Ray Meyer

Ray Meyer currently serves as the senior pastor of the GCI congregation in Kansas City, Missouri and as a district pastor.

Ray and his wife Carol both began attending WCG/GCI following graduation from high school in 1965. They had both heard The World Tomorrow program, read The Plain Truth magazine and were drawn by the message. They entered Ambassador College in Pasadena, California in 1965, which is where they met. They graduated in 1969, were married and sent to serve the congregation in Akron, Ohio, working first with David Antion and then Bryce Clark.

Carol grew up near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, living and working on a small produce farm where she learned the value of hard work. She responded to the gospel as a child and began following Christ at that time. She did not have the support of her family in many ways and had to swim upstream in order to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Ray grew up near Kansas City in western Missouri, living first on a farm where he learned many practical skills and later in a small town where he worked in a grocery store and then as an apprentice electrician. Ray also responded to the gospel as a child and attended church regularly with his mother and siblings.

Ray developed a love for basketball in the seventh grade and this blossomed into a passion in high school where he lettered three years and was named an All American as a senior. This led to a college scholarship offer, which he turned down to attend Ambassador College. He went on to play basketball for four years at Ambassador.

Ray’s first assignment as a senior pastor was in a circuit that included Cincinnati, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky. He was later transferred back to Akron to pastor the AM/PM churches there. After a sabbatical in Pasadena, the Meyers pastored churches in Houston, Texas; Louisville, Kentucky; Dayton, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin and most recently in Kansas City. They both feel this journey was the result of God’s call on their lives, and they believe it has been his blessing and grace that has enabled them to endure the ups and downs of ministry over the many years.

Ray said, “God has given us a deep love for our denomination and the people of GCI and that is what has fueled our drive.” Ray has always enjoyed serving in his area of giftedness: pastoring/shepherding with all that his gift entails. Ministry offers a wide variety of activity and responsibility, which they have always appreciated. But most rewarding for both of them is seeing people blossom as they’re transformed by their life in Christ. “That’s what it’s all about!”

What are their passions? Carol’s passion is working with people who have suffered abuse of one kind or another. These experiences led her to write the book, Project Renewal – A Study Guide for Emotional Recovery (now published in three languages). Over the years, she has helped many people on the journey of recovery. Being a member of Heart of America Ministry Women has opened numerous doors for ministry, as has her employment with Avant Ministries (a missionary agency). In addition to helping a number of missionaries and those they serve, Project Renewal is part of the women’s curriculum at a theological seminary in Bolivia. To read more, go to www.projectrenewal.info. Carol has also enjoyed leading the women’s ministry in GCI’s Kansas City church for 17 years, which has hosted 15 women’s retreats.

Ray’s passion has been developing leaders. Early on he used the Spokesman Club/Graduate Club format to develop leaders and wrote a manual on Christian Leadership from his Graduate Club experiences. Later this passion was expressed in mentoring men and women in the recognition and expression of their gifts and in providing opportunity and encouragement to put those gifts to use in ministry. Coordinating festivals also served as a great format for mentoring others and for leadership training and team building.

In response to the question, “When do you feel closest to God?” Carol replied, “Amazingly, when we’re in a crisis. We discovered this when I was deathly ill in 1985 and again when Ray’s life was threatened by pulmonary emboli in 2000. God mercifully delivered us both. We also experienced this when the church was in crisis during the 90s. The song, “The Anchor Holds,” was especially meaningful for us during that time.”

When asked about their most significant mentor, Ray said, “We haven’t had just one good mentor. There were a number of men who positively impacted our lives, including Dean Blackwell, Ron Kelly, Richard Rice and several others.”

When asked, “What do they enjoy most about being a part of GCI?” Ray replied, “Seeking truth was always a prime motivator in the past and that continues today. It’s all about growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the transformation this brings.”

During their tenure in ministry, Ray has served in a variety of responsibilities, including deacon, elder, assistant pastor, associate pastor, pastor, YOU District and Regional Coordinator, Festival Coordinator for 13 years at three different festival sites, district pastor, regional pastor, district superintendent and district pastoral leader. Ray commented, “The major lesson we have learned is that it’s Jesus’ ministry, not ours. He initiates and accomplishes it all—and he gives us the opportunity to participate!”

For diversion and recreation, Carol enjoys oil painting, playing Scrabble and reading historical fiction while Ray enjoys hunting and riding his Harley.

Now for some interesting ironies that Ray has recognized:

• Little did I know that the minister who first came to visit me in 1965 (Rowlen Tucker) would be the man I would later replace as pastor in the Kansas City North church in 1994.
• Little did I know that the pastor I first heard speak in Kansas City in 1965 (Bryce Clark) would be the man I would later work under in Akron, Ohio beginning in 1969.
• Little did I know that the congregation I first visited in 1965 would be the church I would come to pastor in 1994 and would retire from in 2013.
• Little did I know that the young man who will be succeeding me as pastor in Kansas City (Jason Frantz) was a youth in the Dayton, Ohio church which we pastored during the 1980s and 90s (Ray is retiring from employment as a pastor next month).

Ray and Carol are blessed with two children (Janna and Randy) and four grandchildren (Faith, Logan, Gavin and Ellora). They look forward to spending a lot more time with them during the years to come.