Dennis Jernigan

Born in 1959 in Supple, Oklahoma, this American Christian singer-songwriter issued his first recordings in the opening years of the 1990s, though his ministerial activities extend considerably further into the past. Long based in Oklahoma, Jernigan traces the core impulse of his work to the personal shift away from homosexuality that he underwent in his early twenties. Declaring his devotion to Jesus dissolved his same-sex attractions, and by 1983 he had entered marriage with a woman while beginning to raise a large family. That experience prompted him to launch a ministry, leading him to preach worldwide about deliverance from his former sins. While segments of the non-Christian public have questioned his stance on homosexuality and the idea that sexual orientation can be altered, Jernigan has simultaneously sustained a successful recording career that has registered occasional crossover entries on mainstream American charts. He made his debut with the 1991 album There’s Coming A Day and has since maintained a consistent flow of polished singer-songwriter releases built around his piano work and sermon-like vocals.