’s “the in between the songs” comments on slavery/Donald Trump that’s harmful & he cant “sell out” & support it! #KanyeWestpic.twitter.com/B7Ty7P9nAm
And Lord, the American Bible Society has informed me that over 6,000 Bibles have been given away to Kanye fans!!! According to the society, his album generated more than a million queries on Google alone and prompted fans to search questions such as “What do Christians believe?” And now the American Bible Society will continue to give away free Bibles to Kanye fans through Nov. 22!!! Lord, I’m scratching my head on this one. What am I supposed to do with this? One one hand, he is making controversial statements that hurt the black community and on the other hand, he is reaching the masses for You…
And then as I was cooking this morning, I heard he performed in a prison on Friday and some of the prisoners became believers…(And You know that the average your child, me included, aine really standing in line to volunteer for the Prison Ministry)…I know You know this, but here’s the video anyway…
So…I’ma just end my prayer right here Lord. I’ma let You sort through it all. In summary, help mestay on the narrow way to Heaven because You know I want to wander off from time to time. And Lord, guide all of your children because You created them and know their ways and how they wander off. May we all make it there, some way, some how and some day…
First of all, I must say outside of launching my debut novel “Destination Wedding” and writing OWN “Greenleaf” recaps, I don’t have much else bandwidth to write on complicated issues on this blog. (After December, God willing, I will be posting as normal.) However, I’m sure you saw Brandt Jean hug Amber Guyger, the convicted murderer of his brother Botham Shem Jean, as gesture of forgiveness last week in that Texas courtroom. It was breathtaking. If you haven’t, see it below…Following this video is my Facebook reaction to it…
I think the discussion (click on the post to see the full discussion) that happened as a result of my post encompasses all of the variables that influences my complicated reaction…What say you?
Also, here is my original post about Botham Shem Jean in September 2018…
White Greenville Oaks Church of Christ Lead Minister Collin Packer Shares Support of Black Slain Worship Leader Botham Shem Jean…