The Rev’d Canon Dr. Robert Wills: Biography
From time to time, we will introduce to you the members of the clergy and other leaders from around the Diocese of the Mid-South. It is our pleasure to introduce you to Canon Robert Wills who serves at St. Luke’s Charismatic Episcopal Church, Manchester, GA.
The Rev’d Canon Dr. Robert Wills was born in Chicago, IL on December 12, 1950. Robert came into the world a month early, weighing only 5 pounds and 13 ounces. His lungs were not fully developed and he started turning “blue” from lack of oxygen. The situation was so dire, that the nurse called for a Nun who called for a priest to perform “Last Rites” and the priest prayed for the child. Immediately after the prayer, Robert started breathing normally. The priest told Robert’s Father: “He should be all right now. He will probably grow up to be a priest someday.”
The father, William Wills, being a life-long Baptist, explained to the priest that it would be impossible for the child to become a priest, since Robert would be raised as a Protestant. The priest shrugged and muttered something about God working in mysterious ways to accomplish His will. The incident was never quite forgotten and was related to Robert by his father, a couple of days before Robert’s ordination to the Priesthood in 1996.
An Eagle Scout at age 16, Bob served as a Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster during his years in scouting. At age 15, Bob completed a weeklong survival course, did a 50-mile hike and canoe trip with 2 other scouts, and became proficient at canoeing and lifesaving. Later, after moving to Georgia, Robert would become the scoutmaster for two years of a Scout Troop at the school in which he was teaching.
Robert graduated Thornridge High School in Suburban Dolton Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in the Teaching of History from the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle. Following graduation, he took additional courses and received his Elementary School Certification from Chicago State University. He soon added a Masters Degree in Education from Columbus State University. He later added a Masters degree in Christian Counseling (Vanguard Bible Institute of Tilsonburg, Ontario) and another in Theology (El Shaddai Theological Seminary). In 1996, Robert completed his Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) from Evangelical Theological Seminary of Missouri.
Relocating to Georgia, Robert taught with the Upson County School system for 17 years. During this stint, he was appointed to the Governor’s Commission of Education for a two year term. He served for four years on a major advisory committee for the Georgia Association of Educators where he became an advocate of Special Education programs. He also served a term as President of the Upson County Association of Educators. He and his wife, Sharon, created a slide program on how parents can help their children at home. This was adopted for state-wide use by the Georgia Association of Educators. He left the teaching profession in 1990 to work with El Shaddai Theological Seminary. Later, Robert was ordained by the Pentecostal Holiness Church (PHC).
A year later Robert became embroiled in a controversy involving integration of the Pentecostal Holiness Church, the Ku Klux Klan, and the how the Conference board would react to a completely integrated church. Robert defended the church pastor’s decision to fully integrate the church. He presented a theological treatise condemning segregated churches. When the Conference Board accepted the premise of his paper, but failed to act to support African American church members who were losing jobs and being intimidated by the KKK, the church ceased to exist. Robert resigned from the PHC, became an independent Charismatic, and eventually ended up with Prayer Mountain Ministries in Pike County Georgia. He was ordained through the Fellowship of Full Gospel Ministers and Churches International, and remained with Prayer Mountain for the next 11 years. During this time he ministered in churches along the East Coast and into Ontario, Canada. He made 7 trips to Belize, including one spent in a village for a month.
In 1988, Robert and Sharon became involved with El Shaddai Theological Seminary., with Robert becoming the Vice President of the Seminary. During the next three years, the seminary expanded into a network of churches in Belize, Ontario Canada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. At its peak, Robert managed the seminary with a staff of 11 instructors and 100+ students in eight locations. Robert developed curriculum for a Bachelor’ Program and an Associate Degree Program. In 1994, The seminary moved to Alabama, and Robert returned to the Pentecostal Holiness Church, where he was re-instated in the Ministry. He was assigned to work with a very small church in Smyrna, Georgia that was a two-hour ride from where he lived.
Later, John Holloway asked Robert to announce that the Patriarch of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (CEC) was coming to Thomaston. Robert set up a television interview with Archbishop Randolph Adler for the Noon News show, which Robert hosted. During the interview, Robert asked many tough theological and ethical questions about the CEC. The Patriarch answered all of his questions and another segment was taped for the next day.
It took several months for Robert to work with the PHC to be released from ministries in which he was involved. After being amicably released from the PHC eight months later, Robert joined the CEC. He was ordained a priest in June of 1997.
Robert began teaching with St. Michael’s seminary in 1999. At the ICCEC International Convocation the next year, Robert was asked to join the Curriculum Committee for the Seminary. He has written courses, made a seminary trip to Kenya, and trained several men who are now ordained deacons and priests. He continues as a seminary Mentor at the present time. Robert was later appointed to be the Canon Theologian for the Mid-South Diocese. He was also appointed to the Bishop’s Council and Commission on Ordained Ministry. In fulfillment of what God spoke to him years before, Robert’s main ministry has been the traning of men for the ministry and prophetic teaching within the Diocese. Many of his writings are available at www.stlukeiccec.com.
After working with St. Michael’s Church for a couple of years, Robert began holding Tuesday night meetings in a Methodist Church in Manchester, Georgia. Over the next 2 years the group grew to 18 people. Thirteen of those people moved to Thomaston to be a part of St. Michael’s and several of those were subsequently ordained into the Diaconate.
When Robert attended the Provincial Convocation in 2000, he was seeking direction from God. Should he get a building and start a church? Should he close the mission down? Only four or five attendees were left.
Archdeacon David Paysinger had a prophetic word for Robert on the second night of the Convocation. He said, “Have you told your bishop that you are starting a church soon? You need to because you are. It will be soon—the first of the year. You will be in a red brick building between two traffic lights in a small town. There is a glass front. The building is on an alley and the parking is in the rear.”
Robert found the building the next week and started services at the church on the Baptism of the Lord Day in 2001. St. Luke’s Church was born and continues in that building today. Although the church membership is small, it ministers to nearly 40 people per month. Robert has become known at St. Luke Mission and throughout the diocese as Father Bob or Canon Bob.
In addition to being a Canon Theologian, church vicar, Doctor of Theology, Educator, and Seminary Mentor, Canon Bob has worked as a mental health professional and substance abuse counselor for Parolees, since becoming a priest in the CEC. He also teaches a Martial Arts program at the Church. He is a Fifth Degree Black Belt and a member of three separate GOJU Karate organizations that acknowledge his rank. His wife, Sharon holds a Nidan (2nd degree black belt) rank. After studying Small Circle Jujitsu in College, and practicing Goju-Ryu Karate since 1984, Canon Bob has run Manchester School of the Martial Arts since 1997. The karate school has evolved into an outreach of St. Luke Mission Church.
Canon Bob has had and continues to have an interesting and fulfilling life. His marriage, his church, and his passion for teaching and training men for ministry have become the most important things in his life. Above all he desires to continue to submit to the Will of God and to live a life of service in the Kingdom of God.
