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study notes
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Interview with a Pastor
Pastor Chuck Milian was kind enough to take some time to answer some questions for our readers. Chuck is the Senior Pastor at Crossroads Fellowship in Raleigh, NC, of which I am a member.
Bert: Many of our readers probably don't know who you are. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Pastor Chuck: I have been married for 15 years this June. We have 2 sons (12 & almost 10). I was born in Tampa, Florida but have lived in Raleigh, North Carolina
since I was 11 years old -- except for a 6 year period when I lived in Greenville, NC. I didn't grow up going to church regularly. We went a few times but for
most of my childhood, church was not something to which we connected. We believed that God existed and the Jesus died on the cross and rose again..but it
was mostly (at least for me) head knowledge that didn't effect my heart, decisions, and life until I received Christ 17 years ago. I graduated
from East Carolina University in 1985. I worked all the way through school in various jobs: tuxedo store, tvnews reporter intern, cafeteria worker,
bartender for almost 4 years, and art director for a printing company.
When I got out of college, I developed and managed shopping centers and malls for several years.
Bert: Describe your conversion experience and what led up to it.
Pastor Chuck: I had been transferred back to Raleigh from Greenville and was living
in a
nice apartment with my roommate, basically working and partying my life
away. I was pretty empty inside even though from the outside it looked
like
I had the world by the tail in that I had a good job, made plenty of
money,
lots of friends, etc....but I wanted something more. Occassionally
throughout my life I had 'gone searching'. When I was 18, I actually
picked
up the Bible and read it cover to cover over the summer because I had
heard
it was important. God used it to stir my mind but I was not in an
environment nor with people who could help/guide me towards God, so I
soon
lost interest and went back to work/partying. I heard that a new
singles
group called SOLO had started and one night on the way home from work I
pulled in to check it out..only God could have influenced me to do
that. An
old fraternity brother met me at the door...he had come to Christ but I
didn't understand any of that at the time. If he hadn't stayed with me
through the meeting, I would have left...it seemed so foreign to me.
But
when the pastor (a man named Billy Riggs, who founded Crossroads in
1988)
began to preach, I was struck at how it spoke to me and how relevant
the
Bible was. I came for several weeks because I wanted to be sure these
people
were legitimate because they seemed to have something I didn't. On
January
30, 1986, I received Christ as my Lord and Savior and never looked
back.
Bert: How long have you been a pastor at Crossroads, and
what led you there?
Pastor Chuck: I helped plant the church as a volunteer in 1988 while I was doing
'parachurch' work with Solo,Inc. planting singles groups around the
state. I
came on staff at Crossroads as Administrator and Singles Pastor on
January
1, 1991. I served in that capacity for many years, then served as
Executive
Pastor, and was called to be the Senior Pastor in June 2001.From the
beginning, it was something God really seemed to orchestrate for me and
the
church and I am most grateful!
Bert: Before you became a Christian, what was your
opinion of those in ministry? How has that opinion
changed?
Pastor Chuck: I didn't think much about it. The only people I had ever 'noticed' were
the
'bad examples' who were ripping people off and getting into trouble but
'using God's name' to get what they wanted. I didn't have much respect
for
the ministry. I thought most Church people were hypocrites...I called
myself
a Christian because my family told me I was so I just figured there
were
Christians who went to church (and seemed phony, weak, or rigid) and
those
who didn't (like myself: lost but didn't know it). Obviously, being in
ministry now I see things differently; however, I always try to
remember how
people outside the church think, and what they need to see/hear to get
past
the misperceptions about people which the enemy uses to blind them
about
Jesus.
Bert: What's your favorite part about being a pastor?
Pastor Chuck: I get the most joy out of seeing people 'connect the dots and get it'!
Either in receiving Christ or in growing spiritually in some aspect of
their
lives. I love to see/help people move forward in life and get excited
about
their relationship with Jesus Christ, especially when they really apply
it
to their lives and it positively effects their decisions,
relationships,
etc.
Bert: Who would you say has been the most influential person in your life and why?
Pastor Chuck: I can't list just one. My parents did a lot of good in my life that God
has
used to help me as a pastor. A man named Mark Pitney (he trained me in
the
shopping center business) taught me a lot about humility, hard work,
how to
treat others in business, etc. Billy Riggs who led me to Christ and
helped
me learn how to lead others in ministry. Several of the other pastors
on
staff as well as many of the elders have helped me grow in so many
ways. My
wife has had a big impact on me in learning how to be gentle, more
relational, etc. God used my 2 sons to help me learn to stay balanced
in
life and to rediscover the joys of seeing things through a 'childs
eyes'.
Many great writers influenced me because I love to read and learn well
that
way: C.S. Lewis, D.L. Moody, Andrew Murray, George Mueller, Hudson
Taylor,
Oswald Chambers, Oswald Sanders, Miles Stanford, Neil Anderson, A.W.
Tozer,
J.I.Packer, Charles Spurgeon, Jesse Penn-Lewis, to name a few.
Bert: If you could recommend one book -- outside the Bible -- for Christian growth, what would it be?
Pastor Chuck: Again, I can't name just one but I will try to limit it to 5:
1. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
2. Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders
3. The Saving Life of Christ by Major W. Ian Thomas
4. Victory Over the Darkness by Neil Anderson
5. The Green Letters by Miles Stanford
Bert: What do you do for fun or What are your hobbies?
Pastor Chuck: I enjoy reading, movies, watching/playing sports, painting/drawing, and
playing games with my family/friends.
Bert: Any parting words for the readers?
Pastor Chuck: God is real, He is good, He is powerful, and He loves you. Jesus is
ready to
take your 'old life' and give you a new one as an 'exchange' at the
Cross.
If you haven't given yourself to Him and received His Spirit yet in
prayer...don't wait any longer. He truly does give life to the fullest!
That
is my story...I once was lost, but now I DO see! Praise the name of
Jesus!
We thank Pastor Chuck for his willingness to be interviewed! You can hear one of his sermons on the Crossroads Fellowship Website.
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