Pastor Ray Bady
Creative. Innovative. Pastor Ray Bady is a Chicago native who began serving in ministry at an early age. Born the fifth son of the late Martha Carol Bady and Pastor O.D. Bady, Sr., Pastor Ray sharpened his musical skills by ministering each week at his father’s church, Christian Valley M.B.C., in the south suburbs of Chicago. After graduating Taft High School and attending Columbia College, he continued to develop his talents, which eventually led him to a professional music career. Pastor Ray says, “I was never qualified. It was always Him qualifying the call.” Walking in the unique favor of God, throughout his career, Pastor Ray either drummed or implemented drum production for such successful artists as Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, R. Kelly, and for 23 years, held the assignment of Music Director for Bishop Marvin L. Sapp.
In addition to being a drummer, Pastor Ray is an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, and minister of the gospel – both licensed and ordained directly by his father.
After years of professional production work as a musician, Pastor Ray signed a recording deal with Gospo Centric Records (Vicki Mack Lataillade, Founder) and recorded his solo debut album, Mission K.O.B. (Keep on Believin’ 2002), where he co-wrote and produced the project with his brother, gospel music legend, Percy Bady.
While Pastor Ray was diligently ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ through song and with Valley Kingdom Ministries International’s Shekinah Glory Ministry, God had even more in store for him. In 2005 he was offered the position of Youth Pastor at The Windsor Village Church in Houston, TX, where Kirbyjon Caldwell was Senior Pastor. It was in this same year that his son, Jaimond, then 14, was diagnosed with bone cancer. Knowing God to be a complete healer and a miracle worker, Pastor Ray accepted the assignment and moved forward. On his faith walk with the Lord, his son was and continues to be 100% healed and the youth ministry grew from a humble average of 25-35 students, to 1,000 students each week at its peak! To GOD be the glory for the things HE has done.
Pastor Ray also held a reoccurring role on the Oprah Winfrey reality TV show, “The Book of John” (following the life of his good friend & brother, Pastor John Gray). He continues to write music that encourages and inspires others to dream BIG. In 2018, he released a single titled, “Our Time Is Right Now.” This song was a prophetic declaration speaking into his next assignment, which was to succeed Apostle H. Daniel Wilson as Senior Pastor of his home church, Valley Kingdom Ministries International. Pastor Ray says he was called back to the Chicago region through a passage of scripture found in Luke 22:32, “Go back and strengthen your brothers”.
He truly believes his time to continue using his talents and gifts to encourage God’s people, is RIGHT NOW!
Pastor Ray is quoted as saying, “I am here to uplift, encourage, and inspire God’s people with the good news of Jesus Christ. He is alive and real today as ever before. Through the gifts and talents, HE has assigned me, it is my goal to bring joy, hope, and peace to families I encounter, that ultimately through my witness, they grow closer to God and His plan for their lives.”
Pastor Ray is the devoted husband of 30 plus years to Lady Chilond Bady, father of two (Jaimond and Charte’se), and grandfather to his beloved “King Cairo.” His mission in life is simply to reflect the image of God by practicing Kingdom Principals that lead to the King’s promise!