Dr. Ray Umphrey has a ministry background spanning two decades across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. He and his wife, Katrina, have been married for 18 years and have served side-by-side in ministry.
Ray has served as a professor, pastor, and denominational leader. Presently, he serves as pastor at Briggs Road Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio, and has served as President of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio from 2021 to 2023. Ray's ministry extends beyond local contexts as he collaborates with ministry partnerships, equipping pastors and leaders both locally and internationally.
Ray's academic interest lies in understanding and communicating the meaning of biblical texts through the lenses of discourse analysis and original language study. His doctoral dissertation is a discourse analysis of the Sermon on the Mount. Ray is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and regularly presents at academic conferences.
Outside of academia and ministry, Ray enjoys embarking on travel adventures alongside his wife, watching the latest Star Wars content, listening to and playing bluegrass music, and supporting the Tennessee Volunteers.