Meet the Candidate

Rev. Dr. James F. Miller
Senior Pastor, DuPage AME Church, Lisle, Illinois

• Morris Brown College, Class of 1975
• John Marshall Law School, Chicago 75-76
• National Bank of Detroit, Bank Branch Manager 76 – 79
• Continental Bank, Chicago, Private Client Banker, 79-82
• McCormick Theological Seminary, MDiv (1986), DMin (1992)
• First African-American to get a million dollar loan in DuPage County
• Payne Theological Seminary Satellite Program Coordinator. Graduated 17 ministers from a three-year, weekly course of study. Cap and Gown ceremony was held at Woodlawn AME Chicago, with President Louis Harvey and Bishop J. Haskell Mayo speaking.
• Under Dr. Miller’s pastorate, DuPage has gone from 175th in the Fourth District to the 1st church in tithes and offerings.
• Chairman of the Board, REACH (501c3)
• Delegate to General Conference, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
• Alternate Delegate, 1996
• Member of AME General Board, 2004-2008
• Member of The Episcopal Committee, 2008, 2012, 2016
• Chaplain of The Episcopal Committee, 2012, 2016

Miller Vision 2020

“Write the vision, make it plain with ink on paper, that whoever reads it can run with it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)

Let’s revive the stewardship component of the Retirement Services Department!

The time has come for new models of advancing the gospel: new ways of inspiring support to advance mission, new ways of generating income for mission. Debating the foregone conclusion of the erosion of religion and Christian values in society is moot. We need comprehensive, adjustable stewardship models that are broadly effective, beyond isolated instances of success. The Connection can benefit from a consistent offering of stewardship resources for information, education, inspiration and appropriation to both clergy and lay alike. Using sound biblical doctrine, along with an intentional, planned stewardship emphasis, while cultivating a theology of gratitude has proven to result in significant, measurable increase in congregations across the connection.  To provide an office of central resource, developing a common theme and providing supportive materials, will open up the universe of stewardship knowledge and practices available both online and in the ecumenical community. With a bold educational strategy and unified support, this will have a dramatic, positive impact to an optimum number of local congregations, resulting in an increase in attendance, volunteers for ministry, and a spirit of peace and love, in addition to more tithes and offerings across the AME Church.

Think back over your life in the church. Remember the great moments of high worship and electric energy that accompanied the festivities of the day. See the children playing. See the choirs singing and the congregation rocking. See the ushers and worshippers smiling. See the preacher preaching and hear the people respond. Envision the fellowship hall filled with everyone eating and laughing together in joy and thanksgiving. Can you see such a mountaintop moment? This is the opportunity we have before us, to give each local church the chance to experience this on a regular basis, as a fundamental character of its ministry. And there will be more resources and joy.

Let’s manage our retirement savings fund prudently, according to federal guidelines for religious, charitable and not for profit organizations. Let’s maintain the member access and improve our personal services as technology may afford. Let’s invest the fund as directed by the AME Discipline, in a way that is both secure and prosperous. And let’s create a culture of generosity that will bring God’s people joy. Let’s RAISE MORE, SAVE MORE AND GROW MORE!

It is with this vision that I offer myself for the office of Executive Director of Retirement Services for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. I ask for your prayers, your support and your vote! God bless you and see you in church.

Dr. James F. Miller