“I Have Nothing For Them To Take”: John-Paul Miller’s Father Responds To Lawsuit Judgments

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Reverend Reginald Wayne Miller – the scandal-scarred father of embattled South Carolina pastor John Paul Miller – is responding to media coverage of two default judgments entered against him in civil lawsuits alleging the sexual abuse of unnamed minors. These judgments – granted on May 28, 2025 in Horry County, S.C. – were issued after Miller failed to file a legal response to the complaints entered against him by two unnamed plaintiffs, Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2.

In a sharply worded response delivered by email to our founding editor Will Folks, Miller not only defended his silence – but questioned the legitimacy of the allegations (and claimed other news outlets had refused to run the story).

“Please print my response,” he wrote in all caps. “Other news organizations had not run this because an examination of the facts of claiming 23 years of repressed memories and now coming forth questions the situation.”

***

The civil suits named Miller, his son and various religious organizations affiliated with them – including Cathedral Baptist Church, All Nations Cathedral Church, and Solid Rock Ministries. Jane Doe 2’s suit also named Cathedral Hall Academy (a.k.a. Grand Strand Academy) – a private school Miller operated during the 1990s.

While John-Paul Miller filed answers and counterclaims against the plaintiffs, his father did not respond at all – resulting in the court entering default judgments against him and the organizations he founded.

The elder Miller insisted he had nothing to hide – but also nothing to offer:

“Concerning the judgment, I live off of a small Social Security check. I own no property except my furniture. I have no savings and my bank account never exceeds $1,500. I took a vow of poverty when I entered the ministry and I have given away everything I have over the years, and lived by faith these past ten years since I went off of salary.

My ministry owns nothing but office furniture, the College Library and a car 13 years old. We have no savings and have paid no salaries for ten years with all workers including me being volunteers. Our income is just enough to pay rent and give several hundred dollars a month to pay rent on a building for missions.

Since I had nothing for them to take and since the lawsuit is nothing but lies, I saw no reason to respond. Their first attorney dropped them after a response to these ridiculous claims that ‘I now remember 23 or 25 years ago that this or that happened’ when all of the claims are imaginary craziness.

This is a perfect example of listening to social media that would have you believe that I am a wealthy tycoon plump for the picking. I am now in my latter years getting ready to go home and I know that I have a good reputation in heaven so I am not concerned with the lies here on earth.”

– REGINALD WAYNE MILLER

***

JUDGMENT BY SILENCE…

According to court filings, Miller was served personally with summons and complaints for both lawsuits on April 10, 2025. After more than 30 days with “no answer, motion or objection” in either case, attorneys for the plaintiffs – Randall Hood and Mark Tinsley – filed motions for default judgment. Horry County Clerk of Court Renee Elvis entered the default orders on May 28 and ordered future hearings to determine damages.

The claims made by the plaintiffs are unliquidated, meaning an evidentiary hearing is necessary to determine the amount of damages. Those hearings have yet to be scheduled.

“Reginald Wayne Miller’s statement is a textbook example of how abusers and enablers deflect accountability – portraying themselves as penniless martyrs while ignoring the deep and lasting harm caused to vulnerable children (now adults) who were under their care,” Hood said. “No one is suing Mr. Miller because of his bank balance. He is being sued because of what he did – or allowed to happen – decades ago while cloaked in the authority of the church. This lawsuit is based on specific allegations, corroborated by credible evidence and consistent testimony. If Mr. Miller believes the claims are ‘imaginary craziness,’ he is welcome to testify under oath and explain that to a jury.”

“Taking a ‘vow of poverty’ is not a defense to child sexual abuse or to enabling terrible things to occur at your church under your leadership,” Hood continued. “Ignoring a lawsuit because you think the claims are inconvenient or old is not how justice works. Mr. Miller may feel his reputation is secure in heaven, but we are concerned with the truth here on earth – and with the real people who were deeply damaged by what happened under his watch.”

Miller’s failure to engage the legal process has had real consequences – but that may not translate into the recovery of damages for the victims in these cases.

In 2015, Miller pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to visa fraud and using foreign students for slave labor at Cathedral Bible College. At that time, Miller was ordered to pay restitution to the victims in the amount of $75,000 and court fees in the amount of $420. The federal government filed a lien against Miller on November 18, 2015. That lien remains unsatisfied.

Miller’s assertion of financial destitution may ultimately limit the plaintiff’s ability to recover damages. Yet default judgments serve a purpose beyond compensation. They validate a plaintiff’s claims when a defendant refuses to participate, and they can be critical in establishing a legal record – especially if future claims or criminal investigations emerge.

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.

Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.

Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”

***

WANNA SOUND OFF?

Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.