He preaches with his whole body—crying, screaming, running around the stage, and waving his arms in the air. “For me, it’s a matter of life and death,” said Black pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell.
In his preaching style, he explains, “I think about the fact that someone in that room might hear the gospel and that it might be their last chance.”
Mitchell embodies the view among experts on fast-growing churches that it is impossible without a charismatic leader. For several years, he has been at the helm of 2819 Church, a church community that directly references the 28th chapter and 19th verse of the Gospel of Matthew: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
His life resembles the plot of a movie, going from ‘zero to am
In his youth, he sold drugs, supported abortion rights, suffered from depression, and attempted suicide. However, at a certain point, he sensed God’s calling, undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and became a highly sought-after preacher, addressing an audience of six thousand worshippers during Sunday services. He also attracts an additional ten thousand viewers through the online stream.
‘I’m still a little rough, aren’t I? I still have a bit of the gangster spirit in me,’ he says in his signature New York accent.
The service includes Christian rap and praise songs. Photo: Franz Gruber
Mi. What is it about him that attracts people so much? Several respondents interviewed by the Associated Press (AP) speak of the authenticity of his life story, which he conveys in his sermons. Others appreciate his conservative values: he believes that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, opposes abortion, and encourages young people to wait until they are married to have sex.
“It speaks biblically about sin and repentance, and how true hope is only in the gospel,” says Elijah McCord, 22. Despite the crowds, people like him feel personally welcomed: volunteers greet them as they enter, team members pray for them at the sites, and they can meet in smaller groups (called squads) outside of services.
When I prepare sermons, says Philip Anthony Mitchell, I think of individual human stories: “I think, for example, of a young woman struggling with paralyzing uncertainty and not knowing that she has a Father up there who loves her more than any man down here could ever love her.”
This is precisely the driving force behind the Christian message, which is spreading around the world in unusual forms, such as 2819 Church: God is there for every single person, regardless of what they have done, and wants to change their lives for the better.
From the Internet to the community
In these communities, young, single white men suddenly find themselves surrounded by converts from the African American and Hispanic communities, as well as young families and women who have turned to Orthodoxy for different reasons.
“It has breathed new life into the church, but it is also a challenge because you are trying to create one community out of old and new members,” says New York Orthodox clergyman Thomas Zain, who is a descendant of Syrian immigrants and was raised in the Orthodox faith from childhood.
It is no wonder that those who come to the temple expecting to enter a “sanctuary of the manosphere” in which they will develop their masculinity often leave disappointed.
A man worships a cross at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles. Photo: Franz Gruber
