Rev. Ronald P. McDougal was born in New York City. He was educated in the Public School System, graduated in 1967, from Theodore Roosevelt High School, Bronx, New York.

Rev. McDougal received his call to the Ministry at the young age of sixteen. He preached his trial sermon on December 2, 1966, at the Mother Zion A.M.E. Zion Church, New York City, under the pastorate of the late Dr. George W. McMurray. Rev. McDougal went on to matriculate at Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. To further prepare himself for the Ministry, he attended Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. from 1971 to 1972. He subsequently transferred to Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, Mass. where he obtained a Master of Divinity Degree in 1974. He went on to receive a certificate for completing three quarters of Clinical Pastoral Education from the Rhode Island Interfaith Health Care Ministry in 1979. He has continued to do further studies over the years.

Rev. McDougal’s early Ministry was spent as a local preacher at Mother A.M.E. Zion Church. During his College and Seminary years, he served as an Associate Minister in churches in Salisbury, North Carolina, Baltimore, Maryland and Boston, Mass. Upon graduating from Seminary, Rev. McDougal’s first Pastorate was at the Corn Hill A.M.E. Zion Church, Rochester, New York from 1974 to 1976. He was then appointed to the Hood Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Providence, Rhode Island from 1976 to 1980. In June of 1980, he was appointed by Bishop Alfred G. Dunston, Jr., to Clinton Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, New Bern, North Carolina, where he served for twenty-four and a half years. In December 2004, he was appointed to the Shrewsbury Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church, Red Bank, New Jersey.

Rev. McDougal currently serves as the President of the Red Bank Westside Ministerial Alliance; Third Vice-President of the Red Bank Branch of the N.A.A.C.P., a Board Member of Wesleyan Arms and a member of the Red Bank Clergy Association. He also serves on the Finance Committee of the Camden District and the New Jersey Annual Conference. He is a member of the Conference Holy Orders Committee.

Rev. McDougal has served on various Boards at the Connectional Conference District levels of the A.M.E. Zion Church. He has served on various Religious and Civic Boards and Organizations in the communities where he has pastored and has received several certificates and plaques for his participation. Rev. McDougal is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is married to Mrs. Clementine (Peaches) Spain McDougal. They have four daughters and three granddaughters, and a grandson.

Rev. McDougal’s vision for the church is that the Church would seek, as its primary function, to fulfill the Great Commission as commanded by Jesus, in Matthew 28:19-20. The Church is called to be mission-minded reaching out to the neglected, the hurting, the lost and the unsaved. The church should minister to the whole man/woman physically, emotionally, mentally and most of all spiritually. This ministry is to be done within the church, in the community and in the larger society.