Crime & Courts

Reginald Miller: The ‘Great End-Time Army Of The Lord’ Is Growing

Father of embattled South Carolina pastor seemingly unfazed by federal scrutiny of his family…

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South Carolina pastor and bible college founder Reginald W. Miller – the father of beleaguered Palmetto State pastor John-Paul Miller – recently celebrated his 76th birthday. The aging preacher – known to many as “Reg” or “Wayne” – used this auspicious occasion to announce the growth of his Bible college, All Nations

Miller’s clear message: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe initiated following the tragic death of his daughter-in-law, Mica Francis Miller, has not been a hindrance to his success.

Some believe the ongoing FBI investigation is focused on John-Paul and Reg – and their handling of finances at their various religious organizations. Others insist the inquiry is tied to Mica Miller’s untimely death.

To recap: Mica’s body was found with a gunshot wound to the head at 4:23 p.m. EST on April 27, 2024 at North Carolina’s Lumber River State Park – a sprawling 14,000-acre wilderness straddling this scenic blackwater river.  Mica traveled to this remote location from Myrtle Beach earlier that day, and her body was discovered by police in a swampy area approximately forty meters away from where spent shell casings and her belongings were recovered.

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Mica’s death was officially ruled a suicide by North Carolina investigators and medical examiners, but the bizarre manner in which her husband announced her passing – and subsequent allegations of harassment and abuse leveled against him in multiple court filings – raised doubts, putting John-Paul Miller squarely in the public’s crosshairs.

Recently, John-Paul Miller has made several interesting corporate moves related to his church – moves many believe are tied to the ongoing criminal investigation as well as looming civil lawsuits. As for Reginald Miller, his son’s high profile has revived scrutiny of his “ministry” – and his name has been mentioned in connection with the civil suits, as well.

Reg Miller’s stated purpose is teaching others to serve in what he refers to as the “great end-time army of the Lord.”

“I am praising the Lord that All Nations has added four more extensions in South Carolina for a total of fifteen locations across the state to study and earn a Bible College degree,” Miller wrote on social media. “We have trained students from over fifty nations and twenty-five U.S. states. We celebrate our 50th anniversary next year having never missed operating a single semester in 49 years since our founding.”

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Solid Rock at Market Common. Monday, May 6, 2024. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Andrew Fancher.

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Launched in 1975 as the Tabernacle Bible Institute, the unaccredited seminary has gone by different names over the years including Gloryland Bible College and Cathedral Bible College. Today, the school is called All Nations Bible College and also operates as Reginald Wayne Miller Missions. Miller claims the organization has helped “thousands upon thousands” of people through its curriculum and outreach programs. In his birthday announcement, Miller said the ministry’s international headquarters had moved to Columbia, S.C. – where 85 students were expected to graduate this year.

The seminary was called Cathedral Bible College in 2014 when Miller was accused of forcing international students to work long hours for very little pay – and threatening deportation if they refused to comply. Miller was subsequently charged with six counts of federal visa fraud and labor violations. He pleaded guilty to all of the charges against him and was facing up to 40 years in prison. 

In federal court, Miller’s attorney asked for leniency in sentencing. On October 8, 2015, attorney Thomas Brittain filed a motion for downward variance. In it, he let the judge know prosecutors had agreed to a short prison sentence of anywhere from three to six months.  

“This sentence guideline would make Dr. Miller eligible for probation,” Brittain said in the filing. “All of the reasons are set forth in the pre-sentence report, i.e. that Dr. Miller received no funds; further, he worked alongside his students, performing all the tasks they did (kitchen work, cleaning duties and all other menial tasks). Dr. Miller had no responsibility to pay the students, it was the responsibility of the college. He is not well and has a serious medical condition. He is a threat to no one. He is on in years, has no prior criminal record.”

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Nine years ago – on October 23, 2015 – U.S. district court judge R. Bryan Harwell signed a preliminary forfeiture order sentencing Miller to time served (about three months) and three years of supervision. During such time, Miller was ordered to participate in mental health counseling including anger management. Under the terms of his sentencing, Miller was not allowed to own a firearm and was expected to cooperate in the collection of DNA. He was also ordered to pay an assessment of $420 and restitution in the amount of $75,000 – which it appears he has yet to do.

The court waived interest on restitution because of his “inability to pay”.  

In calculating restitution, the court said Miller received $244,411.63 either directly or indirectly as a result of the violations. More specifically, court filings detail how much was owed to each of 16 students – a total of $153,925.31. Restitution as ordered covered less than half of the amount owed to the student victims. 

On November 18, 2015, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recorded a lien for Miller in Horry County in the amount of $75,420. That lien has yet to be satisfied.

Following his federal conviction, Miller once again rebranded his organization and resumed the administration of his Bible college. He also engaged in a number of overseas missions. Last fall – about eight months prior to Mica’s death – allegations surfaced surrounding Miller’s behavior while in Pakistan. Specifically, a YouTube video featured statements from multiple Pakistani men who implored Miller not to return to their country.  

“We don’t want to work with Dr. Miller,” members of the Abundant Life Christian Assembly in Pakistan said on the video. “We don’t feel safe with him.”

FITSNews continues to investigate the many threads surrounding the controversial death of Mica Francis Miller. Anyone with information on any of these threads is encouraged to reach out to research@fitsnews.com.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Callie Lyons (provided)

Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.

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2 comments

JustSomeGuy Top fan October 30, 2024 at 10:01 am

I wonder how marketable a degree from an unaccredited seminary is. Other than equipping one for service in the “end-time army”, I wonder if it prepares someone for a career in anything.

Reply
The Grift Never Ends October 30, 2024 at 12:02 pm

Well if a church won’t take him as pastor, he could probably take up blogging.

Reply

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