Providence leadership

Born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Ray was baptized as an infant in the Sons of Zebedee Lutheran Church in Saltsburg, PA. Ray was not converted to Christ until 1989 through a tragic automobile accident. In 1991 he graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a BA in Broadcast-Cable, and worked in television for ten years, including five years at CTVN. During that time Ray got married, started taking classes part time at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS), became a father, and was ordained a ruling elder at New Life Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Harrison City, PA. In 2001, believing that Ray was being called by God into pulpit ministry, the congregation at New Life pledged two years of support so that Ray could quit his job and become a full-time student. Excelling at seminary, Ray earned the Bruce C. Stewart Award for the highest cumulative grade point average as a middler in the spring of 2002.

The following year, Ray received his M.Div. degree from RPTS and was called as an assistant pastor by Providence Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Robinson Township. In 2006 Providence called Ray to be their associate pastor. Then in 2010, upon the retirement of senior pastor Bailey Cadman, Ray was called by the congregation to be their senior pastor. While pastoring the church, Ray was able to complete his doctoral work at RPTS, earning his D.Min. in 2013. To date Ray has had published numerous journal articles and two books, Preaching with Biblical Motivation, from P&R publishing and A Pocket History of the PCA, from CDM. In addition to hosting Origins and pastoring Providence (PCA), Ray is a member of the President’s Council of Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS), and he regularly appears on the program Hard Questions on the Cornerstone Television Network (CTVN). Ray and his wife Robin have four children, Calvin, Daniel, Jacob, and Sarah.