By Kimone Thompson – Features Editor, Jamaica Observer
YOU might know that he is the founding pastor of the charismatic congregation, Fellowship Tabernacle. You might also know that the National Transformation Programme, a values-based initiative that operates out of the Office of the Prime Minister and of which he is director, was his original idea.
One thing you might not know about Rev Merrick Miller, however, is that his nickname — Al — comes from his mother’s first name — Althema. No surprise, since he is the last of six children, the wash belly, in Jamaican parlance.
Miller has always been a controversial personality, from the early 1990s when he hosted Culture Clash — a concert that had Christian and secular artistes sharing the same stage — to his arrest last week (June 2010) when he was transporting then fugitive Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke. Police have since charged Miller with harbouring a fugitive and perverting the course of justice.
Steering himself from commenting on those developments, Miller’s close friend of more than 30 years, Bishop C Peter Morgan described to the Sunday Observer from Trinidad Friday, the kind of man he has come to know his friend to be.
“He is a very passionate and committed Christian, and always a man with a cause. He is deeply committed to the Lord and to His purpose.
“He is uncompromising in representing justice among the people. He is very open, charismatic, sociable, extroverted, humorous.”
“He’s not always embraced by traditionalists in the church or in the nation, but he’s not bothered by that, it doesn’t deter him,” says Morgan, adding “I don’t always agree with him or with the way he does things, but I understand his heart.”
Miller became a pastor 23 years ago, two years after his Whole Life Ministries organisation gave birth to Fellowship Tabernacle.
Prior to that, he spent many years mentoring young people.
“He is always very active in national programmes like Youth For Christ,” says Morgan.
“In fact, when we met he was in charge of the young people at Red Hills Baptist and he had invited me to speak to them.”
Miller’s involvement with youth is evident in the organisations that he has spearheaded. Examples are Professional Development Institute, formerly Girls’ Town Jamaica, which seeks to provide skills training particularly to disadvantaged youth; and Build Jamaica Foundation.
“One thing I can say about him,” says his niece Fiona, “is that he makes me have so much respect for him as a result of his love for people and his heart for people.
“Other people who people would ostracise or shy away from, he always accepts those people. He may not necessarily agree with that person’s lifestyle but that doesn’t prevent from accepting them. He loves people and he is very compassionate and emotional.”
“If he could heal the whole wide world he would. He’s just one of those people,” she says.
“He’s never been the kind of person to do what everybody else would do.
I think he’s the kind of person a lot of people would want to be but are afraid to be because of the costs,” adds Rev Miller’s daughter Kerine.
“He’s my father, but he’s my mentor. He’s my friend. I can sit and talk and laugh with him about anything. He’s my biggest supporter.
“My friends always liked him. His personality always drew people to him,” she says.
The Rev was conferred with an honorary doctorate from the former Christian Life School of Theology, now Beacon Hill University in Georgia. He holds a masters in Theology from the same institution, and a bachelors from International Theological Seminary.