Meet Pastor Philip Miller

He believes people flourish as followers of Jesus when they live deeply in the gospel, experience the healing of true community, and join Jesus on mission in their world. He is committed to cultivating a gospel-centered church that welcomes spiritual explorers, promotes gospel clarity in culturally-engaging ways, inspires passionate worship, fosters deep spiritual vitality, empowers people to holistic discipleship, and catalyzes a multiplication movement of gospel renewal both locally and globally.

Testimony

I grew up in a Christian home and at the age of four accepted Jesus as my Savior. While I didn’t fully realize what I was doing, I knew Jesus loved me and had died for my sins. Much time during my early years was spent learning to obey and do what was right. I considered myself a pretty good person.

But then I hit my early teens. I found myself thinking and feeling things that I knew were wrong. There was a part of my heart that was monstrous: vicious, lustful, and wicked. Yet on the outside, I played the part of the perfect Christian kid. While I was getting awards at church I was crying myself to sleep at night, ashamed of the monster inside me. I lived in fear that if people ever discovered who I really was, they would never accept me. I was disintegrated and my life was disintegrating.

It was then that I discovered the wonder of God’s grace. Discovering my brokenness, I realized that I was not a good person who occasionally messed up; I was a sinful person deeply in need of a Savior. I needed Jesus, not only as the one who saves me from my sins, but as the one who saves me. I cried out for help, and God began to teach me to live in him by grace. It was sweetness from beyond.

Ministry Experience

I began my ministry career in 2008 as a staff intern at Chuck Swindoll’s Stonebriar Community Church. Under Chuck’s leadership, I gained valuable teaching and leadership skills. I was honored to be ordained by Dr. Swindoll in May 2010.

In 2010, following my time at Stonebriar, I became an Associate Pastor at Christ Community Church in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles. I oversaw all of the Adult Ministries at the DeKalb campus of this large multi-site church—the equivalent of The Moody Church’s combined Communities and Equipping ministries.

In August of 2013, I answered the call to become Senior Pastor of Westwood Baptist Church in Olympia, WA, transitioning leadership from the outgoing founding pastor, who had served for 41 years.

And now, in July of 2020, I’m delighted to begin serving as Senior Pastor of The Moody Church!