Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchel never chased fame, never chased numbers — he just chased God.
Every week, for years, he gathered a small group of people in a dimly lit church basement on the south side of Atlanta. Twenty chairs. Sometimes fewer. They prayed for an hour. Rain or shine. No fancy lights, no music, no cameras — just hearts crying out to heaven.
When his father passed away, Pastor Philip stood at the bedside, holding the old man’s hand. His father’s final words weren’t about money, success, or legacy. They were simple: “Promise Me To Keep the Weekly prayer hour alive.”
Philip Promised He Would Keep Weekly Prayer Alive
For years after, he preached the same message to the same twenty faces. People came and went. Some told him he should focus on growing numbers, not prayer meetings. But Philip would just smile and say, “We’re going to fill an arena with prayer one day.”
His daughters cringed every time he said it. They were embarrassed by what he was speaking that clearly wasn’t coming to fruition, yet.
But he never stopped saying it. And he never stopped praying.
God Put A Day Of Prayer On His Heart
As pastor Mitchell prayed out to God he was led to a day of prayer to book the State Farm Arena for a national day of prayer. The venue would cost $1.2 million dollars to book and it was funded 100% entirely by the 2819 church in Atlanta, Georgia.
The cost for attendees? Absolutely nothing. Just a space to gather and host the presence of God.
Then Came October 12th.
No one knew how it happened word just spread once it was spoken. Churches from other states began to reach out. Prayer groups joined. Then nations. Flights were booked. Buses rolled in. Something was stirring in the Spirit.
That morning, the doors of State Farm Arena opened, and people flooded in until every seat was filled. Over 40,000 voices lifted in prayer and still, it wasn’t enough space. The overflow poured into the streets, parks, and corners of downtown Atlanta. People knelt on sidewalks, raised hands in parking lots, sang under streetlights.
Every race. Every color. Every creed. No division. Just prayer.
And in that moment, the humble man who once prayed with twenty souls saw the promise fulfilled.
Not because of marketing, not because of power — but because he believed that prayer could still shake the earth.
The arena wasn’t filled with fans.
It was filled with faith.