Called to Be a World Changer: Rob Miller’s Story

We’ve all heard the saying, “God works in mysterious ways.” It would be tempting to say that the only mysterious thing is when we don’t listen, but I digress. Pastor Rob Miller, now the senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Mission Viejo, certainly heard early in his life—the only problem was that he didn’t quite understand what the gospel meant. Rob had a heart for the Lord, and alongside his wife Karen, attended church faithfully, yet there was still something missing. He used to tell her: “There is a secret that I can’t figure out. You know, I see something that I just don’t have.”

It mirrors what many people, who are new to the gospel, experience and feel. It all sounds great, but sometimes, the real-world connection is hard to make. After all, a lot of those “stories” are thousands of years old, and the relevancy to today’s world can seem a bit nebulous. In his book, World Changers: How God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things, Pastor Greg Laurie demonstrates, through these cherished Bible stories, how God uses ordinary, imperfect people who choose to answer His call with results defying what they thought possible.  We know that the Bible is the integral Word of God, so we can rest assured that its foundation is absolute. Rob was about to discover that fact.

Where It Started

Who better to preach the gospel than a salesman? (Some would argue that Jesus may have been the world’s best salesman—with the best product!) That’s the career Rob had embarked on in the early ‘90s, and, as it turned out, this would be where the connection with Christ would occur. Like most salespeople, a large chunk of time is spent in the car driving from one appointment to the other; Rob was no different. One day, while at lunch, he heard Pastor Greg on the radio, whose broadcast followed the venerable Chuck Smith, founding pastor of Calvary Chapel. In his program, Pastor Chuck had been talking about the Old Testament and rebellion, and it truly struck a chord with Rob.

Upon listening, he realized that he was definitely in the midst of a rebellion and away from the Lord. Rob had doubts and questions, some that he never really asked himself, never mind someone else. He increasingly felt the need to experience the forgiveness he had heard so much about but had yet to experience. However, after listening to Pastor Greg, and for the first time, he felt something “click,” he experienced a conviction like never before and knew instantly that now was the time to accept Christ as his Savior, thus beginning a journey that would take him on a ride he could have never imagined.

“God Called Us, and We Went!”

After giving his life to the Lord, Rob felt a passion burning a deep fire inside of him. He wanted to proclaim the Good News to anyone who would hear him. It included clients of his (he was still a salesman) who became the recipients of his newfound faith. You see, as new Christians, we have a responsibility to share what has transformed us. For Rob, this became his calling; knocking on doors, becoming a street witness for Jesus, attending Bible studies, reading the Word, exposing himself to new and varied teachings, it became all-encompassing. In his mind, Jesus was bringing people to him and equipping him with the necessary tools to disciple.

This led to his and his wife’s going to England to plant a church, where he spent 14 months bringing the gospel to the UK. He is fond of saying: “God called us, and we went!” (This may sound easy and a no-brainer; however, listening to what God is saying to us and acting upon it is sometimes a bit harder than it seems.) They eventually returned to the US, and while he still felt convicted about his mission for God, somehow the bills needed to get paid, so he returned to his former company to resume his sales work. In 1999, he and his family started to attend Calvary Chapel, Mission Viejo, where he quickly involved himself in all facets of ministry. From ushering to family ministry, Rob became a “jack of all trades,” all with one goal in mind: to glorify Him.

Into Full-Time Ministry

Finally, his sales days were over, and in 2004 he joined the staff at CCMV, becoming an Associate Pastor in 2006. He also committed to furthering his education by pursuing a Master’s Degree in Theology from Talbot Seminary in Southern California, near Los Angeles. He eventually became the senior pastor in 2015 where he continues to teach the gospel, helping men and women further understand His purpose for their lives and defining what modern-day ministry should be.

In today’s uncertain times, steady leadership has never been more critical, and when the world is seemingly bouncing from one crisis to the next, and no one has any answers, we, as Christians, know that the answers are back in the book. We have a manual to follow, and we know that God works amid chaos, and His grace and peace are not only offered, but it is free!

Pastor Rob Miller has spent a lifetime following Him and knew all along that the only steady answer resided in a foundation in Christ. His life and commitment to seeking Him are bringing light to a world that desperately needs it.

Who knew that a lunch break would so thoroughly transform one man’s life? If you think about it, there is nothing mysterious about it. It is about opening your heart, genuinely listening, and committing to do the work. Rob Miller is a marching soldier for Christ, and His army has never been more powerful.

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Has your life been impacted by Jesus through a Harvest event? We’re listening.