Gino Jennings, the general overseer of First Church in Philadelphia, has publicly referred to Bishop Jamal Bryant, the Baltimore-based pastor, as his cousin—and he’s not shy about criticizing him. Jamal Bryant is related to Pastor Jennings by family ties, Jennings strongly disagrees with Bryant’s theological views and public ministry direction.
So to sum up succinctly:
- Yes, Gino Jennings is cousins with Jamal Bryant.
- No, they do not see eye-to-eye—in fact, Jennings has strongly condemned Bryant’s approach publicly.
Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant, the Atlanta-area pastor who’s been spearheading the 40-day “Target Fast” and broader boycott movement against Target over its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, is featured in a Bloomberg article, "Pastor Sees Boycott of Target Stores as New Civil Rights Fight"
Final Thoughts
The Bloomberg article likely underscores Bryant’s framing of the Target boycott as a modern civil rights campaign—amplified by strong metrics and community response—but placing it within a broader, nuanced tapestry of activism, economics, and faith.
Meanwhile, his relationship with Gino Jennings adds a compelling layer: despite being cousins, the two pastors have fundamentally different theological perspectives, and their public conflicts have become part of their individual narratives.