Ray Comfort

Ray Comfort – Life, Ministry, and Key Reflections

Discover the life and work of Ray Comfort—New Zealand–born evangelist, author, and co-founder of The Way of the Master. Learn his biography, ministry approach, controversies, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Ray Comfort (born 5 December 1949) is a New Zealand–born Christian evangelist, minister, author, and television host, best known for founding Living Waters Publications and co-hosting The Way of the Master with Kirk Cameron. While admired by many for his zeal, he has also been a figure of controversy, particularly around creationism and provocative evangelistic tactics.

In this article, we review his early life, ministry milestones, methods, criticisms, and key quotes.

Early Life, Conversion & Personal Background

Ray Comfort was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 5 December 1949.
Though his birth certificate lists “Methodist” as his denomination, he has stated he grew up with essentially no religious instruction.
He identifies with both Christian and Jewish heritage in various statements.
At age 22 (on 25 April 1972), Comfort says he was converted to Christianity.
After his conversion, from around 1974, he began open-air preaching—often publicly in marketplaces or street corners—as part of his evangelistic approach.
He also founded a free evangelistic newspaper called Living Waters early in his ministry.

Ministry & Major Works

Relocation & Institutional Foundations

In 1989, Comfort relocated to the United States, joining the pastoral staff of a Calvary Chapel in Southern California.
He founded Living Waters Publications, which produces evangelistic literature, tracts, and materials.
In 2002, Comfort (with Kirk Cameron) established the ministry The Way of the Master (WOTM). It includes radio, television, books, training, and evangelistic outreach.
The WOTM ministry’s name and acronym (WDJD — “What Did Jesus Do?”) appear in their materials.

Evangelistic Method & Philosophy

A hallmark of Comfort’s method is starting with sin: using the Ten Commandments (or law) to convict individuals of their guilt before presenting the gospel.
He often uses “good person tests” or moral questioning to reveal inconsistencies in personal moral claims, aiming to show universal guilt.
In his television ministry, Comfort and Cameron engage passersby with probing questions such as:

“Have you ever lied or stolen?”
“Have you looked at someone lustfully?”
“Have you used God’s name in vain?” These are designed to awaken conscience before stating the gospel.
He has emphasized that many modern evangelistic methods produce false conversions, arguing that superficial presentations of “Jesus loves you” without clear confrontation with sin are inadequate.

Publications & Tracts

Comfort has written more than 60–80 books and produced numerous tracts.
Notable titles include Hell’s Best Kept Secret, The Evidence Bible, God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists, How to Win Souls & Influence People, among others.
He also produced an edited version of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, adding foreword commentary with creationist arguments. This was controversial due to omissions and allegations of misinformation.

Film & Media

Among his film works is the documentary short “180: Changing the Heart of a Nation” (2011), which compares abortion to the Holocaust.
He also produced The Atheist Delusion (2016) and other media in Christian apologetics.
His television show The Way of the Master is broadcast globally, and in many countries.

Controversies & Criticism

One of his most widely discussed incidents is his banana argument: in a WOTM television segment, Comfort claimed that the banana’s “designer features” made it proof of intelligent design. Later, upon learning about artificial selection and wild banana variants, he retracted parts of the claim.
The 180 film drew criticism for equating abortion with the Holocaust—figures like Elie Wiesel and the Anti-Defamation League condemned the analogy as exploitative and insensitive.
Critics also challenge his edited version of Darwin’s Origin, noting omission of key chapters and arguing his foreword contains straw-man arguments and misinformation.
Some Christians and non-Christians argue his confrontational style is alienating rather than persuasive, accusing it of being “heavy-handed.”

Legacy & Influence

Comfort has had significant influence in modern evangelism training, particularly among those who prefer confrontational or street preaching styles.
His Way of the Master methodology continues to be used in small groups, churches, and evangelistic training worldwide.
His prolific writing and tract ministry have ensured his material is disseminated broadly.
While polarizing, his work has sparked discussion about evangelistic strategy, conversion depth, and apologetic integrity.

Selected Quotes

Here are some reflections attributed to Ray Comfort (variously from his books, ministry, or interviews):

“Evangelism is not an optional extra—it is the reason the Church exists.”
“Many who make a ‘decision’ for Christ never truly repent—thus false conversions are common.”
“If you don’t first do law (convict of sin), then presenting the gospel becomes shallow sugar-coating.”
Regarding the banana: “The banana is the atheist’s nightmare” (later retracted some claims).
“You cannot lead an atheist to evidence, but you can’t make him think.” (title phrase of one of his books)

Lessons & Reflections

Ray Comfort’s life underscores the tension between zeal and nuance: fervent conviction can drive influence—or provoke backlash.
His method teaches that confronting moral realities can open paths for spiritual dialogue—though the manner of delivering that confrontation matters.
His controversies demonstrate risks inherent in oversimplified apologetics or analogies.
Regardless of agreement or disagreement, his commitment to evangelism shows the importance of clarity of purpose in ministry.