New Director of Student Ministries

After an exhaustive search, EFCA national office leadership are pleased to introduce Paul Miller as the next director of student ministries.

Paul brings a wealth of church leadership experience to this role. His background in student ministry began in the Chicago area. After graduating from Wheaton College, he led a large team of adults who invested in the spiritual growth of students. He also assisted in the development of weekly ministry opportunities for thousands of students and mentored 15 student ministry leaders through an internship program.

Paul's leadership in the local church extends well beyond student ministry. He most recently served as executive pastor at Hopevale Church in Saginaw, Michigan, a vibrant non-denominational multisite church. There, he led a team of 33 staff members and played a key role in developing a pastoral team of eight who serve the congregation of 2,000. Before Hopevale Church, Paul spent 12 years in various ministry roles in Western Michigan and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, including adult ministries lead pastor, executive pastor of ministries and multisite pastor.

Paul's connections to the EFCA are deep. He grew up attending Crystal Lake Evangelical Free Church in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and studied at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Paul and his wife, Bobbi, have been married for 30 years, and they have four adult children and one teenager still at home.

As director of student ministries, Paul will lead the ReachStudents Council—a group of dedicated student ministry leaders representing nearly every district within the EFCA—as well as direct strategic efforts to invest in student ministry leaders throughout the movement. We're deeply grateful for God's providence in bringing Paul to the EFCA national office.

“I am humbled, honored, and still a bit blown away by Jesus sending Bobbi and me to this opportunity to serve in the EFCA. This is my story coming “full circle,” as I first met Jesus and was discipled in an EFCA church as a teenager. I love the local church, and consider it a privilege to serve and lead with all of you.” — Paul Miller

Paul will begin his role with ReachStudents in January 2024 and will relocate to the Minneapolis area soon after. Join us in extending a warm welcome to Paul and his family as they enter this new season of ministry.