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Dean Miller joins the podcast to share how churches can move from maintenance to mission—especially in rural and challenging contexts. Drawing on his pastoral experience, Dean encourages leaders to listen deeply, build community partnerships, and rethink success in ministry.
He highlights stories of churches making a real difference by focusing on relationships, not just programs, and reminds us that innovation doesn’t require a big budget—just curiosity and courage. This episode offers practical encouragement for pastors feeling isolated, with a hopeful reminder: faithful presence matters, and God is still at work.
Dean L. Miller serves as the Team Leader for Impact Missions with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, where he has led mission efforts and disaster relief initiatives since 1999. Dean has extensive experience in ministry leadership, youth missions, and emergency response, serving in both local and international contexts.
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Interview Summary
“All disasters are local. Everything we do, we’re going to work through that local church.” — Dean Miller
When disaster strikes, it’s easy to focus on urgency, logistics, and immediate aid. But Dean Miller, Team Leader of Impact Missions with the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV), invites us to see disaster response as a sacred opportunity for local churches to become the ongoing face of Christ in their communities. In this episode of the Rural Renewal Podcast, Dean shares hard-won insights from years of mission partnerships, emphasizing that true relief work begins and ends locally.
From hurricanes and winter storms to ongoing rural poverty, Dean challenges churches to rethink their role—not as passive bystanders or overwhelmed responders, but as rooted agents of renewal in partnership with others.
Mission Begins with Relationship
“We don’t do the mission. We provide the avenue for our churches to be involved in the mission.” – Dean Miller
Dean describes BGAV’s role not as executing mission but facilitating connection. Their team builds relationships in advance of disaster, so when the time comes, they can respond in a way that honors local leadership. Rather than rushing in with assumptions, BGAV waits to be invited, ensuring the response aligns with actual needs. This approach provides sustainability, stewardship, and dignity. The organization never substitutes for the local church, but instead offers tools, training, and connection that empower local congregations to carry out the work God has called them to do.
Disaster Response in Rural Contexts
“When your whole support system is affected, you start asking, ‘Where can we go?’ And often the answer is: the church.” – Dean Miller
Rural disaster response presents unique challenges and surprising strengths. The damage may not always be visible—homes and roads are spread out, and devastation is often tucked into back roads and hollers rather than city blocks. But just because it’s less visible doesn’t mean the suffering is less real. Emotional and spiritual distress often runs deep. Rural communities are incredibly resilient, with many families prepared to weather storms on their own for several days. Yet, when those initial supplies run low and the support networks are equally impacted, the need suddenly emerges—and it’s urgent.
Dean shared that in such moments, it’s often the church that becomes the hub of help and hope. People know where the church is. Even if they haven’t attended in years, there’s a built-in trust that somebody there will care. That trusted presence can make all the difference in a time of need.
“Somebody Helped Me from That Place”
“We want people to associate that church building with, ‘Somebody helped me from there.’” – Dean Miller
When BGAV sets up feeding units or recovery teams, their first instinct is to do so in partnership with a local church. They look for church parking lots and buildings not just because they’re logistically useful, but because they are symbols. Dean wants those in crisis to remember that when help arrived, it came from the church. He’s not interested in credit for himself or for BGAV; he wants people to associate compassion and hope with their local congregation—the one that’s going to be present long after outside groups have gone.
How to Help from a Distance (Without Hurting)
“Cash is king. It’s not about money—it’s about flexibility.” – Dean Miller
When disaster strikes far away, the urge to help is strong—but Dean urges churches and individuals to think carefully before acting. Financial donations are often the most helpful because they are flexible and allow response teams to meet real, timely needs. While well-meaning people often want to donate items, such as clothing or supplies, Dean cautions against collecting anything unless a trusted organization has specifically requested it. Otherwise, these items become a burden for relief workers who have to sort, store, and possibly discard them.
He shared memorable examples, like winter coats and prom dresses being donated to the Caribbean—items clearly inappropriate for the context. The heart behind the gift may be pure, but without careful planning, the result can actually create more harm than good. Instead, Dean advises donors to trust trained organizations, contribute financially when possible, and ensure any non-cash donations are both requested and needed.
Caring for the Caregivers
“Pastors don’t always know how to ask for care—and churches don’t always know how to give it.” – Dean Miller
One of the most sobering moments in the interview came when Dean shared that over 60% of pastors affected by Hurricane Katrina left their churches within a year—and more than half of those left ministry altogether due to burnout. In rural communities especially, pastors often shoulder the emotional and logistical weight of disaster response while navigating their own personal and family crises.
Dean urges church leaders to ask for help early and often. Whether it’s requesting assistance from an organization like BGAV or simply stepping away for rest, pastors must prioritize their own spiritual and emotional health. Churches, in turn, need to give their leaders space to grieve, breathe, and recover. Dean encourages congregations to see their pastor not just as a leader, but as a human being who also needs care.
Dean Miller’s approach to disaster relief and mission reminds us that the church’s witness begins not with the arrival of outside aid—but with presence, partnership, and love rooted in place. Whether responding to hurricanes, caring for neighbors in need, or equipping volunteers, the key is always relationship. Dean leaves us with this reminder: “Eventually we leave. But the church stays. They’re the ones the community needs to see as the face of Christ.”
Reflection Questions:
- How can your church build relationships now that would support disaster response later?
- What would it mean to adopt a “local-first” philosophy in mission work?
- What are the natural strengths of your rural community that could support recovery efforts?
- How can you ensure your congregation remains a helpful—not harmful—presence in times of crisis?
- How can you evaluate your church’s readiness to respond to disaster in your local area?
- What does it look like to be “the ongoing face of Christ” in your neighborhood—before, during, and after a crisis?
