Dr. Bernie Miller is the founder and Pastor of New Covenant Fellowship Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He founded the church in 1996 using census data that allowed him to tailor the multi-ethnic church to meet the needs of his community. What’s more, he is the host of two distinctly different radio programs in Chattanooga: “Power Praise,” a Black gospel program on Power94, WJTT; and “Sunday Celebration,” a contemporary Christian music program on J103.
Dr. Miller arrived in Chattanooga in 1990 by way of New York City where he worked as Vice President of artists and repertoire for SONY/Epic Records, from 1987 to 1989. On the Epic roster were over 25 artists including, The Jacksons, Michael Jackson and Luther Vandross. In addition, he wrote several songs for which he received both gold and platinum record awards with the most famous being, “I Can’t Stand the Rain.”
Dr. Miller was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, but his mother moved to Baltimore, MD, when he was 3 years old. He started his radio career in high school, at the age of 16 in Baltimore. The first station for which he worked, WEBB, was owned by the late James Brown.
Dr. Miller has received several awards for his work in communications. In 1988, he was the recipient of the “Black Achievers in Industry Award” from the Harlem Branch YMCA of Greater New York. Black Enterprise Magazine voted him one of the country's top 25 broadcasters in 1985 for his work in Chicago with Tom Joyner on WJPC, the Johnson Publishing Company's radio station. Additionally, while in Chicago he received the “Monarch Award in Communications” from the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Xi Nu Omega Chapter. In 1994, Dr. Miller was voted the most popular Morning Drive radio personality in Chattanooga. Dr. Miller hosted a nationally syndicated gospel program that was heard on the Moody Bible broadcasting network.
Dr. Miller has served on numerous boards and advisory panels. Currently, he serves as Chair of the U.S. Census Bureau’s African-American Race & Ethnicity Advisory Committee. Furthermore, Dr. Miller serves as Chairman of the Tennessee Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. In 2008, Dr. Miller requested, and received, an audience with President Obama’s transition team to request an additional $150 million dollars to fund the Census Bureau’s 2010 advertising campaign and additional dollars to hire more Partnership Specialists. Recently, his fellow REAC chairs unanimously voted Dr. Miller to be their new representative on the 2010 Census Advisory Committee.-
Congressman Lacy Clay (D-Missouri), chairman of the Census oversight committee, invited Dr. Miller to testify about Census hiring practices and recruitment in 2007.
Dr. Miller and Chairman William Lacy Clay, Jr. (D-MO)
Dr. and Mrs. Miller were invited to the White House for several key events such as the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, Black Music Month celebration, the First Lady's Summitt, the state arrival ceremony for His Excellency Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, the historic signing of the Voting Rights Act and the Medal of Freedom Ceremony honoring Civil Rights pioneer, Dr. Benjamin Hooks.
Dr. Hooks and Dr. Miller
Dr. Miller and Dr. Joseph Lowery
Dr. Miller is a graduate of Covington Theological Seminary. He was named Covington Seminary’s Alumni of the Year at their 2006 graduation ceremony where he received a Doctorate of Divinity. Dr. Miller has also received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies from St. Thomas Christian College. -
