Pastor John Gray set the record straight on the daytime talk show “The Real” on Monday with his wife, Aventer, rejecting rumours that he was unfaithful to his wife but admitting he had an “emotional affair” with someone.
Co-host Adrienne Bailon asked Gray directly if he stepped out of his marriage and had an affair.
“The answer is no, I didn’t,” Gray responded. His wife, who sat next to him, immediately applauded.
Gray recently became pastor of Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina, after years of preaching at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.
He had come under much criticism for gifting his wife with a $200,000 Lamborghini for their eight-year anniversary just months after he confessed to listening to “voices” that lured him away and almost caused the couple to get a divorce.
He explained on Monday,
“Over a year ago, my wife and I were in a very difficult place in our marriage, and in that time, I began to converse with someone — other than a counsellor, other than a pastoral leader, which is where I should have taken my issues and challenges — and began to converse, and I was even in the presence of that person one time. But being in the presence of someone is not the same as sleeping with them. I did not sleep with anyone.”
The charismatic minister said “it was wrong” and is taking responsibility for sharing things about his marriage with anyone other than his wife or counsellor. He also went on to address rumours of an alleged love child.
“There’s no baby, none of that,” he said.
“It’s important for me to take responsibility for the areas where I did come up short. Sharing things about my marriage, outside of my wife and outside of trusted counsellors, is an emotional affair. It was wrong. I take responsibility for that. But I will not take responsibility for that which I did not do.”
Last summer, Gray opened up to his church, explaining that for about two years he and his wife had been contemplating divorce. Aventer also addressed the congregation explaining why she chose not to leave her husband despite his unspecified actions. The wife later alluded to a “strange woman,” sparking rumours.
“People act like this is something brand new,” Gray told “The Real” host.
“But we’ve walked through this. We have peace. But people don’t.”