James Rolen Obituary

Dr. James D. Rolen entered his eternal home into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. He faithfully served His Lord as Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Tullahoma, TN, for 45 years. He fought a good fight, he finished his course, he kept the faith. Born August 2, 1947, in Athens, TN, Jim was the only child of Rev. James Earl Rolen and Sarah Hulda Mae Price Rolen.
As a 13 year old boy, Jim attended revival at Bethel Baptist Church in Red Bank, TN, on March 8, 1961, and accepted Christ as his personal Savior. The following month on Easter Sunday, he met the love of his life, Loretta Ann Biddle, and married her five years later on June 3, 1966. They made their home in Rossville, GA. This past June, they celebrated 59 years of marriage. In addition to his loving wife, he is also survived of their only child, Kimberly A. Perry FNP and two beloved crowns, his grandchildren Tori Beth Perry and W. Britton Perry (Proverbs 17:6). Of the many titles he wore, Papa Jim was his most cherished.
Jim was a 1965 graduate of Kirkman Technical High School and worked as a draftsman at Singer Cobble. He attended Chattanooga State and became a certified electrician, working for more than ten years at General Portland Cement in Chattanooga, TN. Jim served his country for six years in the Army National Guard. In 1977, Jim accepted God's call into Christian ministry. His life's verse was Philippians 2:16, "Holding forth the word of life..." Dr. Milford Biddle gave Jim the opportunity to preach his first message at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN, on June 26, 1977. He immediately started the Canaan Hour Radio Broadcast over WMOC. In September of 1978, a small congregation in Estill Springs asked him to come preach. He preached his first message to what would become the Bethel Baptist Church on September 10, 1978, from Genesis 17:1 on "El Shadiah, The All-Sufficient One." The following Sunday, on September 17, 1978, they called him to be their pastor. Jim immediately started the Word of Life Broadcast, which aired for over 41 years on several radio stations in the Middle TN and Kentucky regions. The broadcast was also aired over shortwave radio. In 1983, the Bethel Baptist Church relocated to Tullahoma, TN, to a store-front building on E. Lauderdale Street. God blessed the ministry and in 1986, the church built the current church building located at 408 Westside Drive, Tullahoma, TN.
Jim attended Luther Rice Seminary and received an honorary doctorate from Tabernacle Baptist College in Greenville, SC, under the direction of Dr. Harold B. Sightler. Jim had a heart for missions and led the Bethel Baptist Church into a vibrant mission ministry. Jim served on the Board of Directors for Bible and Literature Missionary Foundation in Shelbyville, TN, for 30 years, helping to spread the written Word of God to a world in need. He was privileged to travel to many foreign mission fields, including Uganda, Africa, London, China, Japan, the Philippines, and Myanmar. His Word of Life Radio Broadcast continues to air over New Life Radio in Uganda, Africa. The thrust of his 45 year ministry was "That Tullahoma May Know Christ! That the World May Know Christ!"
Visitation will be held from 12:00pm-2:00pm on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Bethel Baptist Church, 408 Westside Drive, Tullahoma, TN 37388. The funeral will immediately follow at 2:00pm, with Bro. Jeremy Martin, Dr. Jeffrey W. Kelley, and Dr. Mark Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens in Tullahoma. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Bible and Literature Missionary Foundation in Shelbyville, TN.
Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, 300 First Ave NW, Winchester, TN 37398, (931)-967-2222, www.moorecortner.com.