Leadership

Rev. Michael W. Miller Jr, known as “Pastor Mike”,  received his bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from DePaul University in 1995 and his Master’s of Divinity Degree from North Park Theological Seminary in 2001. In 2014, he completed International Coach Federation training for coaching individuals, congregations, and non-profit organizations through a program developed by The Samaritan Center for Congregations and Garret Evangelical Seminary. Pastor Mike has served in the Church of God (Anderson, IN), the Evangelical Covenant Church, and the Presbyterian Church (USA). He is currently an ordained Teaching Elder (clergy) in the Presbytery of Chicago.

Pastor Mike has been a strong advocate for social justice and the Gospel. He served as the President of 18th & Wabash Corp, a non-profit organization, which owns a low-income “Single Room Occupancy” (SRO) building in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. The building services persons who were formerly homeless. He has worked with Alexia Salvatierra to bring Faith Rooted Organizing training to Chicago to fight injustices in the local community.

Pastor Mike has served as a New Church Development Coach for the PC (USA) and on the Reorganization and Implementation Task Force of the Presbytery of Chicago. He has served on the Compassion, Mercy and Justice Ministry of the Central Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church and on the National Youth Ministry of the Church of God.

Pastor Mike and his wife Jalaimya Miller have been married for over 25 years and are the proud parents of Madison and Mason.

Organizing Board

The Organizing Board of Next Ministries is comprised of faithful people who love God and desire to see a a new church make a positive impact on the near south-side of Chicago and beyond. We are grateful to each member of the board for their gifts, skills, and expertise in helping to bring into reality the vision of Next Ministries.

I don’t know why God has called me to help start Next Ministries. I have faith this is what I’m supposed to do and I believe in the vision. I’ll do my very best to follow God’s direction.

In Matthew 22, when asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus said to love God first and second to love your neighbor. He stated that if you do just these two things, everything else will fall in place. I love the simplicity of what Jesus commands and I believe Next Ministries calls me to spread the Good News to others.

I feel God is calling me to help start Next Ministries because He has put a passion in my heart for reaching unsaved and unchurched people. I also care about helping believers to deepen their relationship with Jesus and follow Him more closely. I believe that worshipping God in a multicultural setting will also help deepen my relationship with Jesus as well.

I am called to Next Ministries to serve in the area of Community Development.