The Heart of a Servant Leader: Letters from Jack Miller

by C. John Miller, Al Kessel (Read by)

Overview

These letters by a seasoned, influential pastor address a variety of ministry issues, as well as physical suffering, overcoming sin, learning to forgive, spiritual warfare, etc. We learn that a leader should be the chief servant and that right attitudes come only from a heart changed by an encounter with God.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798228723498
Publisher:	christianaudio
Publication date:	12/23/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

C. John Miller taught practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, was founder and director of World Harvest Mission (now Serge), and led mission trips to Ireland, Uganda, and other countries. He was the founding pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church, outside Philadelphia, from which grew several other congregations.

Al Kessel is a full-time narrator and voice actor currently living in Arizona, where he works from his professional home recording studio. For Al, performing is passion. Audiobook narration was the logical career choice for him since, for as long as he can remember, he's been a voracious reader, acting all the characters out in his head, and often entertaining his family with his dramatic reenactments of books, movies, and television. Al prides himself on the ability to bring any character to life with his voice, a voice often described as "smooth as melted butter," or "like an old friend you just love hearing tell you about their day." He has recorded numerous audiobooks from just about every genre. When not bringing stories to life, he loves hiking in the desert with his wife and puppy, visiting Disneyland and, when time permits, reenergizing on the beach.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	9
	Introduction	11
Part 1	Motivation for Serving: The Glory of God	17
	The Glory of Christ Is the Motive for Getting the Gospel Clear	21
	The Power That Comes When God's Glory Is Our Vision	24
	Discovering Our True Motivation: God's Glory or Our Self-Interest?	26
	Surrendering Our Will Reveals God's Glory	29
	Clearing the Vision	31
Part 2	The Basics of Serving: Faith, Humility, and Prayer	35
	Matters of the Heart	35
	The Marks of True Spiritual Revival	40
	The Only Real Leader You Have Is Jesus Christ	43
	Christ Plants Churches through Prayer	46
	Most Problems Are Faith Problems	51
	Endurance Depends on a Life of Repentance and Praise	55
	An Emphasis on Grace Leads to Repentance	58
	Those Who Believe Are Given More Grace	61
	Repentance Is Just Humility	64
	Personal Humility and the Obligations of Grace	68
	Our Grace Obligation to Share the Gospel and to Love Others	78
	The Mature Leader Is a Gentle, Kind Learner	85
	The Work of the Holy Spirit and Why Hearts Resist	89
	Practical Applications	96
	Preaching with Power	99
	Leading a Small Group	103
	The Prerequisites for Mission Work	108
	The Authority of Elders	112
	Coping with Culture Shock	114
	A Leader Raises Others Up	117
	Learning to Be a Positive Person of Faith	119
	A Leader Delegates	121
	Planning for the Future	127
	Church-Planting Basics	134
	Learning to Listen	136
	Trusting the Work to Others	140
	Learning to Affirm Your Leader	142
	Love Makes Others Successful	145
Part 3	Persevering in Serving	147
	Persevering through Spiritual Warfare	147
	Self-Reliance Reveals a Demonic Faith	150
	Satan Is No Match for Jesus	152
	The Weapons of Spiritual Warfare: Humility and Prayer	154
	Persevering through Conflict	163
	The Gospel Is All about Reconciliation	167
	Dealing with Others' Sin Starts with Our Repentance	171
	Facing Unfair Criticism	174
	The Big Issue: How We Deal with the Issues	176
	Begin by Setting an Example of Faith	178
	Jesus' Methods: Gentleness and Humility	180
	Learning to Restore Gently	185
	Following Matthew 18	188
	Christ Breaks Us Down Together	192
	Self-Dependence Is Our Biggest Blind Spot	199
	We All Have Blind Spots	204
	Learning to Discern Who Will Cause Conflict	208
	Knowing the Love of Christ Brings Perseverance	212
	Jesus Is More Concerned with Our Followership Than Our Leadership	215
	Soon We Shall All Meet the Lord	220
	Avoiding Those with a History of Conflicts	221
	Persevering through Change	224
	Stay in One Place Until You've Been Humbled	226
	For Life to Go Anywhere It Must Have a Death in It	227
	How Does a Knowledge of God's Love Bring Direction?	231
	The Process of Reaching Our Goals Is as Important as the Goals	233
	Criteria for Deciding Whether to Stay or Leave a Church	236
Part 4	Encouragement	241
	Encouragement for Sinners	241
	Don't Seek Repentance or Faith as Such, Seek Christ	244
	People Who Have Been Forgiven by Jesus Forgive Others	246
	We Are not Lemons, We Are Sinners	250
	Loving the Unlovable	255
	The Central Conflict: Belief or Unbelief	259
	Fear and Egocentricity Go Together	263
	Knowing the Gospel Means We Can Face Our Sins	267
	Encouragement for Sufferers	272
	Where Do We Seek Comfort?	275
	Letting Go of the Earthly	277
	God's Appointments Sometimes Are Our Disappointments	280
	The Love of Jesus Is Unalterable	282
	Shift Your Trust from Yourself to God	284
	Trust Him All the Way	286
	Do Not Take Your Identity from Your Suffering	288
	This World Is Not Our Home	290
	God Is My Home	291
	Life for Others Comes out of Our Dying	299
	Leaning on Jesus Is the Essence of Maturity	303
Appendix	Recovering the Grand Cause	307
	Timeline of Jack Miller's Life and Ministry	318

Editorial Reviews

This is a book that will profoundly touch your life. It is wise, loving, and biblical. It reflects the heart of a man God used in such a wonderful way in so many lives, and in mine. What a gift to the church!

Steve Brown

Jack Miller’s warm and personal letters are an extension of the man himself—a spiritual father to so many. Each letter caused me to search my heart and pointed me to Jesus as Dr. Miller applied the gospel of grace to soul struggles that are common to all of us. The wisdom contained in this volume is a gift to Christians everywhere.

Susan Hunt