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Atlanta Father Protests 2819 Church Over Pastor’s ‘Obedient to Authority’ Sermon
Jimmy Hill, whose son was killed by Atlanta police in 2019, protested outside 2819 Church after pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell told Black parents to teach children to be obedient to authority. Continue Reading Atlanta Father Protests 2819 Church Over Pastor’s ‘Obedient to Authority’ Sermon
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Editor’s note (Oct. 18, 2026): An earlier version of this article reported that two anonymous women had accused 2819 Church of idolatry and financial mismanagement, and that the church had promised an audit. URBT News could not confirm those claims and has rewritten this article based on verified reporting.
A sermon at 2819 Church, one of Atlanta’s fastest-growing congregations, set off a debate over faith, policing and the Black church after founder and lead pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell told Black parents to teach their children to submit to authority rather than fight police.
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What the Pastor Said
In an April 13, 2025 sermon, Mitchell said, “Instead, teach your Black children to be obedient towards authority.” Clips of the sermon spread widely online, and critics said the message appeared to excuse police brutality.
About a week after the comments went viral, Mitchell apologized on Instagram. He said he had not intended harm, that his words had been taken out of the context of submission to God’s will, and that he recognized he had caused harm.
A Father Protests on Mother’s Day
On Mother’s Day, Jimmy Hill stood alone outside 2819 Church in southwest Atlanta in protest. Hill’s 21-year-old son, Jimmy Atchison, was shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer in 2019. Hill said he was hurt and confused by the pastor’s comments, and that the apology was not enough. He wants a meeting with Mitchell and with families who have lost loved ones to police violence.
Hill said he protested in part to honor mothers who have lost children to police violence, including Jimmy’s mother, Cynthia Atchison, who protested alongside him until her death in 2022. Representatives of 2819 Church did not respond to Capital B Atlanta’s requests for comment.
Why It Matters
The controversy touches a long-running tension between parts of the Black church and the movement for police accountability. For families like Hill’s, a message of obedience from the pulpit lands differently than it might in other congregations. For the church’s many young members, it raised questions about how faith leaders speak to the realities of policing in Black communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What did the 2819 Church pastor say?
A: In an April 2025 sermon, Philip Anthony Mitchell urged Black parents to teach their children to be obedient toward authority rather than fight police.
Q: Did the pastor apologize?
A: Yes. About a week later he apologized on Instagram, saying his words were taken out of context and that he recognized he had caused harm.
Q: Who protested the church?
A: Jimmy Hill, whose son Jimmy Atchison was killed by an Atlanta police officer in 2019, protested outside the church on Mother’s Day.
Source: Capital B Atlanta: Atlanta father protests Philip Anthony Mitchell, 2819 Church
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