Dennis Jernigan

Dennis Jernigan
Dennis Jernigan in concert, Woodland, California, June 2001
Background information
Born	February 9, 1959
Origin	Sapulpa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary Christian Music
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1989–present
Website	dennisjernigan.com

Dennis Jernigan is a singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian music. He is native to Oklahoma, and headquarters a music-based Christian ministry from there. Jernigan now lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma with his wife and their nine children. Jernigan is a self-identified ex-gay, and has been married to his wife for more than 30 years.

Jernigan is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University.

A primary source of inspiration for Jernigan's message and music is an experience he describes as his deliverance from homosexuality. Jernigan states that this began during a 2nd Chapter of Acts concert in Norman, Oklahoma. Jernigan believes his prior identification as homosexual was related to an erroneous childhood perception that he had been rejected by his father.

Following the experience at the concert, Jernigan developed a ministry based on his personal experience, which he shares at churches and other locations around the world. He has also campaigned against the proposed Hate Crimes Bill (H.R. 1592), saying that the legislation's passage would strip him of his right to speak freely about his self-identification as ex-gay. However,in a concert at Wynne Baptist Church, Jernigan stated that he does not wish to be labeled as "ex-gay," but instead as "reborn" or as "[God's] new creation."

Jernigan voluntarily resigned his position as vice-chairman from Exodus International in June 2012 after it was revealed that he appeared (inadvertently or otherwise) to be a supporter of anti-sodomy laws in Jamaica - a country long known to be violently dangerous for homosexual people.

Jernigan has recorded with Natalie Grant, Twila Paris, Ron Kenoly and Rebecca St. James.

Ex-gay movement