SpeakingPage

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS?

INFORMATION:

Ray utilizes his life experience, photographs, photographic adventures, humor, concealment techniques, and informative insights into hunting and wildlife photography as tools to make your special event very special. He weaves his testimony and the gospel of Jesus Christ into his presentation in such a way that all who attend are made keenly aware of the love of God. Hunters and non-hunters alike will enjoy this informative presentation. (Click here for availability)

To schedule a speaking engagement:

Phone: (318) 396-7221 or (318) 396-8083

Email: studiointhewild@bellsouth.net

Recommendations:

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"It is seldom that you meet someone who knows their spiritual gift and ministers within it faithfully. As the pastor of Ray Mears, I know he is one such person. He is a gifted communicator and a very effective evangelist. He is one of the greatest soul-winners I have ever known and will be a blessing to any church that uses him in their ministry. He loves the Lord Jesus and believes His Word. He will preach and teach the Bible without compromise. It is amazing how he uses wildlife or God's creation to talk about our Beloved Creator. If God leads you to use Ray in your church, you will be blessed by his ability to minister through the Holy Spirit!"

Dr. Mike Holloway

Senior Pastor /President of Louisiana Baptist Convention

Cook Baptist Church

Ruston, LA 71270

"I booked Ray Mears for our annual Wild Game Supper this year. He is an outstanding speaker who is proud to share with you the Greatest Adventure of his life. His photographs are the best I have ever seen of wildlife actually in the wild. I highly recommend Ray Mears for any type of event pertaining to the great outdoors God has created." In Him,

Dwayne L. Monk, Pastor

New Hope Baptist Church, Choudrant La.

"...The gift that God has bestowed on you for His ministry is very unique. I will start by saying your "slight of hand" demonstrations were just so amazing to the congregation, especially the children. The illustrations were perfect examples of God's salvation through Jesus. ....Your gift for photography is amazing. The way you correlate God's creation of the animal kingdom with His great love for mankind is revealing. The many photographs you have taken of wildlife and the stories you have to tell of how you filmed them is very inspiring. The photos were an example of how God changes us from ugly to beautiful through His saving grace. ...I want you to know that I am praying for you and your photography ministry. I know the Lord has greatly blessed your life. I hope you will be able to come again to Second Baptist Church and share your photographs and speak the word of God to our congregation."

Mack Stewart, Pastor

Second Baptist Church

Jackson, Louisiana

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"LIVING LIFE'S GREATEST ADVENTURE!"

Ray's Conversion:

When I was a small boy of around nine years of age I began living life's greatest adventure. My life prior to this time, however, was not what you would call normal. My first memories of my mother were when the sheriff came to take her away to a mental institution. My older brother's told me that my father often came home drunk and had abused my mother on a regular basis. (My father repented later in life but lived a life of deep regret.) Due to the physical abuse and the death of twin girls at birth, my mother suffered a mental breakdown. She was confined until I was an older teen and was never completely well. My dad left our family of five boys in the care of my grandparents, my mother's parents, who had already raised five children of their own. My grandfather had been a banker and was called to preach later in life. The care of five growing boys was difficult for them because in those days there was little income from the small country church in Tensas Parish, Louisiana. We had to sharecrop 5 acres and later it expanded to 15 acres. This along with hunting, fishing, and gardening helped to make ends meet. My older brothers did much of the work of planting, chopping and picking the 15 acres of cotton. I was the youngest and could only pull about a half of a cotton sack. I always looked forward to the cold cokes and bologna sandwiches at lunch. Though many years ago, I still remember that the cotton was higher than my head. It didn't take long until I was soaking wet from picking the cotton while it was still covered in dew. My grandparents did the best they could and provided a home until, as time went by, one by one my brothers moved away to school, marriage, or military. I can remember during those early years that periodically we would have revival services in this small rural community. The visiting evangelist would often have large speakers that would be mounted on the top of the church house so the message could be broadcast over the entire area. One day I went to the church office from our home next door intending to speak with my grandfather. Upon approaching the building I heard voices coming from inside. It was my grandfather and the visiting evangelist praying. Though I was small I had heard about Jesus many times from my grandfather. Hearing them pray is still etched in my mind as a defining moment in my coming to Christ. God used this experience to convict me that I was a sinner and needed to be saved. I do not recall exactly which service it was when life began for me. I do remember standing in the church pew gripping the back of the pew in front of me under deep conviction that I was lost. My best friend stepped out during the invitation and that was all I needed. I stepped out right behind him and gave my life to Jesus Christ. When Jesus came into my heart he made a permanent change in my life. Experiencing his love for me and what that has meant to me through the years could never be completely expressed. I have struggled as all believers do but God began the process of growing me up in Christ and the work he began continues today. I have spent a lifetime discovering the spiritual blessings that I received that night as a young boy. I am still opening the treasure chest of his promises today and know that this life that he gave me will last for all eternity. If you would like to know more about how you can experience this new life and how you can live “Life’s Greatest Adventure” go to the GOOD NEWS. May God bless you. ---Ray Mears

Statement of Faith:

GOD - We believe that there is one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 14:6-12; II Corinthians 13:14; I Peter 1:2; and I John 5:7)

JESUS - We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, was born of a virgin, was wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died in our place as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose bodily from the grave, and ascended into Heaven. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 1: 20-23; Luke 2:4-14, 21; John 1:1-5; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; I Corinthians 15:3-4; and Hebrews 4:14-15, 9:28, 10:10, 12, 14, 19)

CHRIST’S RETURN - We believe that Jesus Christ will literally return to earth. (Matthew 16:27; I Timothy 6:14-15; II Timothy 4:1; and Titus 2:13)

HOLY SPIRIT - We believe that God the Holy Spirit is active in convincing unbelievers of their need for salvation and is the comforter and guide who lives in every believer. (John 14:25-26, 15:26, 16:7-15; Romans 8:14-16; I Corinthians 2:12; and II Corinthians 3:17)

BIBLE - We believe that the Bible is the Word of God without any error, the sole and sufficient authority for life and faith. (Psalm 119:9, 11, 105, 160; Isaiah 55:11; and II Timothy 3:16-17)

MAN - We believe that man is a special creation of God, made in His image, but that through the sin of the first man, Adam, mankind as a whole “fell” or became sinners in need of salvation. (Genesis 1:26-27, 3:1-19; Romans 3:23; and I Corinthians 15:21-33)

SALVATION - We believe that salvation is a gift received through repentance (having a change in mind or the way one thinks about sin) toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3:16; Acts 16:31, 17:30; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; and II Peter 3:9)

ASSURANCE - We believe that every person who is truly saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 1:22; and Ephesians 1:13, 4:30)

ETERNITY - We believe that those persons who die in their sins without Christ spend eternity in Hell, and those persons who die with their sins forgiven through Jesus Christ spend eternity in Heaven. (II Corinthians 5:6-8; II Thessalonians 1:6-9; Revelation 19;5-9; and Revelation 20:11-15)

BAPTISM - We believe that water baptism is an act of obedience to the command of Christ and is by immersion after salvation. (Matthew 3:13-17; Colossians 2:12; and Titus 3:5)

CHURCH - We believe that the church is a local body of baptized believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head. (Romans 16:5; I Corinthians 16:19; and Ephesians 5:23-27, 32)

PRAYER - We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:9-13; Romans 8:16; II Thessalonians 5:17; and Hebrews 10:19-20)

GOVERNMENT - We believe in the separation of church and state, but not in separation of God and government. Christians are to be salt and light in society. (Psalm 62:11; Proverbs 21:1; John 19:11; and Hebrews 13:7, 17)