God in Washington, D.C.

St. Clair Mitchell directs the Church Development/ Home Missions Department of the Potomac District Council. While working with pastors across the district, Mitchell has partnered with pastors in Washington, D.C., to address the spiritual needs of the capital. He spoke recently with Scott Harrup, associate editor.

PE: How would you describe the spiritual climate in Washington?

MITCHELL: Changing for the better. Some of it may be reflective of the new administration; but the truth is, it’s more welcoming of the church and the ministries we can pursue. It’s also very needy, from one end of the socio-economic ladder to the other. Yet, this is a climate the church can thrive in. We have to have the right seed, and there is no better seed than the gospel. Over the last decade, our prayer at the Potomac District has been that Washington, D.C., would see the glory of God. God has been answering that prayer and we have seen tremendous progress made in the birth of new ministries.

PE: What daily opportunities for outreach are Assemblies of God churches discovering?

MITCHELL: When we think of outreach, we usually think in terms of the poor and needy. We’re certainly addressing that need by joining with Convoy of Hope for special outreaches and offering regular ministries like the weekly soup kitchen of Urban Outreach. Bob Mathieu is an A/G minister who is reaching out with tutoring programs for kids and an annual camp he puts together in partnership with the Potomac District. Jessie Jones and her congregation at Harvest Mission Assembly of God are involved in some hard-hit communities in southeast D.C. She has literally repossessed through prayer property once used by drug dealers. But you also have outreaches to the people in positions of power — people who have spiritual needs as pressing as anyone else’s. I think of Dick Foth and the many avenues of ministry he follows with people of influence. National Community Church meets at Union Station and is targeting staffers on Capitol Hill. They have a goal of multiplying themselves in several locations. Pastor Dave Owen and Christ Church are reaching the international embassy community.

PE: What is the most exciting dream a D.C. pastor has shared with you?

MITCHELL: Pastor Mark Batterson of National Community Church plans to have three locations established in the next three years. That is a powerful approach to church planting. They are taking 100 people from their current church and funding a church plant this September. That’s just the first part of their plan. The whole picture is exciting.

PE: What evangelistic potential do you envision when believers from across the country gather for General Council this summer?

MITCHELL: We’ll be ministering with Convoy of Hope and about 2,000 AIM volunteers. That will be a big opportunity. We’ll also canvas the campus community. Chi Alpha is doing so much on our campuses locally. The final gathering on the Mall will be tremendous. My prayer is that our corporate prayers will invite God’s glory to go forth from Washington to the rest of the world. Whatever happens politically in Washington, the world responds to. I believe the same should be true spiritually. May God give us a mighty revival and powerful miracles. Our God is alive.

PE: Any other thoughts?

MITCHELL: The whole concept of servant evangelism needs to be embraced in order to reach our capital. When we love people in Christ’s name, that opens their hearts to the power of the gospel.

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