Meet New GFC Staff Member, Patrick Mitchell

Hello Grace Fellowship family! I cannot express how honored and excited I am to call GFC home and have the pleasure of working alongside such faithful people in gospel ministry. If you indulge me a moment, I want to share a bit about my family and our story.

I grew up in Knoxville at Sevier Heights Baptist Church and then attended Milligan University, which turned out to be the RIGHT choice because it’s where I met the girl who stole my heart and has yet to return it! Lindsey and I have been married for 16 years this August. She is hands down the most capable person I know, not to mention smart, funny, wise beyond her years, and strikingly better looking than myself. We have four children: Ben (11), Nora Jane (10), Caroline (8), and Addie (6). They attend Providence Academy, where Lindsey will be teaching fourth grade this year.

After Lindsey and I married, we went on a whirlwind of adventures across the US.  An internship at Lindsey’s home church, Compassion Christian (Savannah, GA) led to great friendships. I was ordained after serving there for a year and a half. That internship led to a college ministry position at Christ’s Church of the Valley just outside of Los Angeles. I completed my masters at Fuller Theological Seminary before moving to St. Louis to work with college and young adults at Harvester Christian Church. From there it was back to the promised land—the South, that is. For several years I pastored a rural church in Bluff City while also serving in administration at Providence Academy.

A brief stint away from Johnson City solidified in our hearts that this is home, so we moved back as fast as possible. After serving at Crossroads Christian in Gray the last two years, Lindsey and I sensed a stirring and were confident that God had something in mind that wasn’t on our radar. We’ve always had several friends and relationships with others who are part of GFC and always felt like GFC could be our church home. God’s timing has definitely been a part of this transition!

The process was more thorough than anything I’ve been through. I met more GFCers over six weeks than I’d met over six years! Every meeting, though, whether with Matt or staff or elders, affirmed over and over that this was what God had in store. I just needed GFC’s leadership to agree! Thankfully, they did.

I share all of that to share this: God brought us to this church body at this time. The staff and elders are unified and, collectively, there is excitement for the season ahead. In this particular role, I get to work with high-caliber leaders who love the Lord and love their ministry areas. I count it a joy to be the one whose job is to make sure they feel free to lead. I also have the privilege of being part of the teaching team at GFC and hold in high regard the ministry of preaching and teaching God’s Word.

Feel free to email me at any time – pmitchell@gfcnow.com

Patrick Mitchell
Executive Pastor of Ministries