Potters House
Forming a man of God
As Wayman O. Mitchell became a born-again Christian in 1953 and in 1954 he was baptized in the Holy Ghost. He has been a pastor since 1960.
Meeting a Need
In 1970 Wayman and Nelda Mitchell moved to Prescott with their young family of five children to take over a small, struggling congregation. Shortly after arriving, God saved a number of young hippies who were very different than anyone in the church. As they were welcomed, God began to pour out His Spirit on the congregation.
Harnessing a Movement of God
As Pastor Mitchell sought to reach young people they saw the possibilities of the “coffee-house” concert ministry. At the first concert they ever tried as an evangelistic tool, more than 200 young people attended, with many saved. Out of this a regular concert ministry was birthed. Two nights a week, bands played, testimonies of salvation were given, and the Gospel was preached, with many being saved each night.This developed from the amazing youth focused 'Jesus People' revival and spilled over into the little country town of Prescott, Az. The 'Jesus People' revival was a direct result of the backlash to the ruinous counterculture movement of the 1960's that promoted the youth to "Tune In, Turn On, and Drop Out".
Forming the Fundamentals to Change the World
From the beginning, Pastor Mitchell understood that the concert ministry was to be a training ground of ministry development; it was run by young people who were committed to Jesus and His church. People who had been radically converted sought to share with others what God had done in them. Personal evangelism began to be one of the basic foundations of the church. Then came impact teams: Groups of people that would travel to other nearby cities to help people experience what God was doing in the Prescott congregation. Over time, God began to reveal His plan of discipleship: Training young couples for ministry within a local church as these converts lived with purpose and were able to send couples, or go themselves into neighbouring cities and states, as well as venturing overseas and then far off places like Australia.
Fulfilling God’s Mission
In 1973 the first couple was launched directly into the ministry – and God blessed them! Churches then began to be planted throughout the Southwestern United States, and then further across America as converts prayed for the Gospel to be preached in their hometowns.
In 1978 the first couple was planted into another nation – Australia; and it was discovered that the Gospel worked there, just like it did back home. After that, churches were planted in Mexico, Holland and Germany then as we came to understand God’s global mission more and more, churches began to be planted throughout the world. To date, there are over 2500 churches in 46 US states, and 126 nations of the world.
Pastor Mitchell has effectively pastored in many different countries, such as Canada, the United States of America, as well as Perth, Western Australia where his ministry and influence demonstrate his heart to see individual lives changed, redeemed and serving God with purpose and dignity to fulfil 'The Great Commission'.
Pastor Mitchell travels the world, and regularly visits the Beechboro Church to preach at the yearly International Bible Conference. Pastor Mitchell conducts frequent healing crusades, for which he has been likened to a modern-day Smith Wigglesworth due to the many evident and astounding miracles of healing and deliverance.
God has used Pastor Mitchell, his wife Nelda, and their family, due to their willingness to follow Christ regardless of the personal cost, to share the Good News of Salvation to everyone.
What could God do with your life?
"Go into all the world and preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone..."
Mark 16:15