MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — For years, Sam Rickman loved going to church.

A talented musician, his bass guitar would help set the tone every Sunday for Solid Rock’s founder and pastor, John-Paul Miller and his wife, Mica. But more important to Rickman was a cherished friendship between their families that included complimentary haircuts and dog grooming.

Rickman thought he found his spiritual home — a place to forge deep connections with like-minded Christians and ample opportunity for his children to thrive.

But things slowly started to erode, and after Mica’s suicide last spring, Rickman’s bitter divorce from the man he once trusted with all his secrets began.

Documents provided exclusively to NewsNation affiliate WBTW on Monday as part of an ongoing legal dispute between Miller and Rickman offer the clearest glimpse yet into a church deeply shaken at the loss of its “First Lady,” and the public demonstrations borne out of her death.

Rickman through his attorney authorized WBTW to report on details of his counterclaim against John-Paul, who on Jan. 10 sued him for $7,500 in Myrtle Beach Magistrate Court.

Rickman “has engaged in a persistent pattern of harassment against (Miller), including screaming and demonstrating against (Miller’s) mere existence in public locations throughout Horry County,” John-Paul’s complaint says.

Rickman is among a dozen people at the center of legal action by Miller on harassment complaints, according to court records — many affiliated with the “Justice for Mica” movement that’s grown out of his wife’s death last spring.

“The ‘rallies’ are nothing more than poorly organized mobs harassing and stalking (Miller) and others,” John-Paul’s complaint alleges.

Harassment by Rickman and others “have interfered with (Miller’s) ability to earn a living, conduct church services, minister to his congregation and maintain relationships with church members and the broader religious community,” Miller’s complaint says.

A reliable source

In addition to his musicianship, Rickman is an experienced graphic designer proficient in videography and website development. Miller capitalized on that skillset by retaining Rickman for a range of jobs either for himself or his father, Reginald.

Rickman created cover art for books by both father and son, revamped a church website and worked closely with Mica to create artwork for youth groups and summer programs.

He also was hired to create “Dare2CareMissions” online look — a Solid Rock ministry that did outreach work in Kenya.

A friendship on the rocks

As personal friends, Rickman said in court filings that John-Paul and Mica would confide in him, mentioning details of a marriage headed for an early end — Mica issued divorce papers on April 25, two days before her death.

“At some point (Miller) began to talk about Mica from the pulpit in a manner that (Rickman) perceived as criticism and exposing personal aspects about Mica that were of no business to the congregation and certainly irrelevant to any sermon,” Rickman’s counterclaim says.

But that wasn’t the only betrayal, according to Rickman. John-Paul would offer personal and sensitive information about Rickman during his Sunday preaching — a practice commonly known as sharing testimony.

Rickman said he agreed, but only if John-Paul omitted certain details. Instead, his lawsuit claims, not only did Miller ignore that request but he had the sermon recorded and posted online.

“And as we all know, he liked to record his sermons. And so that was published and that caused a lot of emotional distress to my client,” Rickman’s attorney Regina Ward told WBTW on Monday.

Rickman’s counterclaim also says John-Paul took credit for his sobriety, despite him being substance free for 18 years.

WBTW reached out to John-Paul and his attorney but haven’t heard back. Officials tried to serve papers at his home on Monday.

A shocking reaction

One day after Mica’s death, Rickman and his family were in church. By that point, Rickman said he had been leaving after the pre-sermon music sessions because he’d grown uncomfortable at John-Paul’s preaching but was still in the building to hear him.

John-Paul ended his Sunday session by revealing Mica’s death “as though he was announcing a church picnic and then went into heartbreaking detail of the alleged reason she had died,” his complaint says.

On May 1, John-Paul privately addressed those at band practice, recounting details of Mica’s death while encouraging them all to remain “faithful.”

Miller “then expressed that all of the public outcry was the ‘work of the devil’ and assured them that it would ‘all blow over in two weeks,'” according to Rickman’s complaint. It was the last time the men ever spoke.

Justice for Mica and a sudden change

Rickman attended his first “Justice for Mica” rally on May 5, but couldn’t bring himself to join the group of purple-and-white T-shirt wearing demonstrators who stood outside of Solid Rock Church in Mica’s memory.

Rickman “sat in his car in a parking lot across the street from the church the entire time and never got out of his vehicle to join the march. He simply sat and observed, as well as mourned, in disbelief of what was happening and not being able to accept the passing of his church leader and friend,” his complaint states.

Rickman participated in his first “Justice for Mica” rally on June 2. Meanwhile, Rickman’s sixth grader was attending Faith First Academy — a private school that ran under the Solid Rock Ministries umbrella.

In exchange for weekly tithing and contributing to the band, Rickman’s child was granted free tuition and was set to be recognized for making the honor roll at a May 28 awards ceremony.

Just before the event, Rickman and his wife were told the school’s grading system had been reworked and as a result, the child’s honor roll status was revoked, according to Rickman’s suit.

Rickman believed Miller “caused the grading system to be manipulated at the last minute to deprive the child and to intentionally cause emotional pain,” his counterclaim says.

Legal action as a hush tactic

On Nov. 1, FBI agents spent much of the day conducting an investigation at Miller’s Coldwater Circle home.

Multiple law-enforcement vehicles gathered in the Azalea Lakes neighborhood, where authorities were seen carrying items out of the house late Friday afternoon, including boxes, a computer screen, and what looked like an external computer drive.

Rickman “believes this frivolous lawsuit is an effort to further intimidate and silence him” given his close interactions with both John-Paul and Mica over the past several years.

Ward said the next steps are a deposition and jury trial.

“My client is not going to stand by. He’s going to hold Mr. Miller accountable. He opened the door to this and he has every right to file a countersuit against him,” she said.