LONGTIME PORTLAND RELIGIOUS LEADER, DIES AT 97
The Rev. John Greenwood Mitchell, a founder of Multnomah School of the Bible and Central Bible Church, died of causes related to age Thursday in his Portland home. He was 97.
''He's been one of the giants in Christian leadership in the Northwest,'' said the Rev. Joseph Aldrich, president of Multnomah School of the Bible. ''This is the end of an era.''
The Rev. Mitchell served as board chairman of Multnomah for some 40 years and taught there until his recent illness.
He was chairman of the first Billy Graham crusade in Portland in the 1950s and active in Graham's second campaign in 1968. He was an internationally sought speaker at Bible conferences and his radio program, ''The Know Your Bible Hour,'' was broadcast in communities up and down the West Coast for some four decades. The program is still in operation.
He was perhaps best known for his work with the Portland Union Bible classes, which emerged from various church groups in 1931 and were held in the former Benkhe Walker Business School building. From these classes, which grew from a Sunday morning group of 100 to 1,000, the Central Bible Church was born in 1942. He also started and maintained children's Bible classes in homes and on buses parked by public schools, and helped found Trout Creek Bible Camp.
''He was a man of integrity and spirit, and he loved the Lord dearly,'' said the Rev. Willard Aldrich, a former president of Multnomah School of the Bible who had worked closely with the Rev. Mitchell for more than 50 years. ''It is because of his vision and encouragement that Multnomah has the large number of missions that we do.''
The Rev. Mitchell was born on Dec. 5, 1892, in South Shields, England. He moved to the United States in 1909, and his family settled in St. Louis, Mo. When his family later moved to Dunsmuir, Calif., the Rev. Mitchell moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. He later attended Brandon College in Brandon, Manitoba, until 1914, when he moved to Calgary to work as a machinist in the war effort.
In 1916, he became a Christian and a year later began holding evangelistic services in a vacant store in Radville, Saskatchewan. In 1922, he moved to Tacoma, where he was the associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church. In 1923 he came to Portland, where he was interim pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church, now The Old Church in downtown Portland. In 1924, he went to Dallas, Texas, where he and Willard Aldrich became part of the founding class of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, now Dallas Theological Seminary. He later was a visiting faculty member at the seminary for many years.
In 1929, he married Mary Eby in Los Angeles, and the couple moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. They moved to Portland in 1931, when the Rev. Mitchell became the teacher of the Union Bible Classes and pastor at Calvary Presbyterian. In 1936, he and nine other men -- one of whom was Aldrich -- founded Multnomah School of the Bible. The building originally was on the site of the current Lloyd Center but in 1952 moved to its current site on Northeast Glisan Street. A hall is named after the Rev. Mitchell, and a library dedicated to him and his wife. The Rev. Mitchell retired from the pulpit of Central Bible Church at the end of 1968, allowing him to spend more time teaching, working on his radio ministry and responding to speaking requests.
In 1970, he served as national moderator of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and was named ''dean of evangelical preachers'' by the Greater Portland Association of Evangelicals. In a 1972 interview, he said: ''I have one passion. It is to have people know Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.'' ''The heart and center of Christianity is Christ,'' he said. ''Remove Christ and you have mere religion.''
He wrote a book about the epistles of John called ''Fellowship,'' another about the Gospel of John called ''An Everlasting Love,'' and outlines of most of the New Testament books.
In addition to his wife, survivors include six nieces and four nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in Central Bible Church. Private interment was scheduled Saturday at Riverview Abbey.
[The Oregonian, 19 May 1990, Page: D05]
The Rev. John Greenwood Mitchell, a founder of Multnomah School of the Bible and Central Bible Church, died of causes related to age Thursday in his Portland home. He was 97.
''He's been one of the giants in Christian leadership in the Northwest,'' said the Rev. Joseph Aldrich, president of Multnomah School of the Bible. ''This is the end of an era.''
The Rev. Mitchell served as board chairman of Multnomah for some 40 years and taught there until his recent illness.
He was chairman of the first Billy Graham crusade in Portland in the 1950s and active in Graham's second campaign in 1968. He was an internationally sought speaker at Bible conferences and his radio program, ''The Know Your Bible Hour,'' was broadcast in communities up and down the West Coast for some four decades. The program is still in operation.
He was perhaps best known for his work with the Portland Union Bible classes, which emerged from various church groups in 1931 and were held in the former Benkhe Walker Business School building. From these classes, which grew from a Sunday morning group of 100 to 1,000, the Central Bible Church was born in 1942. He also started and maintained children's Bible classes in homes and on buses parked by public schools, and helped found Trout Creek Bible Camp.
''He was a man of integrity and spirit, and he loved the Lord dearly,'' said the Rev. Willard Aldrich, a former president of Multnomah School of the Bible who had worked closely with the Rev. Mitchell for more than 50 years. ''It is because of his vision and encouragement that Multnomah has the large number of missions that we do.''
The Rev. Mitchell was born on Dec. 5, 1892, in South Shields, England. He moved to the United States in 1909, and his family settled in St. Louis, Mo. When his family later moved to Dunsmuir, Calif., the Rev. Mitchell moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. He later attended Brandon College in Brandon, Manitoba, until 1914, when he moved to Calgary to work as a machinist in the war effort.
In 1916, he became a Christian and a year later began holding evangelistic services in a vacant store in Radville, Saskatchewan. In 1922, he moved to Tacoma, where he was the associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church. In 1923 he came to Portland, where he was interim pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church, now The Old Church in downtown Portland. In 1924, he went to Dallas, Texas, where he and Willard Aldrich became part of the founding class of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, now Dallas Theological Seminary. He later was a visiting faculty member at the seminary for many years.
In 1929, he married Mary Eby in Los Angeles, and the couple moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. They moved to Portland in 1931, when the Rev. Mitchell became the teacher of the Union Bible Classes and pastor at Calvary Presbyterian. In 1936, he and nine other men -- one of whom was Aldrich -- founded Multnomah School of the Bible. The building originally was on the site of the current Lloyd Center but in 1952 moved to its current site on Northeast Glisan Street. A hall is named after the Rev. Mitchell, and a library dedicated to him and his wife. The Rev. Mitchell retired from the pulpit of Central Bible Church at the end of 1968, allowing him to spend more time teaching, working on his radio ministry and responding to speaking requests.
In 1970, he served as national moderator of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and was named ''dean of evangelical preachers'' by the Greater Portland Association of Evangelicals. In a 1972 interview, he said: ''I have one passion. It is to have people know Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.'' ''The heart and center of Christianity is Christ,'' he said. ''Remove Christ and you have mere religion.''
He wrote a book about the epistles of John called ''Fellowship,'' another about the Gospel of John called ''An Everlasting Love,'' and outlines of most of the New Testament books.
In addition to his wife, survivors include six nieces and four nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in Central Bible Church. Private interment was scheduled Saturday at Riverview Abbey.
[The Oregonian, 19 May 1990, Page: D05]
LONGTIME PORTLAND RELIGIOUS LEADER, DIES AT 97
The Rev. John Greenwood Mitchell, a founder of Multnomah School of the Bible and Central Bible Church, died of causes related to age Thursday in his Portland home. He was 97.
''He's been one of the giants in Christian leadership in the Northwest,'' said the Rev. Joseph Aldrich, president of Multnomah School of the Bible. ''This is the end of an era.''
The Rev. Mitchell served as board chairman of Multnomah for some 40 years and taught there until his recent illness.
He was chairman of the first Billy Graham crusade in Portland in the 1950s and active in Graham's second campaign in 1968. He was an internationally sought speaker at Bible conferences and his radio program, ''The Know Your Bible Hour,'' was broadcast in communities up and down the West Coast for some four decades. The program is still in operation.
He was perhaps best known for his work with the Portland Union Bible classes, which emerged from various church groups in 1931 and were held in the former Benkhe Walker Business School building. From these classes, which grew from a Sunday morning group of 100 to 1,000, the Central Bible Church was born in 1942. He also started and maintained children's Bible classes in homes and on buses parked by public schools, and helped found Trout Creek Bible Camp.
''He was a man of integrity and spirit, and he loved the Lord dearly,'' said the Rev. Willard Aldrich, a former president of Multnomah School of the Bible who had worked closely with the Rev. Mitchell for more than 50 years. ''It is because of his vision and encouragement that Multnomah has the large number of missions that we do.''
The Rev. Mitchell was born on Dec. 5, 1892, in South Shields, England. He moved to the United States in 1909, and his family settled in St. Louis, Mo. When his family later moved to Dunsmuir, Calif., the Rev. Mitchell moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. He later attended Brandon College in Brandon, Manitoba, until 1914, when he moved to Calgary to work as a machinist in the war effort.
In 1916, he became a Christian and a year later began holding evangelistic services in a vacant store in Radville, Saskatchewan. In 1922, he moved to Tacoma, where he was the associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church. In 1923 he came to Portland, where he was interim pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church, now The Old Church in downtown Portland. In 1924, he went to Dallas, Texas, where he and Willard Aldrich became part of the founding class of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, now Dallas Theological Seminary. He later was a visiting faculty member at the seminary for many years.
In 1929, he married Mary Eby in Los Angeles, and the couple moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. They moved to Portland in 1931, when the Rev. Mitchell became the teacher of the Union Bible Classes and pastor at Calvary Presbyterian. In 1936, he and nine other men -- one of whom was Aldrich -- founded Multnomah School of the Bible. The building originally was on the site of the current Lloyd Center but in 1952 moved to its current site on Northeast Glisan Street. A hall is named after the Rev. Mitchell, and a library dedicated to him and his wife. The Rev. Mitchell retired from the pulpit of Central Bible Church at the end of 1968, allowing him to spend more time teaching, working on his radio ministry and responding to speaking requests.
In 1970, he served as national moderator of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and was named ''dean of evangelical preachers'' by the Greater Portland Association of Evangelicals. In a 1972 interview, he said: ''I have one passion. It is to have people know Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.'' ''The heart and center of Christianity is Christ,'' he said. ''Remove Christ and you have mere religion.''
He wrote a book about the epistles of John called ''Fellowship,'' another about the Gospel of John called ''An Everlasting Love,'' and outlines of most of the New Testament books.
In addition to his wife, survivors include six nieces and four nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in Central Bible Church. Private interment was scheduled Saturday at Riverview Abbey.
[The Oregonian, 19 May 1990, Page: D05]
The Rev. John Greenwood Mitchell, a founder of Multnomah School of the Bible and Central Bible Church, died of causes related to age Thursday in his Portland home. He was 97.
''He's been one of the giants in Christian leadership in the Northwest,'' said the Rev. Joseph Aldrich, president of Multnomah School of the Bible. ''This is the end of an era.''
The Rev. Mitchell served as board chairman of Multnomah for some 40 years and taught there until his recent illness.
He was chairman of the first Billy Graham crusade in Portland in the 1950s and active in Graham's second campaign in 1968. He was an internationally sought speaker at Bible conferences and his radio program, ''The Know Your Bible Hour,'' was broadcast in communities up and down the West Coast for some four decades. The program is still in operation.
He was perhaps best known for his work with the Portland Union Bible classes, which emerged from various church groups in 1931 and were held in the former Benkhe Walker Business School building. From these classes, which grew from a Sunday morning group of 100 to 1,000, the Central Bible Church was born in 1942. He also started and maintained children's Bible classes in homes and on buses parked by public schools, and helped found Trout Creek Bible Camp.
''He was a man of integrity and spirit, and he loved the Lord dearly,'' said the Rev. Willard Aldrich, a former president of Multnomah School of the Bible who had worked closely with the Rev. Mitchell for more than 50 years. ''It is because of his vision and encouragement that Multnomah has the large number of missions that we do.''
The Rev. Mitchell was born on Dec. 5, 1892, in South Shields, England. He moved to the United States in 1909, and his family settled in St. Louis, Mo. When his family later moved to Dunsmuir, Calif., the Rev. Mitchell moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. He later attended Brandon College in Brandon, Manitoba, until 1914, when he moved to Calgary to work as a machinist in the war effort.
In 1916, he became a Christian and a year later began holding evangelistic services in a vacant store in Radville, Saskatchewan. In 1922, he moved to Tacoma, where he was the associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church. In 1923 he came to Portland, where he was interim pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church, now The Old Church in downtown Portland. In 1924, he went to Dallas, Texas, where he and Willard Aldrich became part of the founding class of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, now Dallas Theological Seminary. He later was a visiting faculty member at the seminary for many years.
In 1929, he married Mary Eby in Los Angeles, and the couple moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. They moved to Portland in 1931, when the Rev. Mitchell became the teacher of the Union Bible Classes and pastor at Calvary Presbyterian. In 1936, he and nine other men -- one of whom was Aldrich -- founded Multnomah School of the Bible. The building originally was on the site of the current Lloyd Center but in 1952 moved to its current site on Northeast Glisan Street. A hall is named after the Rev. Mitchell, and a library dedicated to him and his wife. The Rev. Mitchell retired from the pulpit of Central Bible Church at the end of 1968, allowing him to spend more time teaching, working on his radio ministry and responding to speaking requests.
In 1970, he served as national moderator of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and was named ''dean of evangelical preachers'' by the Greater Portland Association of Evangelicals. In a 1972 interview, he said: ''I have one passion. It is to have people know Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.'' ''The heart and center of Christianity is Christ,'' he said. ''Remove Christ and you have mere religion.''
He wrote a book about the epistles of John called ''Fellowship,'' another about the Gospel of John called ''An Everlasting Love,'' and outlines of most of the New Testament books.
In addition to his wife, survivors include six nieces and four nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in Central Bible Church. Private interment was scheduled Saturday at Riverview Abbey.
[The Oregonian, 19 May 1990, Page: D05]
Inscription
He was a man who loved God deeply and fell in love with Jesus Christ.
"God who commanded light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Jesus Chris" 2 Corinthians 4:6
Dr. John G. Mitchel – Co-founder of Multnomah School of the Bible.
Pastor of Central Bible Church Bible Teacher Evangelist at Heart
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