The Beacons Podcast · Episode 03 · Full episode · 36 minutes
Faith & Leadership.
Chris Miller.
Pastor Chris Miller shares his journey from resisting faith to serving a church, with an unusually honest conversation about pride, burnout and learning empathy.
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Episode notes · A written companion
The person behind the pastor.
An editorial summary by Beacons of Chris’s conversation, prepared using the episode’s captions. These are selected themes, not a word-for-word transcript or a contributor-written testimony. Watch the full episode for context.
01From resistance to a new direction
Chris recalls a childhood around church, years in the Marines and a long period of resistance to Christianity. He credits his wife’s patient witness as a significant influence. After a deeply difficult time in his own life, he describes coming to faith with her help. His story is not a requirement to reach a crisis before seeking God or support.
02Learning while taking the next step
A sense of calling to pastoral ministry returned after Chris joined a church. He began studying, moved with his family for seminary and learned through opportunities to preach. Looking back, he remembers both uncertainty and practical support from others. His eventual move to Australia was not the destination he had initially planned.
03Leadership does not remove vulnerability
Chris acknowledges that pride sometimes appeared as defensiveness and fear about his position. He also speaks candidly about two experiences of severe burnout, including overwhelming anxiety. People around him did not always realise what he was facing. He does not offer a quick cure; he says those seasons deepened his empathy for people with mental-health difficulties.
04The value of being present
For Chris, a central joy of ministry is being alongside people at significant moments in their lives. He encourages those exploring faith to seek Jesus while recognising that Christians, including leaders, are imperfect. He closes with 1 Corinthians 15:58, a passage that reminds him that faithful service can matter even when its value is difficult to see.
Something to sit with
After the conversation.
Where are you trying to appear stronger than you feel—and who could you speak honestly with before carrying any more?
A reflection prompt from Beacons, not a quotation from Chris. One person’s story is not a prescribed pathway for everyone.