Who We Are
The Ministry
The mission of Focused On Him Ministries is to restore people’s destiny by directing their focus to Jesus Christ and His Word. We are committed to providing the necessary tools to believers and pre-believers in order for them to grow from surviving to thriving. In concentrating on the hearts of individuals, we believe nations will be transformed.
Focused On Him Ministries is aligned with Destiny Alliance Network based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Global Spheres, Inc. and Glory of Zion International Ministries, Inc. based in Denton, Texas.
Ann’s Profile
“I am passionate for Truth, and so amazed by the Truth of God’s mercy and love for us. It is His complete kindness that draws us to Him, and knowing that enables me to grow from surviving to thriving. I desire to live that Truth in such a way that all I come in contact with is encouraged to do the same: hunger for a relationship with Jesus.”
Born and raised in the farming community of Beecher City, Illinois, Ann graduated from Southern Illinois University with her Bachelor of Music Education degree in piano and voice. While at SIU, she traveled to Vienna, Austria for extension studies at the Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst. Her Master of Music hours are also from Southern Illinois University with an emphasis in vocal pedagogy and conducting. Ann moved from Illinois to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1978 and founded the Broken Arrow School of Fine Arts. In 1986, Ann became the Music Pastor for Evangelistic Temple, Tulsa, and served there until December, 2008. In 1996, she obtained her ordination credentials with the Independent Assemblies of God, and in 2001 transferred to the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. In 2011, Ann transferred her ordination credentials to the Glory of Zion, Global Spheres Inc. She and her husband Ray are aligned with Dan and Kay Newberry of Destiny Network Alliance.
Ann married Ray Buck in 2008 and moved to Kerrville, Texas where they established the Focused On Him Ministries. Ann and Ray have 3 sons: Ryan Irwin, Lee Buck, and Matt Buck. Ryan is married to Cathy Irwin and they have the Buck’s two grandchildren, Bella and Mason.
Currently, Ann is the Executive Director of the Christian Women’s Job Corps of Kerr County. There, she concentrates on helping women Focus on Him as they grow from surviving to thriving.
Ray’s Profile Top of page
“I am awed by God’s capacity to love. His sense of humor delights me, His creative beauty inspires me, and I am overwhelmed by His goodness. I earnestly desire more of Him.”
Ray is a man with a heart after God. He is known for his passion for the Word of God and his consistent walk of faith. Ray is a prayer warrior who enjoys praying for people and interceding for nations. He believes God has called Him to stand for and speak the Truth on several mountains. He is a leader called to help raise up leaders for the Kingdom.
Since his life-changing experience with God over 25 years ago, Ray has devoted his time to sharing the truth of God’s love. He has worked and ministered on the Business, Government and Religion mountains. Currently, as a market place minister, he uses various forums for sharing the gospel. Ray is active in the community often witnessing to and mentoring business persons outside the confines of the physical church building.
Ray is ordained by Glory of Zion, Global Spheres Inc., and is a co-founder and President of Focused On Him Ministries. He and his wife, Ann, are members of Impact Christian Fellowship in Kerrville, Texas. They share the same passion for the gospel and together have produced numerous ministry tools from worship music to books.
Seven spheres of influence to affect cultural transformation advocated by Dr. Lance Wallnau
Ann’s Testimony Top of page
The passion of Focused On Him Ministries was birthed out of walking through very personal pain, rejection, and failure, and into experiencing God’s healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I know the struggle and the hope that only comes from focusing on Jesus.
As a child, I learned that what people did to me or said about me did not change what God had planned for me from the beginning of time. My God-given destiny could be missed if I focused on my circumstances, but it would never be cancelled. God’s plans for me are eternal, and when I focus on Him I find myself living far beyond what I ever could have thought or dreamed.
As a young adult, the opinions of others swayed my decisions for a time until I developed the “dove’s eyes” that only saw my Beloved and only focused on Him.
As an associate pastor, I learned that the title does not insure perfection nor insulate one from deception and damaging decisions. In fact, the responsibility of maintaining focus is greater, and the need for humility is paramount. I’ve seen myself “do” the ministry both poorly and well, and I’ve come to understand the importance of developing an intimate relationship with Jesus by learning how to simply “be.” What flows out has to first flow in and through.
I spent many years hiding behind a façade, and even then God knew me. I made serious mistakes, and even then God’s grace led me to repentance, and His mercy covered me. I walked through physical challenges, emotional upheavals, and numbing rejection, yet God’s unconditional love finally broke through. My attempt at pouring myself into church ministry and busy-ness was finally overshadowed with a hunger for Him, and His peace.
I’ve chosen to lay down the victim mentality and put on the mind of the Victor. And although I wouldn’t wish my experiences on my worst enemy, I wouldn’t want to keep what I’ve learned about Jesus from anyone. When we come to the point of laying down the titles and expectations of others, we find a true relationship that gives life, and the freedom to be ourselves. Our identity is only found in Him.
I served for many years as a Music and Women’s Pastor, and God gave me the joy of watching Him redress people in His truth, hope, and purpose. Today, I am being given the opportunity to see God heal and raise up men and women who then affect their families, neighborhoods, communities and nations.
I would be remiss if I didn’t share that my story is also one of total restoration and joy. In spite of my failures I saw God win with my son, and he is now happily married and the proud father of a beautiful little girl and a remarkable little boy. He and his wife are active in their church and this mom’s heart is at peace.
At the beginning of 2008 God spoke to my heart with a question: “Do you want to be married?” At the conclusion of our conversation, God introduced me to Raymond Buck, Jr. – a man with a heart for God like mine. Though many miles apart, our childhoods and backgrounds were very similar. We were married Oct. 25, 2008, and God launched our passion: Restoring focus to change lives and transform nations. Focused On Him Ministries was born.
We all have problems and challenges. This is reality, and your difficulties could very well be more devastating than mine. However, the biggest lie is that we have no hope. Hope and healing begin when we drop the façade and get real with our very real God. It requires honesty, transparency, and accountability, but it’s worth the vulnerability. God can be trusted.
Ray’s Testimony Top of page
Like many of you reading this right now, I experienced violence as a child. However, I don’t focus on that and have chosen to live as a victor rather than a victim. Allow me to share how God in His mercy manifested His awesome Love on me.
When I was very young, a kind-hearted Bible teacher introduced me to Jesus. I was too young to understand much more than this man Jesus, who my teacher talked about, was gentle and loved me. This teacher was a very kind person and I was drawn to him by the love he showed for others. Because of him, I began to think that maybe Jesus cared about me. But then my beloved teacher was called to war and killed. This served to reinforce the childish idea that God was powerless to help in time of trouble.
Over the intervening years I grew even harder emotionally. To me, God seemed distant and powerless. I determined to do things my way; to be my own god. Outwardly, I pursued the American Dream. I graduated from college, married and got a good job. Inside I was still in turmoil.
Over the course of the next few years, I was blessed with two sons. I was so proud of those boys and loved them so much. One day, I came home to find that my wife had left me and taken my two young boys. I was devastated. Angry and bitter, I fed the rage in my heart. One evening, I was in my car drinking beer and listening to a preacher on the radio just to catch him misquoting the Word. Even then, I believed that God existed, but thought Him to be weak and ineffectual. I was angry with God and told Him so. I considered God violent, mean-spirited and powerless. I blamed Him for all that had happened in my life.
That night, I felt God invading my thoughts and urging me to accept Him as Lord. I yelled to the stillness in my car, “I will not serve an impotent god!” Raging within, I got out of the car to go into the house. As I walked across the yard, nothing else can describe this other than to say, I met God “face-to-face.” I was awed by such power. I heard God say, “I am not impotent!” I don’t know how long I stayed kneeling before God, but I do know that when I got up, I was a different man. My heart had been changed. I knew and experienced love for the first time in my life. I was in love and knew I was loved by the Creator of the universe. God began right then to heal the hurts and wounds in my heart. He began to take away the anger and bitterness.
From that day onward, I was changed. Before, I had just heard about Jesus. I had always believed that He existed, but that He didn’t care. I only knew what others said about Him or what I believed about Him based on other’s actions, but I did not know Him. Once I experienced Him, I knew Him. I learned that He loved me so much that He died for me even knowing the sins I would commit and the wicked things I would do. I experienced true love for the first time in my life.
Many of us have had similar life experiences or we’ve been taught to believe that God is mean and capricious. It’s my desire that you meet God and not just hear about Him. The true God wants nothing more from you than your heart so He can heal it and fill it with love. You don’t have to do anything special or make any sacrificial offerings other than give Him your life. He will take away all your anger and bitterness and fill you with unspeakable joy.
Jesus is not a respecter of persons. What He did for me, He will do for you. Say ‘yes’ to His invitation to you. Let Him replace all your pain and fear with love.
Today, I am extremely blessed. God brought a wonderful woman, Ann, into my life. Together, we have said ‘yes’ to all God has for us. We look forward each day to the awaiting adventure.
Statement of Faith Top of page
We believe:
- in one God in three persons - Father, Son and the Holy Spirit;
- the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God;
- Jesus, the Son of God, was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, and died for our sins. He rose again, and He is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for us;
- in the bodily resurrection of the dead;
- of the believer to everlasting life and of the unbeliever to everlasting punishment;
- salvation comes by faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior;
- the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience apart from salvation and is accompanied by signs and wonders;
- and, the literal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To usher in the soon coming return of our Lord Jesus Christ we are committed to:
- nurturing an intensity for God;
- expressing a heart for the hurting and lost;
- speaking Truth in Love;
- building relationships;
- encouraging others to walk in their gifts;
- disciplined lifestyles;
- and, purposed, willing giving.