Why I’m Sharing Jack Miller’s Story Again (and Why I Hope You’ll Share It Too)
—By Mike Graham
I recently came across a review of Cheer Up! The Life and Ministry of Jack Miller that I hadn’t seen before. Written by Pastor Harry Metzger in 2021, it reminded me why I spent over a decade researching and writing this book—and why I still believe Jack’s story matters far beyond our smaller PCA and OPC circles.
Pastor Metzger opens with this question:
“How does a person move from abused child to school dropout, to atheist, to born-again Christian, to an effective church planter, to an unhappy seminary professor, to a fruitful seminary professor, to well-known author, and to founder of a world mission movement?”
That’s the story the book tells—not because Jack’s life was exceptional in the way we often mean that word, but because it showcases how God often works through weakness. Metzger calls it a critical biography, “warts and all.” That was intentional. This isn’t hagiography. It’s a portrait of a man who would have been the first to admit his flaws—and who understood that the Spirit works most powerfully through our weakness. That was Jack’s great advantage: when he was weak, Christ was strong.
Too often, both critics and admirers have engaged only a narrow slice of Jack’s life—one moment, one phrase, one role. But Jack’s ministry can’t be understood in fragments. He was a deeply Reformed pastor and thinker, but also a church planter and revitalizer, a missionary and seminary professor, a serious scholar and cultural critic. That combination gave him a uniquely holistic perspective on the church, the world, and the gospel’s power to renew both. His theology and practice were shaped not only by study but by decades of firsthand ministry—across pulpits, classrooms, mission fields, and hard conversations. What I discovered in writing this biography is that the whole of Jack’s life—the context, the struggles, the convictions, and the fruit—is what makes his story so compelling. Cheer Up! was my attempt to offer that fuller account, exposing the limitations of thin caricatures and inviting a deeper, more accurate engagement with his legacy and gospel vision.
So why share all this now?
For one, I’ve been struck again by how easily books disappear in the current publishing landscape. Over 2 million self-published titles are released annually, and even many traditionally published books never make it beyond a niche audience. I’m not uncomfortable promoting Cheer Up!—it’s simply part of the reality for authors today, especially those writing for smaller presses. But more importantly, I promote it because I think it’s worth promoting.
Jack’s story has something to say to the spiritually disillusioned, the burned out, the hopeful, and the struggling. It’s not a story of success in worldly terms. It’s about a man who came to see that grace really is greater than all our sin—and who never got over it.
Each chapter of Cheer Up! is named after one of Jack’s signature refrains:
- Cheer up! What has happened to all your joy?
- Cheer up! God’s grace is greater than you’ve ever dared hope.
- Cheer up! You are far worse than you think.
- Cheer up! God’s Spirit works in your weakness.
- Cheer up! Justification by faith even in the twentieth century.
- Cheer up! God’s kingdom is more wonderful than you have ever imagined.
- Cheer up! Come on, let’s die together—it’s a great way to come to life.
These aren’t throwaway slogans. They’re a theology of grace in miniature. Jack believed that if you really understood your need and really believed God’s promises, then you could look honestly at yourself and still overflow with joy.
If you’ve already read the book, maybe this will prompt you to revisit it—or to pass it along to someone who needs it. If you haven’t, I’d be honored if you picked up a copy. And if you’re in ministry, I’d especially love for you to consider how Jack’s life might encourage your own.
Also, if you’ve read Cheer Up!—or if you do in the future—I’d truly love to hear from you. Whether it’s your honest takeaways (good or bad), a reflection on how Jack or Rose Marie influenced you, or simply a moment that stood out to you in the book, I welcome the chance to engage with readers. For me, that kind of dialogue is one of the richest parts of writing.
Thanks for reading—and for helping share a story that’s ultimately not about Jack, but about the grace of God that made him the man he was.
Pastor Harry Metzger’s Review:
“Although not the best biography I have ever read, Cheer Up! gives a detailed account of the life and ministry of a man who, ‘warts and all,’ touched, influenced, and changed the lives of many people who are almost household names in the Christian church today, including Timothy Keller, Steve Brown, Bryan Chapell, Jerry Bridges, and Joni Eareckson Tada.”
