Rocket Science and Redemption: Dr. Joe Miller

In a quiet town just outside Dayton, Ohio — where the history of aviation runs deep — Dr. Joe Miller’s journey took flight with a love for airplanes and a desire to serve God. As a high school student, deeply moved by the courage of missionary aviators and the powerful message of Elisabeth Elliot’s Through Gates of Splendor, Joe began to ask a bold, life-shaping question: How can I use engineering to glorify Christ and serve the world?

That question became his compass, and God used it to guide him to Cedarville University — first as a student, then, years later, as a professor.

After nearly two decades in aerospace — collaborating with the U.S. Air Force on advanced innovations and leading elite engineering teams — Joe had no plans to leave the field he loved. But when Cedarville called and God stirred his heart, he recognized a higher calling.

“I had no desire to leave,” he recalls. “But I was called to something bigger — training the next generation of Christ-centered engineers.”

For Dr. Miller, teaching is more than a profession — it’s a mission. He sees engineering not just as a discipline of problem-solving but as a calling to serve people, protect life, and steward creation. His classroom hums with purpose: a place where technical rigor meets Gospel clarity.

His vision is clear: to mentor engineers who are technically excellent, spiritually grounded, and passionately committed to using their gifts for God’s glory. Through collaborations with organizations like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dr. Miller helps students connect classroom theory to real-world innovation — always with Christ at the center.

“The Gospel,” Joe tells his students, “isn’t something we tack onto our careers — it’s the foundation. Everything flows from that.”

Dr. Miller isn’t just instructing engineers. On this week’s episode of the Cedarville Stories podcast, hear how he’s shaping disciples — leaders who will carry light into launchpads, boardrooms, and beyond.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/1a0ce2a2

https://youtu.be/KwporBWAamQ