Dr. James & Mary Ray
President and General Director
E-Mail Dr. James Ray
Read Articles by Dr. Ray from BIMI World
James Ray was born in 1940 on a farm near Fort Valley, Georgia. He was converted in a local Baptist church and entered the Gospel ministry at the age of 18. Dr. Ray is a graduate of Tennessee Temple University, Luther Rice Seminary, and Trinity Theological Seminary. Before becoming a missionary with Baptist International Missions, Inc., he pastored churches in Tennessee, Illinois, and Alabama. For a number of years the Rays served in the countries of Australia and England and established new Baptist churches in both places.
Mary Ray (formerly Mary Briggs) was born in Barnwell, South Carolina. She was converted through the ministry of Belclair Heights Baptist Church in Clearwater, South Carolina. She has a Master of Religious Education degree from Tennessee Temple University. She also holds a Master of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary. She now has an earned Doctor of Ministry in Missions degree from TTU. She has worked with her husband in the pastorate, on the mission field, and now is active in the worldwide ministry of Baptist International Missions. The Rays have two children and four grandchildren.
In 1979 Dr. Ray was appointed by the Executive Board of Baptist International Missions as European Director and served in that capacity until May of 2002. Since the fall of Communism, Dr. and Mrs. Ray have traveled thousands of miles raising funds and organizing teams to distribute Bibles in all parts of Europe. They, along with BIMI teams, have distributed over a million Bibles in Russia and Eastern Europe. Dr. Ray has organized citywide meetings in Eastern Europe that have resulted in thousands coming to Christ.
The Board of Trustees of Baptist International Missions recently by a unanimous vote asked Dr. Ray to serve as President and General Director. He brings with this new position an expanded vision for a world of six billion people. Dr Ray emphasizes that the church stands at the greatest open door of all the centuries of time.
As president of BIMI, he continues to travel, speaking in churches, schools and conferences as well as spending time on the various fields of the world with missionaries. He will also continue a "hands on" involvement with spreading the Word of God to those who have never had a Bible—that all the earth may know.
He may be contacted through the BIMI office
(423) 344-5050;
BIMI E-MAIL: E-Mail Dr. James Ray
Publicity Picture for printing
(large file can take a while to open)
