Ray was born in Key West, Florida. His father was in the Navy and his family moved from Key West to Philadelphia, PA, Brunswick, ME, then Lakehurst, N.J. He remained in New Jersey until he graduated from high school in 1979. While a senior in high school a classmate shared with him the story of Nicodemus and what it meant to be born again. He prayed that night to receive Christ as his Savior but did not join or attend church for many years.
After graduating high school he attended Ocean County Community College for one year before joining the Army. He served on active duty for eight years; three years as a Military Policeman and five years as CID Special Agent (Criminal Investigator). He then served two more years in the active Reserve. After being discharged from the Army he pursued a career in federal law enforcement and served as a civilian Special Agent with various agencies.
Ray and his wife, Chisuk, were married in Arlington, VA on May 3, 1988. They have one adult son. Ray also has twin daughters by a prior marriage, and two grandchildren. While living in Northern Virginia Ray decided to get serious about his faith and started attending church. After attending church and growing in his faith he began struggling with staying in law enforcement or quitting to go to seminary and pursue vocational ministry. During a long season of prayer he discerned that God wanted him to remain in law enforcement and become intentional about sharing the gospel in the secular workplace.
As his retirement eligibility grew closer, he started pursuing a Master’s degree from Liberty University. He graduated in 2008 with a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and in 2010 graduated from Liberty with a Master of Divinity-Chaplaincy. After a nineteen-year break in service he returned to the Army as a Chaplain with the Florida Army National Guard.
Ray retired from his civil service law enforcement career in June 2012 and was hired as the Associate Chaplain with the Broward Sheriff’s Office. He later worked for Hope South Florida—a para-church ministry—as the Program Manager for HOPE4Vets working to help homeless veterans find long-term sustainable housing. He resigned from that position when he is was activated for one-year with the Florida Army National Guard. He retired from the National Guard in October 2020. After retirement, he graduated from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary with a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies.
Ray and his wife currently live in Ocala, Florida and are in a season of prayer discerning the next chapter in their lives serving the LORD.
