Bishop and First Lady Gray stepped out in faith in 1981, heading back to their roots in Williamsburg, Virginia from Richmond, Virginia. While residing in Richmond, Virginia, they served the Lord faithfully at Bible Way Church at 1630 Rose Avenue under the leadership of Bishop C. T. and Mother Mattie O’ Hairston. The first service was held in his mother’s home (Mother Rose Gray) with his uncle, brothers and sisters. While at this interim position, the pastor weekly arranged family members and friends to fellowship in their homes. The members kept the faith for a more suitable site and membership continued to increase. Funeral homes, shut down nightclubs, and neighboring churches were being used for Sunday services. God continued to bless us abundantly and allowed us to witness souls being saved, healed, and delivered.
In 1984, God blessed the Bethel Bible Way Church to purchase land and build their first sanctuary. God has blessed us a hundred-fold, increasing the congregation by the hundreds. In 1999, Bishop John N. Gray, Sr., was led by the Holy Spirit changed the name of the church from Bethel Bible Way Church to Bethel Restoration Center to give definition to the ministry.
With six children and plenty of grandchildren, John and Laverne share much love by having such active lives. Most of their time is spent studying God's Word, being a helping hand in church ministry during office hours, as well as assisting in the community. During their relaxation time, John loves to exercise, kick back and watch sports or even a good action movie. Laverne loves poetry and spend much of her time writing poems, sharing with family and friends in the kitchen and even around town.