Christian Retailing

Radio personality, author Ray Ortlund dies Print Email
Wednesday, 25 July 2007 08:00 PM America/New_York

Ray Ortlund, who hosted a radio program for many years and wrote or co-wrote more than 25 books with his wife, Anne, and others, died July 22 in California. He was 84.

Ortlund had pulmonary fibrosis for about 12 years, and in February he contracted double pneumonia, which aggravated his condition, according to Ortlund's Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Renewal Ministries.

From 1982-2000, he was the speaker of the "Haven of Rest" radio broadcast. Ortlund wrote Be a New Christian All Your Life (Revell) and Three Priorities for a Strong Local Church (Word Books). Books co-authored with his wife included Renewal (NavPress); You Don't Have to Quit (Oliver-Nelson); Confident in Christ (Multnomah); A Man and His Loves (Word Books); In His Presence (Harvest House); A Fresh Start for Your Friendships (Servant Publishers); and Lord, Make My Life a Miracle! and How Great Our Joy(both Broadman & Holman Publishers).

"He was the kind of guy who hung out with Billy Graham. I knew Ray first through his radio personality," Ric Olsen, lead pastor of The Beacon in East Orange, Calif., told The Daily (Costa Mesa) Pilot. "He's been a father to most of the pastors in the area."

A memorial service will be held tomorrow at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, Calif. Another service will be held July 28 at Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena, Calif.

Ortlund is survived by his wife, two daughters, two sons and 13 grandchildren.