RAHWAY, NJ — The Rev. Anthony Mark Miller Jr., of Philadelphia, has been elected as pastor-elect of Second Baptist Church, 378 East Milton Ave., Rahway, bringing an end to a search to replace the esteemed Rev. James W. Ealey, who retired after 55 years of service.
Miller. was elected as pastor-elect on Saturday, Sept. 21, and officially accepted the responsibility on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 11 a.m. Worship Service.
Miller is a graduate of the historic Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he studied religion and philosophy. While there, he served as a member of the distinguished Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel Assistants, NAACP and student instructor for Project Identity, a Title III funded college preparatory program for high school boys. In addition, as a student academic, Miller led workshops and lectures at Bate College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Washington and Lee University and Clark Atlanta University.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in religion in spring 2011. A decorated orator, Miller has won acclaim for many of his sermons, speeches and addresses. He placed first in the district’s oratorical competition for three years, first in the NAACP’s local ACT-SO competition and first in the notable Otis Moss Jr. Oratorical Contest at Morehouse College. He was privileged to be his high school’s first alumnus to address a graduating class during their 2013 baccalaureate service.
A concerned entrepreneur, Miller resigned his post from a prominent local organization to establish Giant Steps Leadership Academic. In Giant Steps, he envisioned an answer to the pressing problem of minority male underachievement. He and his staff created a curriculum and emphasized academic excellence as an economic imperative, that enhanced the existing talents of their students by exposing them to engaging activities related to math, science, reading and the arts. With Miller’s direction, it employed four full-time and six part-time staff members. Its students achieved a collective grade-point average of 3.65.
An active minister, Miller was licensed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in June 2003 and ordained on Sunday, Sept. 22. He has since ministered in more than 28 states to people from all walks of life. Principle to his concerns as a minister is the church’s commitment to children, seniors and the poor. He has organized soup kitchens, financial literacy summits, clothing/toy drives and college preparatory programs for the residents in his community and beyond.
In the spring of 2006, he founded the All-City High School Gospel Choir of Philadelphia. For his extensive work in church and community, Miller has been a recipient of more than 100 awards and honors. Among them are three Philadelphia City Council Citations, Philadelphia Department of Recreation’s Volunteer of the Year Awards. At the present, Miller serves as chief of Climate and Culture at Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter: A String Theory School, Philadelphia’s premier charter school for arts and sciences. Miller was a faithful and active member of the Miller Memorial Baptist Church, Philadelphia, for the past three years.