About Ray Rhodes

Dear Friends,

My name is Ray Rhodes: husband, father, grandfather, and minister of the gospel. 


By the mercy and grace of God, I am a Christian redeemed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been joyfully married to my wife, Lori, since August 15, 1987. Together, God has blessed us with six daughters, four sons-in-law, and eleven grandchildren. We are deeply grateful for the Lord’s faithful provision and kindness to our family through the years.

God also graciously called me to preach His Word. Though I had been preaching for several years prior, in 1989 I accepted the pastorate of Bethel Baptist Church near Waynesboro, Georgia. From that dear congregation, the Lord later led me to serve three additional churches, most recently Grace Community Church of North GA, where I served as senior pastor for twenty-two years. In total, I have served in pastoral ministry for thirty-seven years and have been involved in Christian ministry for nearly four decades.

The Lord has also given me the privilege of theological and academic training through several institutions. I earned an Associate degree from Brewton-Parker College, a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia College, the Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Doctor of Ministry degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2016. By God’s grace, I have preached in churches across the United States and in England, and my writing has appeared in journals, magazines, newspapers, and books (Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, Yours, till Heaven; the Untold Love Story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon, Spurgeon: The Man Beyond the Pulpit, and several other books).

In January 2026, I announced to the beloved congregation of Grace Community that I would transition from the role of senior pastor to serve as minister and president of Nourished in the Word, Inc.. Though the ministry had existed informally since 2002, Nourished in the Word, Inc. was officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit in May 2026.

My vision for Nourished in the Word is that it would be both weighty and joyful. By “weighty,” I mean substantive, enduring, and rooted deeply in biblical truth. We are not building for momentary impact, but for lasting fruit that will strengthen churches, encourage families, equip believers, and serve future generations. 

Nourished in the Word is anchored in apostolic doctrine — “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). We are unapologetically confessional, joyfully affirming the historic Christian faith and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are not seeking innovation in doctrine or faithful Christian practice, but rather enduring faithfulness to the truth God has already revealed in His Word.

As a parachurch ministry, our desire is to come alongside local churches, never to replace them. Our board consists of faithful church members, pastors, and elders who are committed to serving Christ and His church with humility and integrity.

We are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we gladly affirm the inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency of Scripture; salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone; and the glory of God as the great aim of all things. We treasure the Word of God, rejoice in the gospel of Christ, and remain committed to proclaiming the truth faithfully and without compromise.

I am profoundly thankful for the opportunity to lead Nourished in the Word. I believe this ministry is biblical in its foundation, edifying to believers, and, by God’s grace, positioned to bear fruit both now and for generations to come (Psalm 78).

I also want to make a commitment to you. Recognizing our continual dependence upon God’s grace and the power of His Spirit, we desire for Nourished in the Word to be a ministry you can trust. When you invite us to serve your church, conference, retreat, or organization, we are committed not only to faithfully teaching and preaching God’s truth, but also to conducting ourselves with integrity in every aspect of ministry.

We understand that trust is difficult to earn and easy to lose. Above all, we desire to be trustworthy because we fear and love God and want our lives and ministry to reflect His holy and faithful character.

We would be grateful for your prayers, and we stand ready to serve you in any way we can.
Blessings,
Ray Rhodes
President
Nourished in the Word