Dr. Raymond C. Ortlund, pastor to pastors and churches around the world, died on Sunday night, July 22, of pulmonary fibrosis, at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. “Pastor Ray”, well known former speaker of the “Haven of Rest” worldwide radio broadcast, pastor for over 40 years of four churches in the US, and head of Renewal Ministries to pastors for the last 25 years, leaves behind hundreds of thousands who knew him as beloved pastor and friend.
Born to Swedish Americans in Des Moines, Iowa, Ray served in the US Navy in WWII, and married the very gifted Elizabeth Anne Sweet in 1946. Having graduated from Princeton Seminary in 1948, Ray pastored Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and New York. Then in 1959 he and Anne began a 20 year ministry at Lake Avenue Congregational Church, in Pasadena, while also broadcasting weekly on KRLA radio, and seeing the church grow to over 5000 members. During those years Ray and Anne’s world vision also took them as short term pastors/missionaries to London, England and Kabul, Afghanistan. Talbot Theological Seminary honored Ray with a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1969. Dr. Ortlund also served briefly as Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church in Newport Beach. He also served for years on the Board of Trustees of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, on the Boards of Missionary Aviation, Overseas Missionary Crusades, Missionary Broadcasting and others.
A pivotal point in Dr. Ortlund’s ministry came in 1966 when he published his first book, Lord, Make My Life a Miracle! His call to love Christ, love other believers and love the world, together with over 35 years of local, national and international radio speaking and traveling, and including writing together over 20 books, made he and Anne the “pastors of love” to thousands of pastors and millions of Christians around the world. For the last 25 years they have crisscrossed the globe from Istanbul, Turkey, to Kato, Japan, from New Delhi, India to Lima, Peru, ministering in nearly every state of the union and on every continent in the world with the message of Christ’s love. Over those same years Ray and Anne have both dedicated themselves to meeting weekly with individual pastors and small groups of young Christians “discipling” them to follow Jesus personally.
Through sixty one years together Ray and Anne have also produced a huge family of adoring offspring! Ray leaves behind his wife, Anne, to carry on Renewal Ministries. Also, Sherry and Pastor Walt Harrah, Margie and Pastor John McClure, Pastor (Dr.) Ray Jr. and Jani Ortlund, and Detective Sergeant Nels and Heather Ortlund, have combined to give them 13 grandchildren (several pastors!) and 19 great-grandchildren all of whom see Pastor Ray as their inspiration to “love Christ” as he has! Dr. Ortlund also leaves behind four older siblings, Pastor Don Ortlund, Bob Ortlund, Jean Shattuck and Charlotte Vetter.
Amazingly, Ray closed his life much like the biblical Jacob. At 5:30 a.m. on Sunday morning he called for Anne and his children, gave each a personal encouragement, sang, prayed, give his final benediction and over his children, and died shortly after.
No question, for 84 years, Ray Ortlund was one of those rare, wonderful “bright lights” that every one cherishes meeting. What made him so special? Wherever Ray went he brought an unforgettable smile of hope, joy, infectious laughter, and irresistible Christ-like love that inspired and enriched whomever he touched.
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