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A Faith Worth Sharing: A lifetime of conversations about Christ
In these warm reflections on his own growth as a witness to the faith, written in the final weeks of his life, "Jack" Miller tells how he learned to share Good News with others—and how you can too.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 8, 2020
This book is SO good! I was moved and encouraged by Miller's openness. His successes, his failures, all are laid bare as he shares his evangelism experiences. Read this and be encouraged and prodded to share your faith.
February 1, 2010
A Faith Worth Sharing
There are few books that I would recommend that all Christians should read and Dr. Jack Miller’s book, A Faith Worth Sharing, is one of the few. From the beginning to end, Dr. Miller shares his life in relation to God and evangelism in a very transparent and refreshing way. It is very encouraging and each chapter has a life application point that we could all learn from.
Chapter One, Sharing A New Faith
The first chapter was a refreshing and convicting walk with Dr. Miller as he shared his first experiences as a Christian wanting to share his faith. I appreciated his reflection upon the events and how he looks back in hindsight, not judging himself, but admitting he would do things differently based on what he has learned. From this chapter I learned that it is okay to make mistakes and that the best way to love someone and share Christ with them is to build a relationship. When Dr. Miller says, “I, the intellectual student, had to learn to go where people really were”1 it is almost as though he is speaking directly to me, as I often want to talk intellectually or “seminarily” to people. I need to love people at the place they are and in the way they need to be loved.
Chapter Two, Faith Up Close
The main life application principle I took from the second chapter was summed up by Dr. Miller in the second to last paragraph, “There at the boarding house, the men could see that I had the same sins and needs as they did and that my God helped me. The Holy Spirit did the rest.”2 I often get wrapped up in trying to have the right “Christian” image, or saying the right things, but it’s encouraging to here from a man I greatly respect that he is a normal guy that needs Jesus. As I think about this in my own life I realize I need to be more transparent with people and forget trying to put on a “Christian” image.
Chapter Three, Faith and Two Kinds of Truth
I realized in this chapter that Dr. Miller has something that many Christians do not, intentionality in sharing his joy in Christ. He freely admits that he messes up and doesn’t know what he’s doing. “But what we learn from my story is that God is pleased to use imperfect people like me.”3 But he is intentional in talking to people about what is most important to him. I need to do this in my life. I need to be more intentional with talking to others about Christ and not worried about screwing it up.
Chapter Four, Sharing My Faith With The “Virtuous”
As a self-diagnosed pharisee this chapter hit my heart hard. Many of the sins that Dr. Miller shared as being “virtuous” are sins that I struggle with. “The ‘virtuous’ are often irritable and impatient perfectionists; control freaks who judge harshly and hastily, blaming and accusing others when things go wrong.”4 This was a very humbling but also relieving chapter. I am relieved that both these sins are fully forgiven by God and He can use my struggles so that I can share His grace with others who struggle with similar sins. This also has given me great insight on how to reach those who, like me, consider themselves, “virtuous.”
Chapter Five, Facing The Skeptics
This chapter encouraged me to be bold. I often shy away from the intellectual type, especially in expressing my faith, because I know they are smarter than me. However, I neglect to give the Holy Spirit an opportunity to work through me, like he did with Dr. Miller and his professor. I was also encouraged by his encounter with his co-worker who had been reading the Bible. I thought to myself, “how many people in my life have I had contact with that could have been reading the Bible on their own and I missed an opportunity to share about the great wonders of Christ!” I am thankful for God's sovereignty over my neglect, but I want to be a light, and need to be willing to be bold. At the same time, I really appreciated that when Dr. Miller was asked about his faith, he wrote, "I told him a little about myself, but not much." This example encouraged me to listen more and talk less.
Chapter Six, Faith Looks For Prepared Hearts
This is a humbling chapter because, in my world, I often try to "get things done," versus being in relationship with people like Dr. Miller is doing with Doris in the beginning of the chapter. He makes himself available, which I need to make a priority and then put it in action. (Even in that analysis, I have come up with a "how I am going to do relationships" action step). I also am thankful for Dr. Miller's willingness to make many mistakes, share them, and reflect. It gives me hope as I do not what I am doing.
Chapter Seven, Living Water For The Thirsty
I was greatly encouraged by Dr. Miller’s honestly about discouragement in his life, but also the joy that came from John 7 and the “streams of living water.” This chapter reminded me of the importance of knowing the gospel in my heart and seeing the deep sin issues below and praying and trusting in God and His promises. It also encouraged me to run to the streams of living water, and to know that it will fully satisfy.
Chapter Eight, A Faith For Fathers, Sons, and Orphans
I think if others were completely honest with me, they would say that I also need to listen better, like Rose Marie told Dr. Miller.5 My heart is selfish and prideful, and I often think I am above others. This chapter reminded me I need Jesus just as much as the next guy. In fact it reminded me of Luke 18:15, and my long winded prayers, and the true prayer of a sinner. It continues to encourage me to see that God uses men like Dr. Miller in their brokenness time and time again. It encourages me that God can use broken men, because I am a broken guy.
Chapter Nine, Faith Learns To Love Strangers
To continue on the broken theme, Dr. Miller has some powerful stories about sharing his brokenness with people. I don’t know why I think that boasting in works will impress people, but I often do. The thing I am learning about Christianity this semester is that it’s upside down from what the world thinks. Dr. Miller is talking about the heart not the outside. Everybody has problems inside, and when we open up about ours, then God uses that to show how great He is, not how great we are. When people can see that Dr. Miller is a man in deep need of a Savior, and see that there is a Savior, they want to know who He is. This is a valuable lesson. It’s backwards logic, it’s being a Christian.
Chapter Ten, Epilogue By Rose Marie
Even as Dr. Miller is dying, he is seeking to share Christ with others. When I am about to die, I hope to encourage others and to be strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter really shows the impact one can have as they are up against pain and suffering. While Dr. Miller has influenced many throughout his life, it does seem that God uses his illnesses and death to do great things. I was also very encouraged with the story of the man in comatose who came to know Christ. I realize that like Paul says to Timothy, one must be ready “in season and out of season.”
As you can see I learned a lot from reading this book. I am very thankful that Dr. Miller took the time to write this and that his wife finished it and published it. Dr. Miller is not a perfect man, in fact he is very open about his failings. Yet God uses him to do great things and this gives me encouragement that God can also use a guy like myself to proclaim His glory. This is an excellent book and I am already thinking of people that I want to recommend reading it.
There are few books that I would recommend that all Christians should read and Dr. Jack Miller’s book, A Faith Worth Sharing, is one of the few. From the beginning to end, Dr. Miller shares his life in relation to God and evangelism in a very transparent and refreshing way. It is very encouraging and each chapter has a life application point that we could all learn from.
Chapter One, Sharing A New Faith
The first chapter was a refreshing and convicting walk with Dr. Miller as he shared his first experiences as a Christian wanting to share his faith. I appreciated his reflection upon the events and how he looks back in hindsight, not judging himself, but admitting he would do things differently based on what he has learned. From this chapter I learned that it is okay to make mistakes and that the best way to love someone and share Christ with them is to build a relationship. When Dr. Miller says, “I, the intellectual student, had to learn to go where people really were”1 it is almost as though he is speaking directly to me, as I often want to talk intellectually or “seminarily” to people. I need to love people at the place they are and in the way they need to be loved.
Chapter Two, Faith Up Close
The main life application principle I took from the second chapter was summed up by Dr. Miller in the second to last paragraph, “There at the boarding house, the men could see that I had the same sins and needs as they did and that my God helped me. The Holy Spirit did the rest.”2 I often get wrapped up in trying to have the right “Christian” image, or saying the right things, but it’s encouraging to here from a man I greatly respect that he is a normal guy that needs Jesus. As I think about this in my own life I realize I need to be more transparent with people and forget trying to put on a “Christian” image.
Chapter Three, Faith and Two Kinds of Truth
I realized in this chapter that Dr. Miller has something that many Christians do not, intentionality in sharing his joy in Christ. He freely admits that he messes up and doesn’t know what he’s doing. “But what we learn from my story is that God is pleased to use imperfect people like me.”3 But he is intentional in talking to people about what is most important to him. I need to do this in my life. I need to be more intentional with talking to others about Christ and not worried about screwing it up.
Chapter Four, Sharing My Faith With The “Virtuous”
As a self-diagnosed pharisee this chapter hit my heart hard. Many of the sins that Dr. Miller shared as being “virtuous” are sins that I struggle with. “The ‘virtuous’ are often irritable and impatient perfectionists; control freaks who judge harshly and hastily, blaming and accusing others when things go wrong.”4 This was a very humbling but also relieving chapter. I am relieved that both these sins are fully forgiven by God and He can use my struggles so that I can share His grace with others who struggle with similar sins. This also has given me great insight on how to reach those who, like me, consider themselves, “virtuous.”
Chapter Five, Facing The Skeptics
This chapter encouraged me to be bold. I often shy away from the intellectual type, especially in expressing my faith, because I know they are smarter than me. However, I neglect to give the Holy Spirit an opportunity to work through me, like he did with Dr. Miller and his professor. I was also encouraged by his encounter with his co-worker who had been reading the Bible. I thought to myself, “how many people in my life have I had contact with that could have been reading the Bible on their own and I missed an opportunity to share about the great wonders of Christ!” I am thankful for God's sovereignty over my neglect, but I want to be a light, and need to be willing to be bold. At the same time, I really appreciated that when Dr. Miller was asked about his faith, he wrote, "I told him a little about myself, but not much." This example encouraged me to listen more and talk less.
Chapter Six, Faith Looks For Prepared Hearts
This is a humbling chapter because, in my world, I often try to "get things done," versus being in relationship with people like Dr. Miller is doing with Doris in the beginning of the chapter. He makes himself available, which I need to make a priority and then put it in action. (Even in that analysis, I have come up with a "how I am going to do relationships" action step). I also am thankful for Dr. Miller's willingness to make many mistakes, share them, and reflect. It gives me hope as I do not what I am doing.
Chapter Seven, Living Water For The Thirsty
I was greatly encouraged by Dr. Miller’s honestly about discouragement in his life, but also the joy that came from John 7 and the “streams of living water.” This chapter reminded me of the importance of knowing the gospel in my heart and seeing the deep sin issues below and praying and trusting in God and His promises. It also encouraged me to run to the streams of living water, and to know that it will fully satisfy.
Chapter Eight, A Faith For Fathers, Sons, and Orphans
I think if others were completely honest with me, they would say that I also need to listen better, like Rose Marie told Dr. Miller.5 My heart is selfish and prideful, and I often think I am above others. This chapter reminded me I need Jesus just as much as the next guy. In fact it reminded me of Luke 18:15, and my long winded prayers, and the true prayer of a sinner. It continues to encourage me to see that God uses men like Dr. Miller in their brokenness time and time again. It encourages me that God can use broken men, because I am a broken guy.
Chapter Nine, Faith Learns To Love Strangers
To continue on the broken theme, Dr. Miller has some powerful stories about sharing his brokenness with people. I don’t know why I think that boasting in works will impress people, but I often do. The thing I am learning about Christianity this semester is that it’s upside down from what the world thinks. Dr. Miller is talking about the heart not the outside. Everybody has problems inside, and when we open up about ours, then God uses that to show how great He is, not how great we are. When people can see that Dr. Miller is a man in deep need of a Savior, and see that there is a Savior, they want to know who He is. This is a valuable lesson. It’s backwards logic, it’s being a Christian.
Chapter Ten, Epilogue By Rose Marie
Even as Dr. Miller is dying, he is seeking to share Christ with others. When I am about to die, I hope to encourage others and to be strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter really shows the impact one can have as they are up against pain and suffering. While Dr. Miller has influenced many throughout his life, it does seem that God uses his illnesses and death to do great things. I was also very encouraged with the story of the man in comatose who came to know Christ. I realize that like Paul says to Timothy, one must be ready “in season and out of season.”
As you can see I learned a lot from reading this book. I am very thankful that Dr. Miller took the time to write this and that his wife finished it and published it. Dr. Miller is not a perfect man, in fact he is very open about his failings. Yet God uses him to do great things and this gives me encouragement that God can also use a guy like myself to proclaim His glory. This is an excellent book and I am already thinking of people that I want to recommend reading it.
August 25, 2017
This book is a collection of stories of how Jack Miller spread the Gospel with people in his everyday life. Jack's dependency and love of Jesus is clearly seen in the way he describes his faults and life-learned lessons, along with how sharing the message of the Gospel transforms those he interacts with. This book is very humbling and gives wonderful advice and encouragement with how to share the love of Jesus with everyone you meet. I highly, highly recommend.
March 20, 2021
A wonderful walk through Jack Miller’s life as his love for Christ overflows in natural conversation and witness. Jack wrote transparently about his failures and flaws, providing encouragement to those like me who struggle with sharing the Gospel naturally. An engaging read that is hard to put down.
September 6, 2018
Imagine a grandfather telling stories of how he shared Jesus with people throughout his life, offering wisdom, and mentoring you along the way. That's what this book is like. I love Jack Miller. And I love this book.
December 31, 2019
Powerful book from a truly remarkable pastor
Jack's book encouraged me greatly, convincing me to remember that my weaknesses are integral to my witness as a Christian. I had never thought of that before.
Jack's book encouraged me greatly, convincing me to remember that my weaknesses are integral to my witness as a Christian. I had never thought of that before.
December 22, 2022
This is a helpful book on how to share your faith. Written from personal experience, Miller shares his mistakes and the lessons he learnt in sharing his faith.
The story recounts lots of personal encounters with people.
The story recounts lots of personal encounters with people.
October 14, 2019
Inspiring stories of evangelism.
March 11, 2021
Another excellent book by Jack Miller. (Why do the best Christian books seem to be relatively unknown?) This one is written from his deathbed, looking back on a life of talking with people about Christ. Over time he continually grows in his ability to engage others, learning lesson after lesson about sharing his faith. Definitely inspiring.
January 6, 2022
Really encouraging read about someone learning to share their faith. Filled with failures, mistakes, and ministry mishaps, John Miller is honest in his short-comings. This was a quick read and incredibly pragmatic. Good memoir style introduction to real life evangelism.
June 1, 2008
Anyone aspiring to grow as an evangelist would do well to listen to a great one at the end of his life, as he recounts many significant gospel conversations. In A Faith Worth Sharing, this is what you’ll get to do while John Miller presents to us the last gift of his life, having fallen asleep in the Lord during the writing of the tenth chapter.
You’ll learn from his early attempts at sharing the gospel as a young Christian. How he learns the power of God who overrules the mistakes of imperfect witnesses and blesses the witness of a loving community of believers. How he learns to make use of his weaknesses as a point of effective contact both with his self-righteous family and with strangers. How he learns, through the rigors of fighting the good fight of faith in the academy, that God is sovereign over who does and who does not come to faith. How he learns to love more deeply the sovereign God who prepares people, sometimes for years prior to time of sharing, finally to speak and to hear the gospel truth at their own level.
You’ll also get a glimpse inside the heart of a ‘successful pastor and seminary professor’ who comes to a crisis in his faith, having failed as an agent of change.
In his pride and unbelief, he feared man’s rejection and doubted God’s willingness and power to change people. Then we see God restore, and empower him who humbly cries out for the promised living water of Christ. This humility, which was so necessary when sharing with strangers and in his parent’s house and in the academy, was just as necessary some time later when he had to call his estranged daughter home.
This encouraging and very quick read are rounded out by an account of his final days, a look at the gospel tract he wrote, and a brief bio of the two major works of his life: New Life Presbyterian Churches, and World Harvest Mission.
You’ll learn from his early attempts at sharing the gospel as a young Christian. How he learns the power of God who overrules the mistakes of imperfect witnesses and blesses the witness of a loving community of believers. How he learns to make use of his weaknesses as a point of effective contact both with his self-righteous family and with strangers. How he learns, through the rigors of fighting the good fight of faith in the academy, that God is sovereign over who does and who does not come to faith. How he learns to love more deeply the sovereign God who prepares people, sometimes for years prior to time of sharing, finally to speak and to hear the gospel truth at their own level.
You’ll also get a glimpse inside the heart of a ‘successful pastor and seminary professor’ who comes to a crisis in his faith, having failed as an agent of change.
In his pride and unbelief, he feared man’s rejection and doubted God’s willingness and power to change people. Then we see God restore, and empower him who humbly cries out for the promised living water of Christ. This humility, which was so necessary when sharing with strangers and in his parent’s house and in the academy, was just as necessary some time later when he had to call his estranged daughter home.
This encouraging and very quick read are rounded out by an account of his final days, a look at the gospel tract he wrote, and a brief bio of the two major works of his life: New Life Presbyterian Churches, and World Harvest Mission.
June 29, 2009
I saw this book advertised on a blog I follow and picked it up from Amazon a few months ago. It is a short and simple read. If I had to choose one word to describe this book I would say refreshing. This book is an account of the author's past experiences of sharing his faith with people over his lifetime. Some of the stories are quite amazing but many are just ordinary. I hoped to glean ideas on how to share my faith and encouragement to do so from the book and although the book did provide this to a certain degree what hit me more about this book was the author's commentary on his own spiritual condition throughout different phases of his Christian journey. Miller is quite honest about himself and his failings and it is amazing to see what God taught him and what wisdom he offered from what he learned throughout his life. Every chapter held a few lines of refreshing insight from the author that was timely for me. This is a great, short read that would be good to pass on to any Christian- especially those who don't read too much.
December 7, 2010
Chapter 1 covers sharing Christ to friends. In chapter 2, Miller writes, “But make sure that you are understanding and loving the gospel more each day yourself or you will not be able to love and understand the friends at your “breakfast table” (34). Chapter 3 is summed up with this quote from the book, “Many Christians fail to share their faith because they are trying to do it perfectly, and since they cannot do it perfectly, they remain silent” (44). In chapter 4, Miller talks about sharing with the virtuous. In chapter 5, skeptics. Chapter 6 is sharing the gospel through conversation. In the 7th chapter, Miller describes some of his experiences while pastoring a small community church. In the 8th chapter, Miller confesses that he was a successful pastor and church-planter, but there were relationships within his family that were not going so well. Miller speaks about loving strangers in Chapter 9 of his book. Miller’s wife, Rose Marie, wrote the final chapter about the end of Jack’s life.
January 1, 2009
Here in this book you'll read some of the happenings from some of the evangelistic relationships that Jack Miller formed with various people over his life. It is surely a testimony to faith in Jesus, to learning how one man dealt with himself, his sin, his family, ministry, and disease. He impressed upon me the value of meeting people where they are at rather than a one size fits all evangelism. I don't find a lot of Christian authors that I've read today expressing their weaknesses and need for grace the way Jack does, Jack touched many lives not because he was great but because he believed God was great and if he submitted to Him as much as he could he would reap the rewards of a grace driven life. 152 pages makes it a read that should hardly be missed for lack of time.
February 2, 2015
Jack Miller was an atheist who converted to Christianity. Later in life he helped to start World Harvest Missions (Serge). He was in his last weeks of life battling cancer when he was asked by his family to put together a short book of stories on how he shared his faith. He was bold and yet very winsome in sharing his passion and devotion to Jesus. He took opportunities whether a stranger beside him on the plane or coworker to share with people in every walk of life. His passion for the lost is seen so much in his prayer life. His insight and care for others was really challenging to my own faith.
August 20, 2019
This is one of the best books on evangelism that I have ever read. If you want to be inspired, challenged, and encouraged in evangelism, this book will do that for you. As a collection of stories, it flows and is a smooth and extremely enjoyable read. Despite being stories, it also has some great principles and theology pertaining to evangelism. It's also interesting to learn more about the founding of World Harvest Mission (now SERGE). It is definitely a worthwhile read.
December 15, 2008
What a jewel of a book! The recollections of a pastor on how he has shared his faith with others over the years. His journey from an athiest to believer to father and pastor. Touched my heart greatly!
March 30, 2016
A short book, yet very profound. To hear of this man's love for Jesus and his enthusiasm for evangelism pierced me to my depths. I cannot recommend this more, and I cannot wait to get this little book in the hands of our leaders at my church.
November 3, 2012
An outstanding demonstration of the power of humility and a willing heart.
November 16, 2013
An awesome book to make our heart burnt.
June 17, 2016
An interesting format for a book on evangelism. Miller shares stories from his life chronologically to illustrate various principles about sharing the gospel with unbelievers.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews