Roger E. Rollins Obituary (1937 - 2014)

Bishop Roger E. Rollins, Pastor of Thomas Tabernacle Holiness Church of God, Inc., married for 54 years to Prophetess Rosalind Y. Rollins, to whom were born three sons: Barry and the late Larry and Ronald Rollins. He has one daughter, Kimberly M. Makel. In 1972, Brother Rollins accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, and grew under Elder Herman T. Lewis and his wife, Missionary Florence L. Lewis and family, founders of Thomas Tabernacle, K.A.H.C. In 1974, he was ordained as a Deacon and in 1985 he was elevated to Assistant Pastor. When Elder Lewis' health began to fail, Assistant Pastor Rollins became an Aaron and a Joshua to Elder Lewis. In 1991, Evangelist Eudora Nembhard gave this prophetic message to Assistant Pastor Rollins: "Roger 'Joshua' Rollins, you are responsible for taking my people over Jordan. I have given you fresh anointing. I have already prepared you to go in the middle of Jordan as did the priest who carried the Ark of God. You will meet opposition, for it will not be easy to lead your own kinsmen; John 1:11-12, He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. Be not afraid, it is for this purpose I have chosen you out of the world. You will need a lot of wisdom, patience, and long-suffering, James 1:5, but if any man lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God. I have covered you, I will always be there with you. The word is not of man, but of God. You are a chosen vessel to bear my name before the people, saith the Lord of Host, the first, the last, the beginning, the end. Amen." Bishop Rollins carried this letter in his bible as a reminder of his calling for such a time as this. In 1996, Elder Lewis passed on. Elder Rollins caught the mantle and was installed as Pastor of Thomas Tabernacle later that same year and in May 2004 was elevated to Bishop. Bishop Rollins received the vision for this great ministry while driving to Jessup, MD for the prison ministry. The revelation engulfed him so that he had to pull off to the side of the road and hear the voice of the Lord. For several minutes, he and God had a conversation and the Bishop resolved the following: "I believe the Bible is the prophetic Word of God that will lead us into the eternity of God. God's word does not change; He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore." Bishop understood that it was not about church membership. He walked every day beginning in Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Bishop Rollins retired from the Frederick County School Board after 40 years and made himself available to God for other areas of ministry, actively serving the church and community. God said, "He would raise up Pastor Rollins as an example" right in his own hometown. He regularly ministered and taught the Word of God, inside and outside of the church. From 1994 to 2004, he, along with other Pastors and Ministers of the Gospel, presented the Word of God and intercessory prayer to the community of Frederick, MD and surrounding areas such as VA and PA on radio station 88.1, formerly known as Joy 88. His second full-time ministry after retirement was established at Frederick Memorial Hospital as a volunteer Chaplain. Of the ministry at Thomas Tabernacle, the Bishop says: "For these things and more, Lord I give you praise." With the help of God, this church will strive to be a refuge for all people. I believe the church should be a place where people come, are saved, are delivered, and are set free. As we, the church body, become subject and obedient to the will and Word of God, every stronghold will be broken. I will continue to preach the Word in season and out of season. He also said: "Every person I meet is my sheep and I will feed them the Word of God." Throughout these years, the enemy has strenuously attacked the Bishop, his ministry and his life. In 2004 Bishop Rollins was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital. During his stay at the hospital Lady Rollins and others offered warfare prayer and through the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16), God restored him. After extensive tests at the Washington Heart Center, Bishop Rollins was released. He walked more vigorously in God's Word and continued to follow the doctor's orders. As Bishop Rollins walked and quoted Psalms 23:3, the Lord quickened his body, mind and spirit on the verse: "He restoreth my soul!" The Lord reconditioned the heart muscles and sanctioned the continuous healing. Bishop Rollins began saying in 2010 to Thomas Tabernacle that if God took his last breath, he wanted to go doing the work of Lord. Then in 2011 while Pastor Rollins ministered the Word of God at a local Frederick church, he uttered the words: "God is going to show you a miracle today. The Holy Ghost is here. Four of you are looking for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Three of you are serious and salvation is in the house." He began ministering from Acts 3:19 and 2:38 and then repeated: "God is going to show you a miracle today," and fell backwards dead. No pulse was detected. His adjutant began CPR while EMTs were summoned and the church prayed. He was again taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital Emergency Room and then to Cath Lab. From there he was taken to Trauma and finally to Intensive Care and placed in a medically induced paralytic state while being evaluated and tested. About seven days later he was released and God continued to restore all his faculties over a thirty day period. He was consistently given prophesy that he would receive a miracle from God every day. In 2012, the enemy presented himself again attacking Bishop Rollins' kidneys. Entering the hospital once again, he was diagnosed with kidney failure; his kidneys were only functioning at 25%. Upon that diagnosis it was recommended that a bone marrow biopsy be performed to determine the cause of the kidney failure. There was no medical explanation given for the kidney failure and after a follow up visit it was revealed that the kidneys were functioning at normal capacity, verifying the prophesy of a miracle happening every day. Bishop Rollins told his congregation that he was more sensitive the Spirit of God and hearing the voice of God. He said that his time was growing short and every preacher ought to be preaching the cross, God's grace and righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of in Him." Later that same year, the enemy returned and attacked his blood cells, bringing the blood count so low that Bishop entered the hospital again. Through extensive testing no medical explanation could be found for this cause and after three days he was released as the blood count returned to normal and a stable condition. Bishop Rollins spoke of the prophesy he received in 2011 and proclaimed that God is performing miracles in his body every day. In 2014 while at a routine visit his body temperature exceeded 100 degrees, whereby he was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital and received extensive testing. The report of that testing was his liver was inflamed. After receiving medication, prayer and standing on the promise of God, he was released. He returned to Frederick Memorial Hospital with a high temperature and was later transported to John Hopkins Hospital where his last request to God was that he not leave this earth until Elder Edward James Rollins, Sr. was installed as Pastor of Thomas Tabernacle. This took place at 9:35 p.m. on August 14, 2014. At the conclusion of that installation, Bishop, his wife and other members were at his bedside ministering in song to the Lord. At 6:30 a.m. on August 15, 2014, Bishop Roger Elijah Rollins transitioned from glory to glory. Bishop Rollins leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Rosalind Y. Rollins; son, Barry Rollins; daughter, Kimberly Makel; four grandchildren, Yazmin and Latrea Rollins, Chantel Brown (Jerod), and Camrin Rollins; four great-grandchildren, Channing Brown, and Camori, Aalyah, and Amariah Rollins; six sisters, Harriet Ames, Frances Addison, Mary Long, Alice McBride, Ida G. Brown, and Virginia Rollins; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and church members. He was preceded in death by: his parents, Jesse and Janie Rollins; two sons, Ronald D. Rollins and Larry T. Rollins; four sisters, Clara Biggus, Cora Wilford, Jane Moore, and Eve Rollins; and six brothers, Chester, Joe, Johnny, Arthur, Adam, and Jesse Rollins, Jr. A public viewing will be held on Fri., Aug. 22, 2014, at Thomas Tabernacle Holiness Church of God, Inc., 517 S. Market St., Frederick, MD, 21701, from 12 to 6 p.m. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m., followed immediately by a wake. Funeral services will be held on Sat., Aug. 23, 2014, at Jackson Chapel UM Church, 5609 Ballenger Creek Pike, Frederick, MD 21703, with visitation at 9 a.m., the family receiving friends at 10 a.m., and funeral services at 11 a.m. Bishop Floyd Brown officiating. Interment at Resthaven Memorial Gardens.