SUMMARY: Scandal-stricken pastor John Gray is figting for his life as his wife, Aventer stands in the gap. Mrs. Gray offers an update on his health status to the Relentless Church. Gray has been released from te hospital and is undergoing out-patirnt treatments.
(The Slice): Megachurch Pastor John Gray, 49 returned to the pulpit at Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 14.
"What was scheduled in Hell, [was] for me to be in a [coffin], … but I'm on this platform right here because You willed it to be so. And for this and every other blessing, I say thank you," he added.
The Slice is providing a summarized timeline of his journey tat loos back over te last two months.
A month ago, (on or about July 15 per Youtube video) Aventer Gray, the pastor's wife stood in the Relenteless pulpit to provide an update on the status of his health. Pastor Gray had suffered a saddle pulmonary embolism and multiple blood clots in his lungs. Had he moved, a clot could have dislodged and killed him. At the time he was still experiencing labored breathing but was able to walk. News of his grave condition surfaced when on July 10, Mrs. Gray had posted a prayer request to her Facebook account announcing her husband's illness. Church members and loved ones came from as far as London to visit the ailing minister and cover him with prayer.
An emotional Mrs. Gray declared to congregants that God is performing a miracle in her husband's life. She gave thanks on bealf of her family to everyone who had been praying for them.
Throughout this challenge Aventer given periodic testimony updates online. She declared that the improvements in the pastor's health could only have been divine given the timing of the changes. In her Facebook message on July 11, she described the level of danger her husband was facing, writing, "Doctors, multiple cardiologists, a hematologist … the best, baffled… Only God! We are stable today moving in the right direction. You heard his voice, but don’t let it fool you, the way this SPE was set up, it was trying to destroy, suffocate him. He is being unhooked from supplemental everything, because the timeline of how soon it would take to see these clots dissipate was accelerated by months and the only thing they could attribute this to was prayer. Nothing they did do, was able to do what we now see based on most recent imaging. It was the prayers of the righteous that availed… "
Days later, their supporters heard directly from Mr. Gray, a former minister at Joel Olsteen's Lakewood Church in Texas, in his own words. Aventer posted a photo of an empty hosptial bed and a written message from the pastor. Leading with the scripture Psalm 108 that speaks of God healing all diseases, he stated: "GOD THANK YOU FOR SAVING AND SPARING MY LIFE! Yes, I have a long way to go, but I’m not dead-so that’s a great start! ." The pastor shared that he has several more milestones to hit but says he is getting stronger. After thanking his church members and doctros, to his wife he said," You and my children are why I fought to stay here." (The entire message is posted below.)
Unfortunately, Aventer also needs healing. Although she is projecting faithfulness and strength at this time, she has fresh emotional wounds from her spouse's highly publicized serial cheating.
A MESSAGE FROM JOHN W. GRAY III
Psalms 103:1-3 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases… The devil wanted me to die in this bed… THIS BED! This bed was supposed to be my end. Pull the sheet over my head and wheel me to the morgue. This bed, where I entertained my deepest fears, regrets, and triumphs, was supposed to be the period-A life ended, but unfinished. But GOD.
Glory! Hallelujah!
Because of God, this bed is now a testimony. As I wave goodbye to this bed, I say GOD THANK YOU FOR SAVING AND SPARING MY LIFE! Yes, I have a long way to go, but I’m not dead-so that’s a great start!
To the wonderful team of doctors, nurses, cardiologists, and staff at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Alabama I say thank you. My family and I are indebted to you all for your love and care. To the Northside Hospital Gwinnett team of doctors & staff-I have no words. Y’all did your diligence, imaging, testing, checking that monitor never let me sleep! Lol, but it’s exactly what was needed to preserve my life. Thank you. Because of prayer and an amazing medical team, I am on course for a COMPLETE recovery!
Finally, to my @relentlessgreenville, @relentlessatlanta family, and Relentless Online, so many pastors, leaders, and praying people around the world who bombarded heaven-I say thank you! It was GOD ALONE that turned the tide of this battle. I can’t respond to every text I’ve received and I still need a ton of rest, a lot of benchmarks to hit, outpatient follow up visits, monitoring, and blah blah blah-but know I’m grateful for every expression, I am getting stronger.
Aventer-you will have your own post when my words catch up to your supernatural strength & faith during this life or death moment. I love you with all I have-and with all I have left. You and our children made me fight to stay here.
I love y’all, now since I can’t shout. Can y’all help me shout? I’M OUTTTTT!
The couple has had a troubled marraige due to the pastor's infidelity and other issues in reent years. Pastor Gray has pinned his promiscuity on cildhood sexual abuse and traumas for which he sought professional help. Grappling with his demons, he admitted caused him to contemplate suicide.
In May, Mr. Gray said in an Instagram video that his soul had not been well for many years and that he had a breakthrough at a church event where the messages seemed to be catered to men. The most recent alleged affair was revealed a month before the health scare. An adult entertainer told vlogger Tasha K that she had slept with the pastor and provided proof. .
JOHN GRAY'S LAST INSTAGRAM POST BEFORE BEING HOSPITALIZED
The last two month for John Gray have indeed been dramatic. He has experienced being exposed for infidelity, being near-death, and stahndin before congregatns testifying of God sparing his life in a short period. He noted tat it took prayers to get him through the health battle. With gratitude, e said, "And to the people of God that have prayed and interceded, pushed and fought and cried and literally banged on the doors of Heaven and was like: 'Lord, not him, not now and not from this,' Thank you."
Meanwile the mother of their two children continues to press through her pain, crying out to God for a complete miracle.