Pastor John Gray receives support from Relentless Church members after 'difficult' week
"Things like this are not common in our area, and maybe that's why so many have opinions on it, but I'm glad our pastor is blessed and glad he shows his love for his wife."
If members of Relentless Church harbored any negative feelings about Pastor John Gray giving his wife a luxury SUV for their wedding anniversary, those detractors were not apparent at his Sunday services in Greenville.
Every mention of the national scrutiny surrounding his wife's Lamborghini Urus, a vehicle starting at about $200,000, drew a roar of approval from the Relentless congregation in both morning sessions.
Sunday was at least the third time Gray publicly defended the lavish gift to his wife for their eighth anniversary. He had made prior statements on Instagram and Facebook, but this weekend marked the first Sunday services since the controversy made national headlines appearing in publications such as USA TODAY, Fox News and Newsweek.
Gray, 45, mentioned the controversy multiple times Sunday and alluded to it in his closing remarks of the second service when he called the past week "one of the most difficult of our lives."
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In the early service, Gray said he believed God would deal with him spiritually "if I used one nickel from this church to do anything for her."
Gray — who has revenue as a published author, the focus of a reality television show, and a television producer — said it was important for his congregation to know that the gift came from income outside his church salary.
"I believe spiritual principles are in place for people who would intend to defraud the Kingdom of God for their own purposes," Gray told The Greenville News between services. "I have other streams of income, and I use that to bless my wife, not from (financial) sources the church provided."
Church members who spoke to The Greenville News on Sunday firmly supported the high-profile pastor.
Willie J. Smith, a member of Relentless, said he considered the controversy to be much ado about nothing.
"I think any husband wants to give his wife nice things," Smith said. "I've never understood this notion that Christians are supposed to be poor, even though God has promised us blessings. Pastor Gray had been blessed financially long before he ever came to Relentless Church, and I think it's great that his wife doesn't have to drive a clunker. I think every man here feels that way."
The controversy began in the days after video taken at the anniversary celebration was posted on Instagram. In the video, which was later deleted, Gray led his wife to a bow-wrapped SUV and handed her the keys while saying "Lamborghini Urus."
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Many people on social media wondered what could've been done with the money instead, or why anyone would give money to his church if he could afford such an expense.
Gerald Galloway, of Simpsonville, seemed to reflect the mood of the Relentless Church campus as he entered the worship center Sunday morning.
"It makes no difference to me in my Christian walk," he said. "I'd give my wife one if I had the opportunity."
Karen Cleveland pointed to scripture that mandated that the church "pay the pastor well," and her husband, Benjamin, said the controversy of the past week "has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God or our worship here."
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Gray received an ovation from the congregation Sunday morning when he proclaimed his love for his wife in both services. She was en route from her hometown of Dothan, Alabama, during the early service after leading a youth group seminar there in recent days. She arrived in time for the 11 a.m. service.
"It's important to me because there should be integrity when it comes to finances of the church," Gray said. "It's not the church's responsibility for me to provide for my wife —that's my responsibility."
Tonya Bethea, another member of the church, said the incident gave her more resolve in her beliefs.
"If a pastor has the ability to bless his wife with a great gift and doesn't do it, something is wrong," she said. "Things like this are not common in our area, and maybe that's why so many have opinions on it, but I'm glad our pastor is blessed and glad he shows his love for his wife."
Smith, who attended the church when it was named Redemption and stayed when it changed to Relentless earlier this year, said the controversy could help Relentless in the long run, "because they're reminded of how God's people are always going to face criticism."
"The people who criticize are people who are more caught up with religion than in a personal relationship with Christ."
Email abe hardesty at ahardesty@gannett.com