Kirkland grew up in Murfreesboro, Tn where he graduated from Blackman High School (2008) before pursuing a collegiate baseball career at Freed-Hardeman University. After college (2012), he spent seven years working for Nissan of North America’s manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tn. In 2017, he enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard as an Air Traffic Controller. After returning home from basic training, he began his theological studies. Kirkland graduated from Amridge University with a Bible/Ministry degree in 2021 and began his Masters of Divinity at Oklahoma Christian University in the Summer of 2021.  He recently deployed to the Horn of Africa with the 1-107^th AOB from August 2021 – June 2022. In August of 2022, he became a Chaplain for the 1-230^th AHB, which is where he currently serves. Before accepting the KCOC position, he was the Bible teacher and Athletic Director at Knoxville Christian School.

Kirkland has been married to his wife, Valerie Wheeler, since September 2015. Together they have two boys, Oakley (6 years old) and Rhett (5 years old). Valerie is from Inez, Ky and they met at Freed-Hardeman. Together they are an active family, whether that is on a ball field, in the gym, or out in the backyard. If Kirkland is on vacation, then chances are, you can find him somewhere in the mountains or wherever the Army sends me. His one goal is to serve each of the members of the KCOC congregation in any way that he can while also motivating us all to be the light in the Kingston community.