Who Is John Gray? Pastor’s Prayer Before Trump’s Meeting Draws Mixed Reactions

President Donald Trump was scheduled to hold a meeting about prison reform with pastors at the White House on Wednesday. But before he sat down at the table with them, Pastor John Gray of the Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina, offered a prayer.

Although the prayer was a minute long, the power of his words resonated around the table, forcing even the leader of the free world to take notice:

"God, we thank you for an opportunity to speak about the hearts of those who sometimes cannot fight for themselves. Thank you for this moment to be able to share our hearts with the president and his administration. Dr. King said, we cannot influence a table we are not seated at. And so we pray this conversation will be fruitful and productive and honoring of the best traditions of this nation.

We further pray that you will continue to give wisdom and insight to our president and his leadership team to be what the nation needs. To build this country from the inside out. That we will continue to be a beacon of hope and light around the world. Bless his family. Bless his health. And everything that he puts his hands to do. This is our prayer and bless our time together. Jesus, in your name I pray. Amen."

The video of Gray’s prayer was uploaded on social media and was viewed by thousands of people, CBN News reported. By the end of the prayer, even Trump acknowledged the power of his words. He extended his hand out for Gray to shake and with a smile added, “I think he's done that before, don’t you?”

However, the prayer was not a hit with many social media users. As a result, Twitter users were split, with half of them wanting to boycott him and the other half approving his presence next to the president.

So who is John Gray who left an impact on the president?

Gray is a multitalented individual who has tried an array of professions including being an actor, singer, author, minister, playwright and comedian, according to his website “John Gray World.” Gray was the born in Cincinnati, Ohio and he “accepted Jesus Christ as Savior at seven years old at Bethel Baptist Church under the pastorate of Dr. Wayne Davis,” his website stated.

He was equally interested in music and about the same time, directed the first church choir of his life. His affinity for music continued throughout his formative years and he participated in every theatrical production at church and at school.

After enrolling into the University of Cincinnati, he became a part of the traveling Gospel Choir that represented the school around the country. At the age of 21, he preached his first sermon at Bethel Baptist Church.

The turning point in Gray’s life came when he was invited to be a cast member in a touring stage play starring Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin. His mission in life was to impact as many youths of his time as possible by teaching them the world of God by integrating preaching with comedy and music.

His mission received the green light in September of 2000, when Gray was appointed as a youth pastor at The First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey, under the leadership of DeForest Soaries.

Gray took his talents to the entertainment world, directing, producing or co-producing award-winning films, starring in TV shows “Sister, Sister” and “Tyler Perry’s The House of Payne.” He also released two musical albums and a comedy DVD.

In fact, Gray’s life even caught Oprah Winfrey’s attention. In 2017, he became the subject of a reality show called “The Book Of John” where he appeared along with his family on Oprah Winfrey Network, the Undefeated reported.

Speaking of books, John released his debut book “I Am Number 8: Overlooked and Undervalued, But Not Forgotten by God” on April 2017. He is married to Aventer Gray, and have two children – a daughter named Theory Aspyn-Sky Gray and a son named John W. Gray IV.