Richard J. Wills Jr. was born on August 3, 1942.  His education includes a BS in Psychology from Florida Southern University, graduating in 1964.  Pursuing his call to ministry, Wills received his M.Div. from Candler School of Theology, Emory University in 1967. Since that time, Wills has received honorary doctorates from Bethune-Cookman College and Florida Southern College.

Wills married Eileen Willis Wills on June 12, 1965. Their children are Richard J. Wills III, Lakeland, FL; Suzanne Wills Hart, West Palm Beach, FL; Johanna Wills Clark, Orlando, FL, and  Rebekah Wills Stephens, Sebring, FL.

Wills was ordained deacon in 1965 and was ordained elder four years later in the Florida Annual Conference. Wills served the following appointments in that Conference:
Crystal Lake UMC, Lakeland, FL, 1967-1971
Madarin UMC, Jacksonville, FL, 1971-1975
Associate Council Director, 1975-1978
Englewood UMC, Englewood, FL, 1978-1986
Senior Pastor-Christ UMC, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 1986-2004

Wills served with distinction on several committees for the his annual conference, including the Board of Ordained Ministry for several years and multiple General Conference Delegations.

In 2004, Wills was ordained a Bishop and assigned to the Nashville Area of the United Methodist Church. An area is a grouping of two or more Annual Conferences under the leadership of one Bishop. The Nashville Area includes the Memphis Annual Conference and the Tennessee Annual Conference with offices in Nashville and Jackson, TN.

Bishop Wills is the Author of Waking to God’s Dream (2000) and several articles on spiritual leadership.