Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell delivered a sobering sermon at 2819 Church in Atlanta, urging believers to confront sin with urgency and abandon any casual attitude toward spiritual compromise. Preaching from Matthew 18:7–9, Mitchell emphasized that Jesus’ warnings about temptation are directed at His own followers — not the outside world.
Before opening the text, Mitchell told the packed sanctuary, “This message is not an easy one. I don’t want you to feel disciplined. I want you to feel awakened.”
The message didn’t stay in the room for long. The YouTube upload has already surged toward two million views, becoming one of the church’s most-watched sermons and drawing thousands of comments from people stunned by its directness. Many say they’ve never heard a pastor preach about sin with this level of urgency and clarity.
“Stop treating sin like a pet. Kill it before it kills you.”
Why Thousands Are Lining Up to Hear Him
Mitchell is preaching in a season of unexpected growth. Two years ago, fewer than 200 people attended 2819 Church. Today, more than 6,000 attend weekly gatherings, many arriving before dawn to secure a seat. A recent prayer event overflowed State Farm Arena, drawing tens of thousands.
Young adults make up a large portion of his in-person and digital audience. Many say they are hungry for Scripture taught without apology.
“I’m preaching without watering that down,” Mitchell told the Associated Press. “A generation is gravitating toward that authenticity and truth.”
Christian podcaster Megan Ashley brought a friend who had walked away from Christianity. After hearing Mitchell, the friend told her, “When he speaks, I believe him.”
Jesus’ “Double Woe” — And Why Mitchell Says It Should Shake the Church
Walking through Matthew 18 verse by verse, Mitchell highlighted Jesus’ “double woe”:
“Woe to the world for temptations to sin… but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes.”
He explained that “woe” in Scripture carries both judgment and sorrow — a declaration of consequences and a lament for the person who will face them.
“Woe is a declaration of punishment and an expression of grief for the person about to endure it,” Mitchell said.
And he reminded the congregation that Jesus was speaking to His followers.
“Let the world be blinded by sin,” Mitchell said. “But let not God’s children become agents of it.”
