Ray serves as Executive Pastor, aligning staff and ministries to accomplish the church’s mission and vision. He works with pastoral and administrative staff, overseeing operational functions to advance and unify the church. Ray also develops and equips lay leaders and church ambassadors to minister and serve. Major areas of responsibility for Ray include discipleship, connections ministry, men’s ministry, teaching and preaching. Ray also serves as Vice President of Operations & Marketing for First Steps Discipleship Ministry and brings a great deal of ministry experience to his current role. Over the years, Ray has served in various capacities, including small groups, teaching, sports ministry, assimilation, and missions. Ray’s passion is situated in missions and has served in numerous contexts developing and training leaders in the areas of leadership development, ministry development, global missions, and discipleship. Ray holds an MA in Intercultural Studies from Biola University, an MA in International Affairs from Regent University, and is completing a PhD in Intercultural Studies at Biola University. He is married to his beautiful wife, Dawn, and, together, have raised a gifted daughter, Olivia.