At 2819 Church, Faith Is Personal. So Is the Gratitude.

It was founded on a cool October day in Atlanta by a young street thug-turned-pastor who had embraced Christianity after a deep personal crisis. The first gathering of what he later called Victory Church ATL was so modest it fit inside a small hotel room. 

Fourteen years later, membership in the church Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell founded that day stretches worldwide; it has tens of thousands of members, and a recent worship service filled an 80,000-seat sports arena. Its congregants speak about it with the devotion of people who have found a spiritual home they never intend to leave.

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More than anything, however, the devoted faithful of what’s now known as 2819 Church — a fast-growing, youth-oriented phenomenon among Black Christian churches — attribute their devotion to the leadership of Mitchell and his wife, Lena Mitchell. 

‘We’re Produce’

To celebrate the anniversary of its founding, members have posted glowing tributes on the church’s home page. One member called Lena Mitchell a second mother; another thanked Philip Mitchell and his wife for caring about her soul beyond ministry. 

Still another reached for an unexpected metaphor, with Mitchell as spritual farmer and the 2819 Church congregation as his harvest. 

“We’re produce,” the member said. “I love that I’m produce.”

Beyond the praise, the messages to 2819 Church offer a personal accounting of its impact. Some members’ stories describe renewed devotion to Scripture while others say they have stronger family relationships. Much of the praise centers on Mitchell, his leadership and his impassioned preaching style — usually delivered in his signature black hoodie, black jeans, Nike sneakers and a black and white trucker hat. 

For one member, his church experience didn’t bring the understanding that came through Mitchell’s preaching: “I grew up in church, but I never knew how powerful the word was until I started listening to the way you preach the word.”

There is, however, a recurring theme in the excerpts: members describe feeling valued, being known and cared for beyond their participation in church activities. Their gratitude centers on relationships that reach into daily life.

Humble Beginnings

The anniversary traces the congregation’s beginnings to its earlier identity as Victory Church ATL. In a 2019 interview with VoyageATL, Mitchell — who left the street life for the ministry after a crisis brought him to the brink of suicide — recalled gathering a small group in a hotel room and spending months preparing before launching the church on Oct. 7, 2012. 

“We had no financial resources, no organizational support and certainly no experience,” he said in the interview, describing himself as an “uncertain and fearful” leader who “poured his heart out” before 12 people in the room with him. 

“But what that leader did have, and what the others in that room did grab hold of, was an audacious faith to believe that God could use a willing group of people to start a life-giving ministry in the city of Atlanta,” he said.

Set against the church’s humble beginnings, the tributes turn that history into testimony: what members say happened in their own lives because the ministry continued.

The anniversary messages highlight the difference between familiarity with church and engagement with Scripture. Members credit Mitchell with helping them fully engage with the Bible and approach their faith with renewed vigor.

One tribute praised Mitchell’s reliance on the biblical text: “I really do appreciate the fact that he just abides and leans fully into Scripture and nothing else,” the member said.

That emphasis reflects the congregation’s stated mission. 

Its name points to Matthew 28:19 and Jesus’ command to make disciples. On its website, 2819 lists biblical teaching, prayer, worship, community, and service as central values, with ongoing spiritual formation woven into its vision. 

One parent looked beyond personal growth to what the next generation of the faithful would witness: “My children will be able to see a man of God that is ferocious, that does not play about the gospel.” 

‘Thank You for Caring About My Soul’

The tribute framed Mitchell’s intensity as an example the member wanted her children to encounter — a visible commitment to faith that could shape their understanding of ministry.

Members also described Lena Mitchell’s influence, whom they addressed affectionately as “Miss Lena” and “Lady Lena.”

One member thanked her for years of wisdom and a relationship that felt maternal: “I really have always seen you as like my second mom,” the member said.

The testimony connected that guidance to everyday responsibilities, naming changes in marriage, parenting, work, and spiritual identity.

“I am a better wife. I’m a better mother. I am a better employee. I’m a better daughter of Christ because of you.”

Another member praised Lena’s example in her relationships with her husband and family. Someone else described the encouragement found simply in her presence.

“She truly brings a light wherever she goes,” the member said.

Together, those messages give Lena a distinct place in the anniversary story. Members describe someone whose wisdom, conduct and joy have shaped how they carry themselves into their own homes and relationships.

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Among the most personal tributes was a message addressed to “the dopest spiritual parents ever.”

The member thanked the Mitchells for checking in, offering wisdom and extending care to her husband.

“Thank you for caring about my soul outside of ministry,” she said.