Roland Dell was just an ordinary kid who enjoyed playing with his friends and exploring as most little boys do. Born on January 6,1959, in Baltimore, Maryland, he attended Towson High School. That was the end of his formal education, however, because he suffered from dyslexia and ADD. He was, in fact, one of the first to be in the pioneering experiment in phonetics to treat dyslexia at Johns Hopkins University. Although he was unable to study like most people, he was curious and ambitious and wanted to better himself...little did he know that he would have an experience that would bring him into contact with Jesus Christ.
Coast Guard
In 1980 he enlisted in the Coast Guard but his tenure there was brief. Reduction of forces under the Reagan Administration found him without a job after two years. He volunteered on the lightship "Chesapeake," but continued his life of drinking and carousing. At one point he prayed to God that He would lead him to a career. He was not a churchgoer...he went only once while working on the "Chesapeake."
Street Ministry
For six years Roland worked at a street ministry in Baltimore which was run by the Rev. Michael William Gross, who was a mentor to him and here he grew in his faith and as a human being. He prayed to God to "show me...I don't want to hear it just from a sermon." Rev.Gross showed him how the enemy works...how demonic spirits work and how true spirit works. Roland was becoming more of a true Christian at this time.
Near Death Experience
February 6, 2005 was a day he will never forget. He had been in the United States Army since 1986, and was well versed in water survival as he had gone to school to be a dual status technician in marine engineering. That day, however, he was doing the usual water survival when he felt terrific heartburn and began to believe that he was going to die. He had actually suffered a heart attack. He blacked out and was lying on the ground when he felt a shadowy presence lying shoulder- to- shoulder with him. He believes that Jesus was that shadowy figure.
Out-of-Body Experience
Later, while still lying unconscious in the ambulance, he found himself outside looking down and had a wonderful feeling...everything was clear as a bell. A feeling of incredible peace surrounded him as he saw all these things.Some weeks later while in the hospital his heart began to give him serious problems again. At that time a nurse said to him "Mr.Dell, the enemy knows who you are but it's not going to stop what God has planned for you."
Lightship Ministries
Roland Dell lived to become a pastor and now has his own internet ministry which is endorsed by the United Evangelical Church of America. He is now hoping for a wider sphere of opportunity in which to reach more people with his message of God's love.
To the believer Dell says: "Realize that you can hear God speak to you in a personal way, and not just through the scriptures."
To the unbeliever he says: "God is alive and real...a living, loving, breathing being."
Source:
Personal conversations with Pastor Roland Dell, November, 2008.
For further reading about near-death experiences see:
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