Pastor Stephen Grant?

Stephen Grant is the pastor at St. Mary’s Lutheran Church on eastern Long Island. Grant is one of the more unique second-career clergy around, as he once worked for the CIA. Besides theology, his interests include archery, golf, writing, classic films, the beach, poker, baseball, and history. Grant also knows his wines, champagnes and brews. Oh yes, he generally dislikes politicians, and happens to be an expert marksman with a handgun and a rifle, while being pretty handy with a combat knife as well.

Friday, May 30, 2014

The River is a "Super Read"


The latest Amazon 5-STAR review of THE RIVER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL:

It's true - Pastor Stephen Grant is REAL. 
Okay, not real in that there's a guy named Stephen Grant who worked for the CIA and is now an LCMS pastor, but rather, in this book, Pastor Grant undergoes serious character development, showing the anguish of the soul that knows right, loves right, loves God, and yet wants and does evil. Lutherans speak of it as the 'simul' and it is too often over simplified, but author Ray Keating gives it a healthy fleshing out in the novel without making it sound contrived or overly dogmatic. 
The things I've come to love about Pastor Stephen Grant novels are all here - friendly jokes amidst the characters, smooth integration of theology into the lives of the characters, and a thrilling plot! Definitely worth the wait since 'An Advent for Religious Liberty', and a super read for anyone interested in a well-written novel that goes deeper than most.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Conservative Leader Loves Pastor Stephen Grant Thrillers

David Keene was president of the American Conservative Union, president of the NRA, and is now the opinion editor at The Washington Times. So, what does Keene, a leading conservative, say about Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant series?

“Thriller and mystery writers have concocted all manner of main characters, from fly fishing lawyers to orchid aficionados and former ballplayers, but none has come up with anyone like Stephen Grant, the former Navy Seal and CIA assassin, and current Lutheran pastor. Grant mixes battling America's enemies and sparring with enemies of traditional Christian values, while ministering to his Long Island flock. The amazing thing is that the character works. The Stephen Grant novels are great reads beginning with ‘Warrior Monk,’ which aptly describes Ray Keating's engaging hero.”

Get  all four Pastor Stephen Grant novels - WARRIOR MONK, ROOT OF ALL EVIL?, AN ADVENT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, and the latest, THE RIVER at Amazon.com.

Monday, May 26, 2014

From The River by Ray Keating...


From The River: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel by Ray Keating:

"Even with the tremendous growth and legitimization of Las Vegas over the past half-century, it still didn’t take very long to drive from the Strip into the desert to dump a body."

http://www.amazon.com/The-River-Pastor-Stephen-Grant/dp/1499514174/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1400091493&sr=8-2&keywords=The+River+by+Keating

Thursday, May 22, 2014

From 5-Star Review of The River...


In his 5-star review of The River: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, on Amazon.com, Dean Kavouras notes,

"I've read all of Ray Keating's books so far. This is the best! ... As a Lutheran pastor and retired FBI chaplain I can say that this is about as real as it gets."

http://www.amazon.com/The-River-Pastor-Stephen-Grant/dp/1499514174/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1400091554&sr=1-1

Friday, May 16, 2014

5-Star Review of The River


The first review is in on "The River: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel" on Amazon (for now on the Kindle-version page). In his 5-STAR review, Pastor Dustin Parker writes:
"As a pastor, I often explain that life really begins in baptism, as does this book.
"But often, we forget that, as we struggle with the details of life, the challenges of being sinners yet saints. We are challenged by our desire for justice on our terms, and we struggle with justifying our sin, or condemning our own sin as unforgivable."As Stephen Grant and his friends, and yes enemies and relatives, we see a picture of that kind of journey. Wrapped around a very well developed action adventure novel, this struggle of mankind is so well played out. Even if this wasn't a book with a pastor and faith, I would rate it a five, along with the best of WEB Griffin and Ludlum. But it is more than that - because the struggle of faith is revealed as well. The Christian life is revealed to be what it is, lived in the world, yet not of it. Challenged by being both being a sinner, and yet a saint.
"Ray Keating does a good job....a very good job in combining faith, adventure, guns, and real a real world relationship, that ends where it begins, united to Christ, and too His family.
"Of the Grant novels, I think this is Keating's best.
"Enjoy"

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

New Thriller from Ray Keating Titled “The River: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel”


Stephen Grant once used lethal skills for the Navy SEALs and the CIA. Now, years later, he’s a pastor. In THE RIVER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating, how does this man of action and faith react when the fight gets personal?

Ray Keating has been called “a great novelist” by the host of “BookTalk” radio, and Amazon.com reviewers have compared his thrillers to the works of Clancy, Ludlum, Grisham, Cussler, and Morrell. Once again, in THE RIVER, Keating wields his story-telling skills by serving up a fast-paced adventure, rich characters, faith, humor, big ideas, and murder.

Some refer to Las Vegas as Sin City. But the sins being committed in THE RIVER are not what one might typically expect. How far can Grant go – or will he go – to save the woman he loves? Will he seek justice or revenge, and can he tell the difference any longer?

Discover Pastor Stephen Grant and his world of intrigue, faith, action, love and violence.

CNBC’s Larry Kudlow said, “Ray Keating has created a fascinating and unique character in Pastor Grant.” Best-selling novelist Paul L. Maier noted, “Only Ray Keating could come up with a character like Pastor Stephen Grant.”

THE RIVER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL is available in trade paperback from Amazon.com at



This thriller also can be purchased and downloaded for the Kindle at



Keating’s previous books include AN ADVENT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL, ROOT OF ALL EVIL? A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL and WARRIOR MONK: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL. In addition to being a novelist, Keating is a newspaper columnist with Long Island Business News and formerly with Newsday, economist, entrepreneur and adjunct college professor.

Review copies, interviews for the media, and author appearances are available upon request.

Contact: Ray Keating
Phone: 631-909-1122
E-mail: raykeating@keatingreports.com
PastorStephenGrant.com