Talented Tuesday - B. K. Miller, Jr.

Born in 1938 to the marriage of Byron Kingston "B. K." Miller, Sr. and Mary Artie Garrison, "Little B. K." became a star athlete on the football field at Sicily Island High School.

In an article in the October 17, 1954 edition of the Monroe Morning World where Coach Raymond Peace referred to him as "Mr. Outside", the sports writer described B. K.'s athletic abilities as follows:

"Miller is a squirming twisting runner that refuses to be knocked off his feet and can find a hole or make his own.  He is also dangerous on kickoff and punt returns and is an adept pass receiver.  A junior, he'll be back to haunt opponents next fall too."

Following his high school graduation, B. K., Jr. attended Louisiana Tech in Ruston where he played on the Louisiana Tech football team.

While his athletic abilities no doubt brought pride and touched the lives of folks on the Island, it would be his future vocation that would touch many more lives...for a much greater purpose.

From an article appearing in the December 11, 1960 edition of the Monroe Morning World:

Transcription:

B. K. Miller, Jr. of Sicily Island will be ordained to full ministry by the First Baptist Church here at 2:30 p.m., December 18.

He was licensed to ministry by the Temple Baptist Church of Ruston while he was a student at Louisiana Tech.  At present he is serving as pastor of Norris Hill Baptist Church near here and also attending the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Serving as the presbytery at the ceremonies will be the Rev. Carleton Vance, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Wisner; Clarence Young, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Winnsboro; Carl DeLatte, pastor of the Pine Hill Baptist Church of Sicily Island, and James C. Houston, pastor of the church here.

Miller was active in athletics while at Louisiana Tech, and played on the football team.  He served as minister of music at a number of state churches during revival meetings.

Reverend B. K. Miller retired in 2001 after serving in the ministry for over fifty years.  He continues to serve as an interim pastor for local churches in the Ruston, Louisiana area.

He is known for beginning his sermons with funny jokes and stories and recently compiled them in a book called, "300 Church-Tested Funny Jokes and Stories."  The News Star featured a story entitled 'Holy Humor' on Rev. B. K. Miller in their Lifestyle section on May 30, 2014.