The Apostle Paul told the Roman believers that God works all things together for good. Two thousand years later, Apostle Eric Miller stood firmly on those words – even in the face of murder.

Miller and his wife, Johniene, witnessed religion at its worst when their pastor committed cold-blooded murder in 1998, killing his secretary, going to jail, and leaving the local church without its shepherd.

The heartbreaking event left this apostle-prophetess duo discouraged, frustrated and with some serious questions about the Body of Christ. As they sought answers, God opened their eyes to the Apostolic Reformation and the couple began transitioning into the apostolic structure.

“We saw what religion was doing in the Body of Christ and were starving for more of God,” Johniene says. “We were frustrated with the process of moving ahead in a religious system because we knew we just didn’t fit in. Today, because of the apostolic transition, we know that the one-man-only model isn’t right.”

God commissioned the Millers to launch Mercy and Truth Ministries in the same building where tragedy struck to help bring healing to the emotionally wounded sheep. The Miller’s territory is Newport News, Va., a region where the James River meets the Chesapeake Bay. More than 115 churches and synagogues of diverse denominations have settled there.

As the Millers were faithful to lay aside what they thought they knew about the Word of God, the Lord continued to renew their minds with truths they had not considered for today’s times. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit illuminated Scriptures from the Book of Acts that were like missing pieces in a church-sized puzzle.

“Acts Chapter 13 talks about how there were prophets and teachers in the church and as they ministered to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost spoke,” Johniene says. “That’s what we needed and that’s what we did. The results were monumental.”

From this revelation the Millers launched into a new local church paradigm that includes every believer in the work of the ministry according to Ephesians 4:11. They began to discern the graces on the lives of their flock and set out to equip them with truths that would help them understand their roles in the Body of Christ.

During this transition the Millers took their church leadership to an apostolic conference to receive an impartation. The elders gathered each evening after the services to discuss what the Lord was showing them about the new move of God. The group left on one accord and returned to Newport News with a fresh mandate from God to raise up leaders with character and integrity who can preach the Gospel without compromise.

“Equipping the believer and building teams to get outside the four walls of the local church is a critical aspect of the apostolic,” Eric says. “We had to teach people how each team fit into the vision of the ministry as a whole. We found out that they liked us doing the work of the ministry but were uncomfortable doing it on their own.”

The Millers admit that the initial resistance tempted them to maintain the status quo, “don’t-rock-the-boat-because-it-is-not-worth-it” mindset. But having witnessed the destructive forces of religion, the duo pressed into the apostolic transitioning process and God was with them. They pulled on the teaching grace to usher people out of familiar territory and onto higher ground.

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The Millers forged ahead, building an evangelistic team to send out onto the streets of Newport News with the Gospel. Once the lost souls started coming into the Kingdom, the duo quickly organized a transportation team and a hospitality team to bring the new believers to church and make them feel welcomed.
Johniene says while the church members were willing to serve, some of them were frustrated that they weren’t called into five-fold ministry. But she and her husband came against that with biblical teaching on the authority and sphere of influence of every believer. That’s when the congregation grabbed hold and began to pursue the apostolic even more.

The Millers still remember how excited the people were when they got the revelation that their priesthood was restored; that with the believer’s anointing they could cast out devils and lay hands on the sick and see them recover. That took the focus off titles and put the focus on doing the work of the ministry.

“It’s all about God and establishing His Kingdom,” Eric says. “The apostolic grace gives the people a place to jump off into their authority. It also answers the common question, ‘Why was I created?’. And it makes life so much more fulfilling when people realize that they have been created by God to go out into the marketplace with His Word.”

The apostolic grace has also released more creativity in the congregation, with prophetic songs, writings, poems, dance and business ideas. One member opened a driving school and another started a profitable crafts business from her home. At Mercy and Truth Ministries, believers are finding their niche in the marketplace and the church is growing.

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The Millers advice to others crossing over to the apostolic? Don’t get stuck on speed. It’s not about church growth, it’s about people growth and it’s a marathon. “Rebuke fear and go for it because the transition is worth it,” Johniene says. “Don’t worry about what other people are going to think about you. Forget all of that and just run.” Her husband Eric agrees, “Just do what Abraham did and go with God. Even if it means leaving everything behind you, go with God and give it some time to work.”

The Millers started crossing over four years ago in the wake of tragedy, but they have triumphed and proved that Romans 8:28 is true. Their ministry has turned heartbreak into an opportunity to bring life to thousands of lost souls by equipping believers to go out into the harvest fields with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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