Dr. Cynthia Hale is the founder and senior pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Ga. With an active membership of 5,000, Ray of Hope has been honored by “The 700 Club” as Church of the Week and was also recognized in the book “Excellent Protestant Congregations: The Guide to Best Places and Practice” as one of 300 excellent Protestant congregations in the U.S.

In 2004, Hale established Elah Pastoral Ministries, Inc. a mentorship program that assists in the practical development of pastors and para-church leaders. She serves on the boards of Hollins University, Beulah Heights University and City of Hope Ministries Inc. Hale belongs to the African American Biographies Hall of Fame and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College. In 2008, she gave the opening invocation at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and served as co-chair for Women in Ministry for Obama.