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The list of churches and ministries tied to besieged South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller and his associates is growing – but to what end?
The estranged husband of the late Mica Francis Miller has been under intense scrutiny ever since her suspicious death eight months ago. Scrutiny related to the case reached a fever pitch when agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a search of John-Paul Miller’s home on November 1, 2024.
“The primary investigation is into events that happened before Mica died,” a source familiar with the search stated, citing allegations of “interstate domestic violence” involving Miller.
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 roughly an hour’s drive northwest of Myrtle Beach. 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 and put Miller squarely in the public’s crosshairs.
Two days after the FBI searched Miller’s home, Miller announced that services for Solid Rock Church – the congregation he founded in 2006 – would no longer be held at its location at 803 Howard Avenue.
This building – erected in 1958 – formerly served as a chapel for the since-shuttered Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. It was purchased from Cathedral Baptist Church for $300,000 in 2013. The property is currently valued at approximately $2.3 million.
As Miller was making changes at Solid Rock, plans were underway for a new church – dubbed Living Water at Market Common. A filing was submitted to the S.C. Secretary of State for this entity on October 17, 2024. Miller is the registered agent and the address given for the new entity is his home address: 246 Coldwater Circle, Myrtle Beach (a property owned by Solid Rock).
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RELATED | JOHN-PAUL MILLER’S CHURCH LAND SWAP
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On October 23, 2024, the business filing for Solid Rock Ministries, Inc. was amended – with its address changed and a declaration made that if the entity was dissolved, any remaining assets would go to St. Delight Pentecostal Church – which is run by Miller’s mentor, Charles Randall.
In November, individuals with ties to Miller reportedly submitted organizational paperwork for two new ministries – Mercy Church Ministries and Forge Church. Mercy Church Ministries was filed on November 18, 2024 with Mollie Fleming as its registered agent – and a nonexistent address. Fleming is John-Paul Miller’s maternal grandmother.
Shortly after being incorporated, the address for the entity was changed to 3001 North Kings Highway Suite D #102, Myrtle Beach, SC. The address belongs to Pro Pack & Ship, a Myrtle Beach-based company which rents U.S. Post Office mailboxes.
Another recently formed entity – Forge Church – is also believed to have ties to Miller. Paperwork for Forge Church was filed with the S.C. Secretary of State’s office on November 19, 2024. The registered agent is a Myrtle Beach businesswoman who has been described to this media outlet as a close friend of the embattled pastor.
The address on this filing is listed as 3001 North Kings Highway Suite D #112 – the same mailbox rental provider which is hosting Mercy Church Ministries.
Mica Miller’s suspected suicide was first reported by FITSNews on May 2, 2024. From there, the story exploded onto the national stage. Mica died less than 48 hours after serving her husband with divorce papers, and subsequent court filings detailed allegations of abuse and harassment against Miller from multiple individuals – including his first wife. Recently released 911 calls and police dispatch logs have provided additional details related to these allegations.
Count on FITSNews to keep our audience apprised of the latest developments related to this case as it continues to expand on multiple fronts.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
JP Miller, the “dollar store” version of Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble. Not as much talent, just as much controversy…