Minister Of Youth

Stephen grew up in Sherwood, Arkansas, a small suburb of Little Rock.  His folks are Robert and Sharon Ray, and he is the youngest of four brothers - Joma, Keyuno, and Robert II.  It was in high school that Stephen realized that God had given him the gift of ministering to students.  He mentored students throughout his high school and college years.  While pursuing a music degree at Ouachita Baptist University, Stephen started helping out with the youth group at Park Hill Baptist Church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas as a college volunteer.  He eventually served as an intern, and then the interim youth pastor.  Stephen then moved to Houston to began graduate studies in Vocal Performance at Rice University.  He found a home at Westbury Baptist Church.  A few months into his new journey, it became clear to Stephen that the passion planted in his heart by God wasn't merely occassional - it was vocational.  Stephen accepted an invitation to become the Minister to Youth at Westbury in June 2009.  Outside of hanging out with students, Stephen loves to cook fried chicken (pardon the stereotype), play (on piano) and sing Blues and Gospel music, cheer on the Arkansas Razorbacks, destroy students in ping-pong, and teach students about the Word of God.