Our Loss, Heaven’s Gain
On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, one of God’s choice servants left his earthly tabernacle and entered Glory. Brother David Miller, pastor and evangelist, was a well-known and faithful servant of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Brother David referred to himself as a “Country Preacher at Large.” He will be greatly missed here on earth, but of his entry to his eternal reward in heaven, we may have no doubt.
The Country Preacher’s Calling
Born in Mississippi, he moved to Arkansas and graduated from high school there. He studied at Southern Baptist College (now Williams Baptist College). In 1994 he received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Immanuel Baptist Seminary in Sharpsburg, Georgia.
He was saved at age 16 and called to preach the gospel at 18. He pastored for five years before taking the role of Director of Missions for the Little Red River Baptist Association, a position he held for 25 years. He continued his preaching ministry as an itinerant evangelist preaching thousands of revivals and Bible conferences over the course of his ministry, which spanned sixty years.
A Faithful Family Man
One of the greatest attributes of Brother David’s life was his love for his family. He was a man of great integrity and set an example that all could follow. He and his wife Glenda were happily married and his love for her was clear and evident, even when she struggled with Alzheimer’s late in life. His son Josh, and grandson Malachi, were greatly loved.
Malachi recently posted about his grandfather, “There are very few people who can have as monumental of an impact on the lives of others in the same way my grandfather did. You don’t have to look further than me to see how drastically his mentorship can change people… I truly believe that my grandfather was the best man I have ever known. There is no one else like him. There aren’t words enough to describe him. With his steadfastness to his faith, his dedication to his family, and his love of all the people he has met over the years, he truly was one of a kind. I will miss him.”
A Preacher’s Preacher
Brother David’s love for God’s men was evident throughout his ministry. His wit and wisdom were sought by a great many preachers. I first heard Brother David preach in South Georgia around 1986. David was in a wheelchair but at that time could still stand to preach. His assistant would prop him up on the pulpit and he had enough strength in his arms to hold himself up. I was literally amazed at his memory. He could not turn the pages of his Bible, so his sermons, texts, and illustrations, all were memorized.
As most everyone knows, David was afflicted with a severe muscular atrophy disease. He never said much about the disease, never complained about his condition, and trusted the Lord to give him the strength to fulfill the ministries to which he had been called.
The disease slowly diminished his motor skills. But he was indefatigable in his zeal to serve the Lord as a preacher of the gospel. He was one of the finest expositors of God’s Word that I have ever heard. I invited David to preach in the churches where I was privileged to be the pastor, whenever I could get him. He was in such demand that sometimes it was hard to get on his calendar!
Brother David was a counselor, confidant, and encourager to thousands of preachers. His skill in expository preaching was unmatched in these modern days. He preached with conviction, courage, compassion, clarity and consistency. He incorporated humor into his sermons in way that was the envy of the rest of us preacher boys! If ever there was a preacher that one might want to model their ministry after, David Miller was that man.
I can remember at a low point in my pastoral ministry that Brother David was with me in revival. I was sitting in his motor home sharing some of my concerns. The church was doing well, we were growing, God was blessing, but I was discontent. David listened and then gave me godly counsel. He was one of those guys who could let the hammer down on you and yet you left feeling as though you had just been given an honorary degree!
The Expository Preaching Conference (EPC)
Brother David’s love for preachers was perhaps best exemplified in the Expository Preaching Conference he started. I’m unsure how many of those conferences he held but his investment in preachers will echo throughout eternity. He would open his home and ministry for about 50 preachers and their wives for several days. They would be given a gift of a library of books that would enhance their ability to be faithful to God’s call on their lives. Everything was paid for by David’s ministry and home church. I have heard numerous testimonies of the lives that were not only encouraged but literally changed for the glory of God!
My son, Nathan, currently a pastor in Kansas, attended an EPC in 1998. Here’s what he had to say about how the conference impacted his life and ministry:
I attended Dr. Miller’s EPC in 1998. I believe it was one of the first, if not the first of those conferences held. The invitation was unexpected, but more than welcome. I understand that the majority of the EPCs were held to assist men called to ministry, generally later in life, who would not have the benefit of formal education in ministry. As a young man who had just completed my freshman year in college, I was by far the youngest attendee, and I think the only one unmarried! It was a phenomenal opportunity, and I relished every bit of it.
I had heard Brother David preach before, but over the course of those several days at Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church in Heber Springs, Arkansas, I still remember being struck by the incredible ability Brother David exhibited in memorizing his notes and text. He was truly amazing to witness in person. I recall his encouragement to us to be clear in our diction and to enunciate our words well as we preached. Despite the toll the disease took on the rest of his body, there was nothing wrong with Brother David’s tongue! He spoke as clearly as any pealing bell, and all of us hung on his every word that weekend.
His humor was always evident, along with the wry smile that was perpetually on his face. He teased us all weekend about our lack of knowledge of the Greek, saying, “With the exception of Brother Barry (King, pastor at TSBC at that time,) and myself, if you converted all of the collected knowledge of Greek in this room into gasoline, you would be hard-pressed to have enough of the substance to power an ant’s moped around a BB.”
TSBC provided for our needs in a tremendous way. They paid for our lodging, fed us repeatedly, and generally did everything they could to show us they loved us. The respect they had for Brother David was beyond evident. They held him in high regard. Beyond that, they gave each one of us several hundred dollars’ worth of books; books I still use almost 30 years later. Their generosity was a tremendous blessing to each of us, and I don’t know that we could properly thank them. But they were led there by Brother David. His impact was staggering, and his loss is irreplaceable. I think we shall not see one like him on the earth, again, but I look forward eagerly to letting him know just how much he meant to me one day in our future
Line upon Line Ministries
“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little,” (Isaiah 28:10) was the theme of Brother David’s Line Upon Line Ministries. It was the foundation of an expository preaching ministry that was captivating, creative and fully conformed to Scripture. If you have any of Brother David’s tapes, CDs, or digital sermons you have a precious treasure.
I thank God for giving us Brother David Miller. He was a treasure to all who knew and loved him. My dear friend Eric Smith, who served as a personal assistant to Brother David for over fourteen years said this, “I learned more sitting at Brother David’s feet than I could have in six years of seminary training. Brother David wasn’t perfect, but he was as close to a righteous man as I have ever known. He taught me how to be a righteous man.”
All of us at TruthScript ministries are grateful for Dr. David Miller’s life and ministry. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Josh, Malachi, and all the Miller family. We rejoice with you that Brother David is healed and walking the streets of gold! Thank you, Jesus, for allowing us to have this precious man for so many years.
To God be the Glory.
