Wayman Mitchell, founder of The Potters House Christian Fellowship Ministries, has overseen yet another split from the fellowship he began in the 70's.
Purporting to have some 1500 churches across the world (internal estimate only), the Australian branch has been greatly shaken by recent events. David Vicary, the senior pastor of the Australian Potters House churches, residing in Perth, Western Australia, was forced to resign his position of ten years as of 31 Dec 2008.
No official explanation was provided to the congregation by Wayman Mitchell, and Vicary was not permitted to perform a farewell service. The Perth congregation was averaging 480 attendees.
No charges of immorality, financial misconduct, or false doctrine were made against Vicary.
In protest, assistant pastor Alan O'Donoghue and youth pastor Phil Glossop resigned their positions, and over 100 members immediately decided to leave the Potters House Fellowship in Australia.
On Feb 1, 2009, Vicary, O'Donoghue and Glossop opened a new church under the name Eternity Christian Church, which is currently seeing over 250 people in attendance. Reports from the Perth Potters House show a similar attendance record, between 200 to 250, effectively half the attendance it was previously.
A number of other Potters House churches across Australia have since left the Potters House Fellowship and decided to align with Vicary.
Wayman Mitchell has assumed the senior pastor role at the Perth Potters House.
The Potters House Christian Fellowship is known for its extreme authoritiarian approach, elitism, banning of television for members in ministry, and over-emphasis on performance-based christianity.
Forum for current discussion on these events by ex-members:
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www.ozsaintsforum.com]