Roland grew up in the southern corner of NC in Duplin and Pender counties. He was ordained in the Wesleyan Church in 1987 the same year he married Cindy Lanier and finished his M.Div at Asbury Seminary. He has served as pastor in three churches from 1988 – 2011: two as senior pastor (Ash and Ramseur, NC) and one as a staff pastor at FWC in High Point. He completed the Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree from Drew University in 1995 and served in the Air Force Reserves from 1998 – 2000 as a Chaplain. He has also done CPE work at Baptist Health in Winston-Salem. Roland and Cindy live in Thomasville with their rescued cat, “Holly” and rescued Maltese, “Miki.”