.png)
Has Pastor Gino Jennings taken the title away from Bishop T.D. Jakes and become "America's best preacher?"
Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.
The Best Preacher crown was placed on Jakes' head by Time magazine in a 2001 cover story.
According to Jakes' and Trinity Broadcast Network's websites, The New York Times in 2005 sealed Jakes as "one of the nation's most influential and mesmerizing preachers."
Many in the Christian internet community have recently expressed their views that Jennings now fits those two establishment media-provided descriptions more so than Jakes.
Jennings, who purposely shuns being a media darling and a celebrity pastor has become both a lightning rod for controversy and a very popular figure especially in America, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.
His propensity to strongly criticize the state of today's Church and help lead it back to the biblical truth direction as he says God Almighty has guide him, has helped fulfill his stated purpose from Jehovah of warning the world about the last days and "calling attention to the Lord's divine will."
The social media community and the Black Church now appear to by vast majority support Jennings over Jakes in the wake of the latter's ongoing scandal involving his attendance at Sean "Diddy" Combs' parties.
But Jennings is not just a rising star in the Black community. A great diversity of nationalities on social media are increasingly honoring him as their new "favorite preacher." Churchgoers of every ethnicity have been flocking to hear and see his booming voice and nonverbal communications as he boldly spews forth what many find to be irresistible messages.
He views himself as being neither bought nor sold and is apt to give God the glory every chance he gets.
If you have not heard of the Rev. Jennings, he has been preaching and leading since he was a 13-year-old boy. He says Almighty God appeared to him while he was still a teenager.
When he was 22 years old after being silenced for two nonconsecutive years by his former pastor and great uncle, Bishop Haywood Hinton, Jennings left what his biography calls the "false church." Hinton had silenced him for two different yearlong stretches, accusing Jennings of deviating from the bishop's traditional Pentecostal messages and instead preaching "true holiness."
The young, razor thin preacher with the thunderous vocals then ventured out to lead his own temple in Philadelphia: the First Church of Jesus Christ, Inc.
Starting in his parents' basement with a scattering of followers from Hinton's church including Mother Jennings and his dad, Bishop Ernest Jennings, the child prodigy became an immediate sensation in his new leadership endeavor.
Jennings' biography posted on the church's website describes miracles wrought by the Lord using the "hand of Pastor Jennings" including the healing of an ear and a resurrection from the dead.
Now in his early 60s, the son of a bishop runs the FCOJC from the church's sprawling headquarters in The City of Brotherly Love. Jennings says he is not the seemingly now ever-growing international temple's founder. He says Jesus is.
His propensity to give the glory to Christ Almighty is a key part of his character. He rails against preachers who include their own names in pastoral care endeavors. The targets for his illuminating fiery darts include Jesse Duplantis, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, Andrew Wommack, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Paula White and Jakes.
Jennings is also critical of preachers he accuses of running the Church like a "family business:" ministries where pastoral functions are passed down from parents to their own children or other family members. Osteen Ministries, Hagee Ministries, Dr. Charles Stanley and his son Andy, Jakes and his daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts are all included in that class.
Hailing from what he often calls "the hood" in Philadelphia, Jennings' baritone voice can sometimes spark memories of the late Louis Armstrong: a legendary jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans.
With a deep, long, rolling sound reminiscent of Armstrong's unique, undeniable and entertaining low rumble, Jennings often rhetorically asks after making a point: "Am I right?"
Pastor Jennings is far from an entertainer. While he can be humorous and witty, he is a serious and dedicated man of God. Jennings is focused on correcting misinterpretations of the Bible, false prophesy and erroneous doctrines surrounding Jesus' Church.
He is unapologetic in his preaching style: a throwback hellfire and brimstone delivery that is clearly delineated from celebrity pastor Osteen who is also loved by many around the world. Jennings does not care who he offends and would rather glare into the camera than smile.
He seemingly welcomes the outrage and criticisms that come his way. He wears the threats he receives like medals of honor given to one of God's warriors in the ongoing spiritual war.
He can be mistaken in appearance to a Nation of Islam minister because he sometimes wears bow ties that match his sparkling clean suits and shirts. He has body guards reminiscent of the Fruit of Islam which guards Minister Louis Farrakhan. While Jennings respects the NOI's truths, he is known for debunking its unbiblical teachings by using the Bible as a source for truth.
He has shown how God Almighty, the only self-existent being according to the Bible, could not have created Himself from out of darkness. The late Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught his followers in the NOI that God created Himself out of darkness.
Jennings is a full-fledged leader in the Christian Church. Yet he has said that Christianity is not his religion.
He teaches that God wants people to live and be "holy" rather than be called Christians, citing several Bible verses like he usually does (See Leviticus 11:45, 1Peter 1:16).
Further leveraging the biblical language such as found in 1 Timothy 3:2-5 King James Version, he scolds other pastors, reverends, bishops, churches and denominations for allowing women to serve as deaconesses, preachers and bishops.
"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"
With unmatched confidence in his knowledge of the Bible, he does not back down from his strong stances and encourages almost anyone to debate him in public.
He has stated that he works for a living and is not paid a church salary, does not misuse tithes or offerings and is not a "false prophet" like the late Father Divine and Sweet Daddy Grace.
With a keen knowledge of the Bible and one of the boldest deliveries in modern times, Jennings has recently experienced a very sharp increase in the number of baptisms he renders. The number of FCOJC temples around the world is skyrocketing along with his reputation of being one of America's and the world's "best" preachers.
Who do you believe is America's best preacher? Let us know.
____________________________
Reginald Spann is the Publisher and Senior Content Editor of both The Christian Commander and Seven Angels Sentinel. He has been writing and editing professionally for over 20 years and is the author of the book: The Healing of a Nation.
A graduate of the University of Missouri - St. Louis' school of psychology (BA) with a minor in communications, he is a freelance journalist who is available for editing and writing about a variety of content including sports, religion, politics, entertainment and pop culture.
You may contact him through our Partnership page at christiancommander.com
Wow very interesting. I’ve only heard his name in the last month, maybe one time. Question is-why is it necessary to exploit others for self-gain? Just preach and teach the word.