Michael-Ray Mathews

Reverend Michael-Ray Mathews is an ordained American Baptist minister and a leading pastor in the multifaith movement for justice.

He brings more than 20 years of ministry leadership experience - as a senior pastor, grassroots leader, psalmist, and community organizer - to his work as the Director of Clergy Organizing for PICO National Network. Prior to his work with PICO, Rev. Mathews was the senior pastor at Grace Baptist Church in downtown San Jose.

Since 2014, Reverend Mathews’ ministry has centered on the Theology of Resistance. Developed in the aftermath of the killing of unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Theology of Resistance is a prophetic, multi-faith discourse and is intended to ignite conversations and spark faith leaders to fight injustice and dehumanization.

Reverend Mathews is the founding organizer and co-convener of the Racial Justice & Multiculturalism Community of the Alliance of Baptists and the co-editor Trouble the Water, a resource on racial justice and multiculturalism for congregations. He is also an inaugural member of the Auburn Senior Fellows program. Founded by Auburn Seminary, the program equips, networks and gives a platform to top faith leaders on the front lines for justice.

A native of Compton, California, Reverend Mathews earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences and Communications from the University of Southern California and a Master of Divinity degree from the American Baptist Seminary of the West and the Graduate Theological Union.

Reverend Mathews and Dene Murray-Mathews, his beautiful wife of 24 years, live in San José and are the proud parents of one son.