The Biggest THREAT to Christianity is Happening RIGHT NOW (ft. Philip Anthony Mitchell) | Live Free with Josh Howerton

September 23, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Philip Anthony Mitchell was 24 years old, sitting alone in his apartment with a shotgun on his lap and a fifth of liquor, trying to get drunk enough to pull the trigger. The woman who did his hair walked through his unlocked door, sat down next to him on the floor, grabbed his hand, and said nothing. That silent presence talked him off the ledge. Six months later, he was in the same place again, empty and suicidal. This time, his girlfriend came home from a car crash, put on gospel music, and lifted her hands in thanks. Mitchell watched her and thought: Whatever that is, I want it. He shut himself in the bathroom, yelled at God to meet him there, and felt a presence engulf the room. He knew he had passed from death to life when, later that night, he felt convicted about sin for the first time. A stranger put a Bible in his hand days later. Within six months, he felt God calling him to pastoral ministry. He ran from that call for four years before surrendering.

From the streets to the pulpit

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What you'll learn

1 (01:14) **Introduction of Philip Anthony Mitchell** - Josh Howerton welcomes Philip Anthony Mitchell, expressing deep gratitude for how God has used his ministry.
2 (03:18) **Philip Anthony Mitchell’s Backstory: From Obscurity to Discovery** - Mitchell recounts his journey from a 10-year season of faithful obscurity to being "discovered" by the internet three years ago.
3 (05:13) **From Queens to the Pulpit: The Full Redemption Story** - Mitchell shares his dramatic testimony of growing up in Queens, New York, his life of crime, and his radical conversion.
4 (11:04) **The Sovereign Encounter with the Bible and The Passion** - Mitchell describes the specific moment a stranger handed him a Bible and how the film *The Passion of the Christ* solidified his faith.
5 (14:10) **The Shift in Preaching: From Tradition to Expository Fire** - Mitchell explains how his preaching style evolved from a different theological background to the expository, line-by-line style he is known for today.
6 (19:48) **The Launch of 2819 and the Call to Preach Without Notes** - Mitchell details the supernatural confirmation to start a new ministry and the obedience required to preach without an outline.
7 (21:05) **Preaching as Life or Death: The Core Motivation** - Mitchell reveals the driving force behind his intense, urgent preaching style.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Philip Anthony Mitchell Josh Howerton

Show Notes

What does it look like to contend for your faith when culture is shifting, pressure is rising, and following Jesus may cost you something?

Pastor Josh Howerton sits down with Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell for a raw and deeply personal conversation about Philip’s journey from the streets of Queens and Rikers Island to surrendering his life to Christ and eventually becoming a pastor. Philip shares how God transformed his life, shaped his preaching, and taught him that faithfulness—not platform, influence, or recognition—is the true measure of ministry.

The conversation also turns to some of today’s most controversial issues as Josh and Philip discuss biblical authority, spiritual deception, Islam, politics, persecution, end-times theology, and why they believe Christians must contend for biblical truth. Through it all, Philip challenges believers to reject apathy and faithfully represent Christ wherever God has placed them.

In this episode:

Philip Anthony Mitchell’s powerful testimony of coming to Christ
Why faithful ministry often begins in obscurity
Why Philip preaches with such urgency
What it means to “contend for the faith”
Biblical authority in an age of spiritual confusion
Josh and Philip’s concerns about Islam, religious freedom, and cultural change
Their perspective on end-times prophecy and the return of Christ
How to remain faithful through criticism and opposition
Why your mission field is wherever God has placed you

Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.

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