Ray was brought up in the Lutheran Church, going to Sunday morning worship, Sunday school, and serving as an acolyte as a boy. He always affirmed the existence of God, that Jesus was His Son, and that the Bible was His Word, but Ray was not a Christian. As a teenager he joined the party crowd, going out most nights drinking, racing cars, looking for girls, and getting in fights with other guys. He knew he should be living for God, but he thought he could “have fun” while he was young and then live for God when he was old. The fun ended one night when Ray was twenty years old. A tragic automobile accident killed his friend and left Ray with a concussion and multiple lacerations. In the hospital, the grief over took Ray. He cried out to the Lord, asking him to take the grief away and promising that he would commit his life to serve Him for real.
God answered Ray’s prayer. The Lord graciously gave Ray a real desire to know Him and serve Him. Ray began reading his Bible cover to cover, over and over again. He also began visiting “Bible-believing” churches, where conversion to Christ was believed in and taught. Ray still had to face the consequences of his “fun” life, as decided by the courts. After spending thirty days in jail, while still on probation, he got a job at CTVN. Not having a driver’s license, his mother and grandmother would drive him the hour trip to work daily.
At Cornerstone Television Ray met and married Robin. Five years later Ray began to work at Fox 53 in their graphics department doing the 10 o clock news. As the years went by, Ray couldn’t get enough of the Word of God. His pastor took notice and encouraged him to take a few classes at a local seminary. He did and loved it, and began taking classes regularly, simply wanting to learn more about the Bible and how God had been working in His church for the last two thousand years.
Ray received his Masters of Divinity degree (M.Div.), and was ordained a minister of the gospel. Since that time, Ray has become the Senior Pastor Providence PCA in Robinson Twp and has earned his Doctorate of Ministry degree (D. Min.). A growing love for God’s Word has continued to be the distinguishing mark of Ray’s church and ministry.