Pastor Joey Bruce Miralo is the Senior Pastor of Amazing Church Philippines, a growing ministry with churches in Pasig, Rizal, and Cagayan. With over 35 years in ministry, Pastor Joey began his spiritual journey at the age of 17 after a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ during a near-drowning experience. That moment led him to dedicate his life fully to serving God and sharing the message of salvation.

Raised in a humble family as the youngest of nine siblings, Pastor Joey experienced significant personal transformation through his faith. His testimony has inspired many within his family and community to pursue a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Pastor Joey began pastoring at the age of 18 while studying in seminary, where he was assigned to lead an established church in a rural province. This early ministry experience helped shape his leadership, perseverance, and commitment to serving others despite challenges.

In addition to his pastoral ministry, Pastor Joey and his wife are deeply involved in outreach to vulnerable youth. Through a faith-based shelter ministry, they provide care, food, clothing, education support, and spiritual guidance to young people who have experienced abuse, neglect, homelessness, addiction, and difficult life circumstances. Their mission is to offer these youth not only practical assistance but also a loving spiritual family and renewed hope for the future.

Pastor Joey and his wife have three children. His passion is to see lives transformed by the power of God, churches planted, and communities impacted through faith, compassion, and service. He continues to devote his life to helping people encounter Jesus Christ and live with purpose and hope.

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Welcome to 12 Minute Convos with Jesus Believers.

God chose first to have a conversation with us, His creation.

Our prayer is that this listening space brings growth and transforms your life forever.

Praise God for you Pastor Joey, it's a great pleasure to connect with you.

What part of the world are you in today?

I'm in the Philippines right now.

How long have you been in ministry?

I started in the ministry when I was 17 years old and now I'm almost 53.

Wow, so what was the thing that got you to decide that you would commit to being a pastor?

It's a call because when I was in secondary school, I was a bit, you know, attending a church but not really so serious about the faith that something happened wherein I'm almost drowned.

And I was in a washing machine type of water.

And then I remember saying in my mind that, Lord Jesus, help me because I couldn't help myself anymore.

I'm almost going to die.

I couldn't control the wave.

And so when I speak the name of Jesus in my mind, because I couldn't say it in my lips, then automatically, suddenly the water just blew me up.

And then I was able to swim beside the wind and be able to be safe in that moment.

And since then, I went to our place and then go to the restroom and then cry out to the Lord and said, Lord, thank you for saving me.

And from now on, I'm going to dedicate my life to you, serving you.

And I was actually during the time I was in the fourth year high school here in the Philippines.

So I was not living right before then.

When that happened, when that incident happened, I decided to really give all my life to the Lord.

And that's the starting point of all.

Did everyone agree with you wanting to leave everything that you were doing for the ministry?

I support myself.

I'm the youngest of our nine siblings.

And I was homeless before.

And we are not related to this.

We are not well off family.

So I try to survive on my own.

Doing a lot of things just to be able to sustain and support my own studies.

So when I and also at the same time, I was a headache to my family because way back then, I'm not really a good student and a brother and a son.

So when I entered the ministry and they seen my transformation, they celebrated with that.

Tell me about the first church that you're pastoring.

What was that like?

Well, I started a church when I entered a seminary.

And in the seminary, you are obliged, you are required to handle a church.

I was 18 years old by then.

Then our director told me to pastor a church in the province.

It's like three hours to four hours away from our place or our school.

I have to travel by bus and do a lot of transfer just to be able to reach that place.

And during those times, that place is not yet developed.

So there's no electricity.

And the church that I pastored is like 12 years old church already established.

But unfortunately, there's a division that happened.

So the portion of the church who stayed in the church are still there.

And I was the one who pastored the members.

And I was 18 and they're so old already.

Some of them are, you know, grandfather and some of them are couples.

But it's not easy to pastor when you are so young and you're pastoring and old people because there's a gap already.

But then I stayed and remained faithful to the Lord.

How important has that placement been in the education you would have achieved by having to adjust as I imagine you would have had to over the years?

I'm sorry, would you please repeat the question?

Sure.

How important when you look back at that time, when you were placed in that church at a young age, and the lessons you would have learned, how important was that to this time today to know?

Well, basically, those are the foundational years of my life.

And those are learnings you have learned at your early age really prepared you for your future.

So basically, when you are about to give up, when, especially nowadays, that you are being challenged and you're facing a lot of difficulties in the ministry and family, then the training you have acquired during those formational years really help you be a man, be a disciplined, be a man of focus.

So be able for you to continue no matter what.

At what age did you get married?

Well, I got married when I was 26 years old.

And my wife, she was like 24 at that time, or 23.

And I was pastoring that time as well, when we were getting married.

Do you have children?

Yeah, I have three children.

I have my eldest, he is going to 27.

And my second is 23, or 23.

And my youngest is 17 years old, especially one, but still studying.

They are all girls.

Have you seen or experienced a miracle?

Well, basically, yes.

To be honest, I'm a full-time pastor.

I gave up my job when I started this church.

Nine years ago, I asked my wife, or I think 10 years ago, I asked my wife if I could give up my job so that I can really focus on the ministry, which at first, she has the time to do it.

But eventually, she agreed.

And then I was living by faith, no income coming from the church, because it's too young and self-supporting.

And the miracle that I could say is that my second daughter is actually studying in London, in the UK.

In Brunel.

And for you to be able to send your children or your daughter to study in that prestigious school takes a miracle.

And for me, I couldn't even comprehend how I could be able to send her to that college or university in London.

And so I think it's a miracle.

And aside from that, first of our conversation, I experienced being saved by the Lord when I was in the middle of being drowned.

If you could leave a message for future you, Pastor Jerry, listening to this conversation five years from today, what would you leave as a message?

Well, basically, no matter what happens, I want to make a difference, not just here, but hereafter.

I want, since I'm not getting younger anymore, I want a legacy not for myself.

I want a legacy for the people.

I want them to be able to encounter God, live for God, serve God.

And if God would allow me to be able to plant more courteous in my lifetime, I will do that at the end of the day.

So basically, during my last lap, I would like to dedicate everything to the service of the Lord.

Money and material things will fade, but people who are transformed by your life, by your ministry, by your influence, you are going to see them in heaven when you are already there.

So if there's one thing that I would like to live as a legacy, not a legacy of materialism, but of course, I want them to experience life in its fullness, but I want them to really encounter the Lord and live for God.

Well, that's, I think, I would like to be able to contribute.

It's been a pleasure that I treasure.

Thank you for being on What is Inspired by 12 Minute Converse.