"The Magic Castle looks for the best magicians in the world
and you are one of the best. You have the skills, you have
THE CHOPS, I love your work."
-Jack Goldfinger
Entertainment Director of The Magic Castle
"Everyone loved Danny and his skills. We have never in 15 years
of the event, had someone have everyone's attention for so long,
and the Holy Spirit's presence that night was priceless (Praise God)!"
-Ron Kirkeeng
EV Free Church Crystal Lake, IL
"The show was highly entertaining, but more importantly,
very God focused with a powerful message about Jesus.
Your magic was better than anything I have seen- not cheeseball-
and thank you for bringing a strong biblical message with it."
-Justin Bell, Calvary Chapel Camarillo
It was great having you at NYC'08, the students absolutely loved the performance and the breakout session. Thanks for being so great to work with and using your gifts for His glory!
-Jeffery Roth, Youth Pastor
FULL RISEN MAGAZINE ARTICLE Danny Ray is a master magician. He has the ability to captivate a room of teenagers and make grown men scratch their heads in wonder. He is a premiere illusionist, a wizard of awes. His art is a rare one, one that took my breath away the first time I witnessed it. When I met him that night, he seemed friendly and professional, but restrained. After a few conversations, he was more relaxed and showed off his quick wit, but he had an intensity in his face that suggests another world is spinning in his head. It’s an energy that drives him to be better, quicker…
OUTREACH MAGAZINE ARTICLE It's probably safe to say that of the top sleight-of-hand illusionists in the world, Danny Ray is the only one with a Master's degree and 10 years of full time church ministry under his belt. When Ray became a Christian he'd already been practicing card tricks and illusions for several years. But after seeing a so-called Gospel magician's cheesy stage act, he decided his talent and faith would never mix. He pursued his calling to preach God's Word after years of college and seminary, became a youth pastor. Soon, Ray's church ministry grew . . .
MAGICAL MINISTRY ARTICLE The former youth pastor weaves sleight of hand with the gospel to lead others to the Lord. His message , though, is straightforward: God's gifts and his calling are irrevocable. “I'm using my God-given gift everyway I can to glorify Him,” says Thompson, of Yucaipa whose stage name is Danny Ray. Encouraged, he reconsidered his call to become a gospel magician. The decision was made easier by a bequest from his wife's grandmother. In June, after a 10-year stint as youth pastor at Yucaipa Christian Church, Danny Ray and Kimberly started Upright Illusions. The couple are who graduated from the University of Redlands before getting a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. Dan Monteverde, who helped guide Danny Ray's journey to the ministry, is proud of his success. “Danny's way of incorporating sleight of hand with the gospel . . .
