John Gray is a popular pastor who hails from Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church. He is currently being slammed on social media for comments he made during T.D, Jakes's MegaFest 2017. Pastor Gray is catching heat because he spoke about marriage and sex during the festival which was from June 29th-July 1st. The story is still being passed around on Facebook.
John Gray's words struck a nerve
Pastor Gray basically said that women should be willing to have sex with their spouses because the husband has dotted his I's and crossed his T's. Gray's exact statement was: "The bills are paid the kids are covered I've prayed over you now handle your business" His phrasing is more than likely what caused the uproar because it comes across as if a wife owes her husband sex because he has worked hard and paid bills. Sex between spouses should not be a business deal.
I Corinthians 7:5 says that neither the husband or wife should withhold marital relations from the other unless both are in agreement.
It does not say the wife owes sex to her husband because all his ducks are in a row. He may not have meant it to come across this way but John Gray's wording suggests a woman should "Handle her business" and give the husband what he wants. It does not address a wife who is being deprived of love and romance from her husband.
This is most likely why it stuck a nerve with so many people. Perhaps had Pastor Gray spoken about married couples loving each other and mutually expressing their emotions through the act of making love his sentiment would have been better understood. There is also another controversy to this issue and that is preachers talking about sex.
The changing role of pastors today
Most older believers in Christ listened to preachers such as Billy Graham who never strayed from salvation through the belief that Christ rose from the dead.
During that era, a tent meeting, church service or large gathering such as MegaFest would have been focused on the soul and leading people to Christ, period. Today pulpits are used for various reasons. And the role of pastors is changing. Many different issues including sex are being addressed and sometimes nothing is said about Jesus and the cross.
John Gray is now among a growing number of preachers including his pastor Joel Osteen whose messages go against the grain. The same is said of T.D. Jakes. It is believed by many that his MegaFest is nothing more than worldly entertainment.The big question that a lot of Christians are asking is If the pastors are becoming marriage counselor, then who will share the gospel they were licensed and ordained to preach?