Still Running the Race

Regent alum Craig Miller, Ph.D., has spent decades serving others as a pastor, counselor, and educator. Along the way, the 2004 School of Business & Leadership (SBL) graduate also overcame Stage 4 colon cancer and has completed marathons in all 50 states — and on five continents. His story is a living example of the multiplying impact of faithful investment in Christian higher education.

Before cancer tested his endurance, Craig had already committed himself to a lifetime of serving others. He believed God had called him to equip people to flourish. What he could not have imagined was that his greatest lessons in perseverance, faith, and servant leadership would come not only in the classroom but on the marathon course and in the fight for his own life.

Currently, Craig is pursuing an ambitious goal: finishing a marathon on all seven continents. This August, he’ll take another step toward that milestone by running the Sydney Marathon in Australia, while raising funds to help children battling the same disease he survived.

His remarkable journey is also a testament to the lasting impact of generous donors who invest in Regent students. By making a Christ-centered education possible, those faithful partners help prepare servant leaders whose influence reaches classrooms, communities, and lives around the world.

Continuing Education Opened the Door to More Impact

Craig enrolled at Regent while serving as a pastor in Lynchburg, Va. He had already earned a master’s degree, but believed God was leading him to continue his education and eventually become a university professor.

“The reason I chose Regent was I was pastoring a church at the time,” he recalls. “And I wanted to get a doctorate because ultimately I wanted to teach at a college,” he said. “Regent was one of the early online education opportunities that was out there.”

The online format allowed him to continue leading his congregation while pursuing a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. Craig and other students around the world gathered virtually throughout the year before spending two intensive weeks together each summer in Virginia Beach.

“It was a great two weeks of learning and camaraderie,” he remembers fondly. “It was enjoyable. It was a good experience.”

More importantly, Craig’s Regent doctorate gave him the opportunity to pursue his calling.

“It opened doors for me to be an online professor at Liberty University,” he shares.

But Craig’s greatest impact extended well beyond higher education. After serving approximately 20 years in pastoral ministry, he spent the next two decades working with at-risk youth through the City of Lynchburg. He helped young people navigate court-ordered programs and encouraged them to pursue healthier futures.

“It was a lot of fun,” he says.

A Battle Won

That commitment to serving others would later take on even greater meaning when, in 2007, Craig was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. Doctors discovered a tumor that had been growing unnoticed for years and had spread to his lymph nodes. Months of chemotherapy followed. Two years later, another suspicious scan led to a second round of treatments. Ultimately, a PET scan delivered welcome news.

“Everything’s been normal to zero since then,” he explains. “According to my oncologist, I’m basically back to square one.”

Asked what carried him through that two-year battle, Craig points to three essentials:

“You need to have great attitude, you need to be positive, and you need to just believe that the Lord can heal you. Those three things, I think, allowed me to be completely healed, and I’m still healed today.”

Remarkably, he refused to stop running while fighting cancer.

“I ran during chemo. I just got real slow,” he says with a laugh. “I didn’t want it to control me. I wanted to be in charge of my narrative. I just tried to normalize my life as much as possible.”

Those experiences have transformed every finish line into an opportunity to serve others. As he prepares for the 2026 Sydney Marathon, Craig is raising support for Endure to Cure Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Although chemotherapy treatments, age, and injuries have slowed him down, his determination remains unchanged.

“I do have the heart to run,” Craig says. “By raising funds for Endure to Cure, I can still have the joy of running, along with supporting a most worthy endeavor to help others, especially children facing the battle against cancer.”

Answering The Call to Genuine Leadership

That same servant-hearted outlook reflects one of Regent’s defining values and the belief that genuine leadership isn’t reserved for CEOs or public figures.

Recalling the influence of longtime Regent professor and former SBL Dean Dr. Bruce Winston, Craig says, “He preached over and over again about servant leadership — that it should just ring so true in everybody’s heart. The real leader is the person who, every day, gets up, does their thing, and repeats what should be done without being asked.”

That philosophy continues to shape Craig’s life and illustrates the enduring impact of faithful generosity. Every scholarship, every gift, and every investment in Regent University helps equip future servant leaders. Their influence may not make headlines, but it could change lives around the world in classrooms, boardrooms, courtrooms, and more.

This Regent graduate has spent decades leading with humility, serving faithfully, overcoming extraordinary adversity, and pointing others to the hope found in Jesus Christ.

“Donations to Regent can help students change the world,” he says, “and make it a better place.” That’s exactly what Craig has spent his life doing — one race, one student, and one act of service at a time.

You can play a powerful role in training Christian leaders like Craig. Invest in Regent students today — visit regent.edu/giving.