Jermaine Jones -- Still Welcome at Hometown Church

God's a lot more forgiving than "American Idol" -- TMZ has learned, the hometown church where Jermaine Jones grew up singing choir still welcomes him with open arms ... despite his checkered past.

TMZ broke the story, "Idol" producers terminated Jermaine's run on the show after discovering the singer had 4 warrants out for his arrest -- and gave multiple fake names to cops.

But Reverend George Holland at Green Grove Baptist Church in NJ isn't so quick to rush to judgment -- telling TMZ, he has known Jermaine since he was a boy ... explaining, “He’s well-loved and accepted here. We serve a forgiving God. Everyone has made mistakes in their lives. Hopefully when you make those mistakes you’ve learned from them and become a better person.”