Born in Havana, Cuba, Ray came to the United States with his family in 1961 and settled in New York City, where he lived in the slums of the Bronx. He saw the game of baseball as a way out of poverty and became a first-round draft choice for the Detroit Tigers in 1971. After five years in the minor leagues, he gave it up to pursue a career in ministry. He graduated from the Berean School of Bible in Springfield, Missouri in 1980. In 1982 Ray began his ministry by founding the Church of the Good Shepherd in Clinton, Iowa, where he was pastor for ten years. In 1986 he received his ministerial credentials from the Open Bible Churches in Des Moines and was ordained by them in April 1993.
Ray served as National Director of Hispanic Ministries for Open Bible for six years, helping start over 20 new Hispanic churches throughout the United States. He has been speaking evangelistically since 1992, having been to many countries (Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico and Argentina) holding revivals. He has been instrumental in empowering the Fishers of Men Ministries, a ministry in Kenya, Africa, under the direction of Joshua Ngao. He also personally mentored six men and women who have successfully received their pastoral credentials; today some of them are pastoring and ministering in area churches. Ray has successfully directed the drama musical production of "The Witness", the passion story of Christ as seen through the eyes of Peter. He wrote and has added many scenes to the original musical that make the Bible come alive and set the stage for a magnificent spiritual experience.
He founded the Victory Center Rescue Mission in 1987 – an emergency, homeless shelter for men and families. In the year 2000 he founded the Victory Garden (renamed the Victory Center Womens' Home), which was a homeless shelter project for women in crisis. (This program has ended.) Ray is now the CEO of Victory Center Ministries Inc., where he holds his ministerial ordination credentials.
The presiding president, C Peter Wagner, of ICA (International Coalition of Apostles selected Pastor Ray to be commissioned as an apostle. An official commission ceremony was conducted on March 1, 2009 by Apostle Don Lyon and Pastor Jonathan Byrd at the Victory Center.
Apostle Ray is married to Mary Anne Gimenez and together they have a blended family with 11 children and 17 grandchildren.
Pastors Ray and Mary Anne Gimenez
