Pastor Lives In $1.8m Mansion Paid For By The Church He Works For

An American pastor who bought his wife a top-of-the-range super car, is now living in a $1.8 million (£1.4 million) mansion bought for him by the church he works for, to encourage him to take the job.

Pastor John Gray is the leader of the Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina, and reportedly lives in an enormous home, in a gated community just a few miles away from his mega-church.

According to the Greenville News, the church says buying the 7,000 sq ft home 'isn't anything new', and that they bought it to convince Gray to join the church.

Financial officer for the Relentless Church, Travis Hayes, said: "This is a practice that is done with every denomination in the nation. That's what this is. This is an asset that belongs to the church."

But Gray is no stranger to lavish gifts, having allegedly bought his wife, Aventer, a $200,000 (£155,000) Lamborghini for their anniversary - which saw him criticised online.

Gray used his social media channels to hit back at the critics.

PA

In a Facebook video he said: "Pastor buys his wife, you know, this expensive car. First of all, it wasn't a pastor that bought the car. It was a husband that bought the car. Get that in your spirit.

"I want to make it clear, not a nickel, not a penny, from this church, Relentless Church, went towards the gift that I made my wife.

"That matters, that's the only thing that matters, 'cuz I know like you know, there are some pulpit pimps out here who take church money and do the wrong thing."

The devout Christian claimed he used money from his television show, The Book of John Gray, as well as cash he made from his book, to pay for the sports car - which he still hasn't finished paying for it.

His wife was also quick to jump to her 'hubby's' defence.

Facebook/johngrayministries

Taking to Instagram, she wrote: "MY HUBBY IS A HARD-WORKER, HE WORKED HIS WHOLE LIFE AND HE SAVED TO BLESS HIS WIFE!

"I don't see anyone screaming about how basketball players drive what they do while you paying $$ to see them play in arenas and on fields. We don't live for people! We live for God!"

Gray has caused controversy in the past, describing Donald Trump as the 'most pro-black' president.

The Relentless church reportedly has 15,000 members, with 200,000 more followers watching its online sermons.

Topics: Interesting, US News, US Entertainment

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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