Philip Anthony Mitchell is the lead pastor of 2819 Church in Atlanta, GA. The church embodies the stereotypes of modern megachurches while having a large online footprint. The church has a million subscribers on YouTube while Mitchell’s Instagram has one million followers. The church also features a “merch” shop and sells a Bible Study Certificate through the 2819 Institute, which boasts that it is a 10-month program accredited through Point University.
Going into the Independence Day weekend, 2819 Church declared July 6th an “All Church Sabbath” where they would not host church for that Sunday.
The weekend of July 4th is typically one of the slower Sundays in the church calendar, along with the Sunday after Christmas. If this was a “busy” Sunday, they doubtless would be hosting church. Ironically, for a diverse church with a black pastor, the stock image for being too lazy to hold a church service features four white guys.
The disrespect for the Sabbath cannot be minimized; that a church would forsake the gathering due to a secular holiday or seasonal malaise is irreverent, yet it is a problem of both the pastorate and the laity. The lack of urgency or the prioritization of Sunday activities over worship falls on the laymen, while many churches refuse to teach the Sabbath as a requirement of God. For a church inspired by Matthew 28:19, they are failing to teach the very next verse of teaching Christ’s commandments.
The Sabbath exists as a devoted day of instruction in the LORD, where one can receive the sacraments. All too often, churches reduce themselves to social clubs or theaters, which is why they, like 2819, believe they can take a Sunday off.
One Response
It’s also interesting that they would use a picture that shows any people at all, especially ones who look like they are having a Bible study. They should have shown an empty sanctuary or a person sitting home doing nothing.