Joel Osteen Taps Pastor John Gray as Associate Pastor at Lakewood Church

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, the largest congregation in the United States, brought in Pastor John Gray as associate pastor — a move that added a distinctly different voice to the Houston megachurch.

Gray, who was the first African-American pastor at Lakewood, took on the role of leading the church’s popular Wednesday night services. Under his leadership, attendance for those midweek gatherings grew from approximately 2,500 to around 9,000 — a remarkable increase that reflected Gray’s ability to connect with a broad audience.

A former stand-up comedian, Gray brought an unorthodox style to the pulpit that contrasted sharply with Osteen’s calm, measured delivery. Gray was known for mixing humor, raw personal stories, and real-world language with scripture in a way that resonated with younger and more diverse churchgoers.

His growing profile led to his own reality show on the Oprah Winfrey Network titled “The Book of John Gray,” which followed him as he counseled church members through personal struggles and life challenges.

Gray served at Lakewood for approximately five years before departing to become the senior pastor at Redemption Church in Greenville, South Carolina, which he later renamed Relentless Church. Lakewood officials said Gray would not be directly replaced but would continue to return for occasional Wednesday night services.

The transition was not without bumps. When Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston in August 2017, Osteen faced intense public criticism for not immediately opening the massive Lakewood facility — a former basketball arena — as an emergency shelter. Gray posted on social media at the time: “If WE could get there WE WOULD OPEN THE DOORS.”

After moving to South Carolina, Gray faced his own controversies. He drew scrutiny for purchasing a $1.8 million home through his new church, and allegations of personal misconduct surfaced. Gray denied wrongdoing and said the house was a gift to his wife, purchased by the church’s relocation fund, not by the congregation’s tithes.

Despite the turbulence, Gray’s tenure at Lakewood was widely credited with diversifying the church’s reach and bringing in a new generation of worshippers to what was already the country’s most-attended congregation.