CONWAY, Ark. – Scott Miller has served for the past 7 ½ years as the association missions strategist (AMS) of the Faulkner Baptist Association (FBA).
Miller was born in Michigan. His family moved to Arkansas when he was 13. Other than three years at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he has been in the Natural State ever since.
Though his family attended church every Sunday for his whole life, it was not until he was 14 at a church camp that he trusted Christ for his salvation.
Miller credits the Baptist Student Union (BSU), now Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway for opening his eyes to a call to ministry and for introducing him to the girl who would become his wife.
Miller pastored a small church his last two years as a college student, served at a church while in seminary, and pastored for 31 years after that, all in Arkansas. He then took on his current role with FBA.
“While I enjoyed serving as a pastor and was able to lead each of our churches to growth, I feel my best ministry has been found as an associational leader,” Miller said.
“Associations are important. We know Paul started many churches in the New Testament, but it seems he also grouped those churches in geographical associations – the Macedonian churches, the churches in Asia-Minor, the churches in Galatia, and the churches surrounding Corinth. Some pastors network with other pastors according to various interests or intents, and that’s great… but there’s something special about churches in a geographical area working together.”
Miller said there are times he misses being a pastor, but being an AMS allows him to put his ministry gifts to their best use.
“Thirty-three years of pastoring prepared me for the work I do now,” Miller said.
He sees his role through three Es: encouraging pastors, staff, and churches; educating churches through workshops and reminding them of the SBC and ABSC resources available to them; and engaging them in ministry and missions, often together.
Miller touted the Faulkner Baptist Association. He said they have a good mix of city and country churches, but they need more.
“Faulkner County has seen more growth by percentage than any other county in the state over the last 10-20 years,” he said.
“Our association is unique in that we only have six bi-vocational churches. And almost all of our churches are growing in number and in mission. Our pastors get along well. Many of them meet weekly for breakfast at the FBA office. And our churches work together well; praying for one another and helping one another do larger ministry events.”
In addition to their Disaster Relief team, FBA has a camp, Cold Springs Retreat, just north of Conway, that is utilized for six weeks of association camps a year. It is also available for use by other groups for summer camps and can be rented for retreats and weekend events throughout the year.
Miller and his wife, Tana, have three children and six grandchildren. In addition to spending time with family, Miller is an avid sports fan, enjoys a wide variety of music, dabbles in painting and drawing, appreciates a good story, and tries to learn something new every day.