Our Ministry Team

Sharonda Miller, Founder & Executive Director of Pursuing the Father’s Heart. She has had the opportunity to serve both in the marketplace ministry and in church settings. She has served as the children’s pastor, on the worship team leading worship, intercessory prayer, in the women’s ministry, on the prayer team, and in leading small groups. Sharonda also owns & operates a childcare facility “Champions R Us Learning Academy. As it seems, one may not have anything to do with the other and what Holy Spirit is calling her to establish. However, both entities are focused on Kingdom and reaching the lost.

Her focus is to impact others both, in religious settings and in society for Him, and her daily prayer is, “Father God I fully surrender and give you my life as an offering. My desire is that you would use our life, what we walk through, our struggles, our testimonies to draw men, women, children, and families unto you and that they would long to know you and your love.” Given the opportunity and responsibility to pray over a vision, then to establish community during a time of unknown direction and disconnection has led Sharonda to launch Pursuing the Father’s Heart.

The passion and love for both Father God and people motivates her to walk in obedience, surrender, pursuing the Father with an excitement to champion individuals to push and press into God, seeing themselves through his eyes (Prov. 23:7), while he heals, brings freedom to launch them into His purpose, plan, and destiny.

Maria Manning

After attending my first encounter weekend in 2003, which drastically changed my life, I became passionate about seeing people healed from their past hurts and walking in the fullness of their salvation and freedom. Because of this new passion, I studied for a year, under pastor Randy Ballard (COG), and graduated from the School of Discovery, to be a part of the ministry/discipleship team in 2004. I taught and facilitated small groups, Children’s Church, Sunday school and helped organize and stage women’s, children’s, and youth encounter weekends, where I saw God’s power and love transform peoples’ lives.

In 2013, my family and I, led by the Holy Spirit, moved to Navarre, Florida from Cincinnati, Ohio, to fulfill the calling of God on our lives. We started attending a local church, where we served as directors of the greeter ministry, and I taught and facilitated marriage, women’s, discipleship, and Freedom small groups. For 3 1⁄2 years, I served alongside my husband in pastoring Children’s Church, where we launched a special needs ministry and organized and directed several children’s camps. I volunteered for a local hospice organization for 6 years, where I worked in the office and supported patients and families in their homes and facilities. In 2017 I graduated from the University of South Florida’s Professional Guardianship program and am an elder advocate in the Florida panhandle area, providing support to my elder clients and their families.

My passion and my mission are to see Isaiah 61 fulfilled in my life and the lives of others, as we walk in the freedom and calling God has on our lives, allowing His love, power and grace to heal the world.