Clayton Jennings is the disgraced celebrity evangelist and “spoken word” artist who promiscuously targeted fans using his spiritual clout and alcohol to pressure them into sexual fornication and, in at least one case, the Morning After Pill to cover up the sin. Several women posted their testimonies here at Polemics Report, with text, digital and audio evidence and several more are prepared to. Jennings first sought cover with prominent mentor, Tony Nolan, who later publicly repudiated Jennings for seeking a “secular team” to handle his PR rather than a path of spiritual repentance. As previously reported by Polemics Report, Jennings has also neglected to take the counsel of the elders at his church (who had previously revoked his ministry license), who like his mentor, similarly demanded he seek spiritual repentance rather than a return to ministry.
Again, demonstrating the impeccable reporting of the Clayton Jennings saga on this site, we have now obtained a series of emails that verify our claims that Jennings has resisted all forms of spiritual accountability and biblical repentance.
The first email was sent from the elders of Harbour Shores Church to membership, just yesterday.
Dear Brothers & Sisters of Harbour Shores Church,
On Sunday morning, November 13th, we read a statement to you concerning one of our members, Clayton Jennings. That statement included the following:
“As a result of the information that has come to light, Clayton has met with the elders, has expressed sorrow over his sin and is beginning the long walk of repentance. He has submitted himself to ongoing accountability to the elder board and the elder board is committed to providing ongoing care & counsel to both Clayton and Jamie.
As a result of this sin, the elder board recognizes (and Clayton agrees) that he should not be in full time ministry at this time. Clayton understands that he needs time to focus on his personal walk of repentance with Christ and on his relationship with his wife, Jamie.”
After weeks of prayer, counsel and attempts at discipleship, it is with heavy hearts that we, the elders of HSC, must inform you that, due to Clayton’s sinful choices and decisions, this statement is no longer accurate.
Clayton has chosen to reject instruction from God’s Word regarding spiritual leaders and repentance, as well as the counsel of HSC yet intends to continue in ministry. In November, we removed his license, we have made many attempts to correct him and he refuses to submit to the authority of Harbour Shores Church. Clayton has informed us that he has joined another church and is therefore now their responsibility.
We are deeply saddened by Clayton’s decision and ask that you pray for his repentance and restoration. Additionally, we believe it is not appropriate to participate in any of his ministries, social media activity or related business ventures.
We are grieved by Clayton’s sinful choices and we continue to pray for all those affected by his sin and for his repentance. If you have questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact one of the elders.
With Love and In Christ,
The Elders of HSC
To recap, the elders at Harbour Shores Church claim that…
- Clayton has rejected the counsel of his church leadership, who do not believe he should be doing ministry
- Clayton is not interested in his “personal walk in repentance”
- Clayton has continued in “sinful choices and decisions”
- Clayton has fled the discipline of his church, to a ‘church’ apparently without tough love or discipline
“…it is not appropriate to participate in any of [Clayton’s] ministries, social media activity or related business ventures ” — emphasis ours
How did Clayton respond to his elders’ admonitions? Clayton responded by attacking and threatening elders in an email sent out to the church today.
We would post the full body of the email sent from Clayton to the church, but to do so would violate 1 Timothy 5:19, which tells us not to “entertain an accusation against an elder, except upon two or three witnesses.” After reviewing Clayton’s vindictive email against his elders to the church, it’s evident that Clayton made very specific accusations against his elders without a single witness, so we won’t countenance or reproduce his accusations here, lest we sin against God and the process of accusation and reconciliation He has laid out in Scripture.
We will, however, provide some excerpts from Clayton’s email that aren’t making unsubstantiated accusations against his elders. Here are just a few:
Clayton is “moving forward” with another (non-discipline) church in some kind of ministry “role”…
Jamie and I were offered a role with another church. We sensed that it was a door God had opened for us. We were so happy to be moving forward…
Clayton says his new church (unlike the old one, ostensibly) is full of “grace and love.” Then, he downplays the significance of his spiritual abuse and repeated lifestyle of fornication (during ministry) and suggests that it should be forgotten, bragging about the numbers of people he ministers to.
We are with a new church now that is filled with grace and love. We are so excited about the future and all that God has planned. I understand that being a public figure comes with attacks from people and the press. I also understand that I am guilty of certain sins in the past that I wish I could take back. Thankfully, God forgives and forgets, even when others try to hold it over your head and gossip/lie about it. God gave me this platform of over a million people to preach the Gospel, and not point people to myself. I am flawed, and so are you. We all desperately need Jesus.
Then, bizarrely, Clayton makes tacit threats against the elders of Harbour Shores Church and lists vague accusations against the elders and their families.
There is so much more I could write about the elder board at Harbour Shores. I could do what they’ve done to me and gossip about their personal lives and sin in the lives of their family members that disqualifies them from being leaders until repentance takes place. While some have encouraged me to expose details about other people’s sin in leadership, I refuse to do so at this time. Perhaps that will be needed in the future.
Clayton ended his email with a positive affirmation for his father, who he says has “led with grace.” Don Jennings, it should be noted, knew of at least some of Clayton’s fornications, and chose not to share it with the church or other elders. When recently asked by Christian News Network for a statement on the Jennings scandal, he accidentally cc’d them, calling them “godless” and “bent on destruction” for daring to ask questions.
Please pray for the elders at Harbour Shores Church, who like Tony Nolan, were the spiritual authorities in Clayton Jennings life and have had to come forward to to apprise the world of his lacking repentance. And please pray for the young women, with whom Jennings at various venues will soon have contact.
