On September 9, 2007, the congregation of Christ Community church voted to call Scott Roley to the position of Senior Pastor. Roley served the church for 18 years in various capacities, including his role as Pastor for Missional Living. During his leadership, the Missions ministry grew to include the oversight of foreign missions (supporting 18 world missionaries), home missions (supporting 22 local agencies) and Franklin Community Ministries, a local benevolence ministry to the under-served in the area.
Based on his experiences in local mercy ministry, Roley authored God’s Neighborhood: A Hopeful Journey in Racial Reconciliation & Community Renewal which traces his personal call to racial reconciliation and community renewal and shares the powerful narrative journey of a white pastor’s identification within an African-American community. He followed that book with its sequel, Hard Bargain, to be published in 2010. He is also author of The Will of the Nation: a fishing journal full of stories and descriptions of Scott’s fly fishing adventures.
Recently, Scott helped pioneer a unique redevelopment project in Hard Bargain, a low-income residential neighborhood in Franklin. The group utilizes the skills of architects, financial experts and other business professionals. The vision is seen as community service, to provide work force homes for purchase, thus transforming a 100-year-old neighborhood into a vibrant community. It is the chief aim to revitalize a specific area, while keeping its residents intact and enhancing this piece of Franklin’s history.
Roley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bannockburn College and is completing a Masters of Divinity degree from Whitefield Theological Seminary. He also attended DePauw University in Indiana and Spring Arbor University in Michigan.
Roley’s life-long love for music developed into another integral part of his ministry throughout the years. He was once an up-and-coming singer/songwriter in contemporary Christian music and toured with artist Michael Card. He released eleven recordings of his own and has co-written songs on numerous projects. As one well-acquainted with the trappings and pressures of the entertainment business, Roley helps Christ Community Church rally behind musicians, encouraging and equipping them. He continues to write music and perform on occasion.
Scott and his wife, Linda, live in Franklin and have five children: Michelle, Matthew, Emily, Jeffrey, and Samuel; as well as six grand-children.