Dr. Roderick Mitchell surrendered his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ in 1977.  He has been proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ since July of 1978.  He is the Founder and Pastor of the New Life Church, Inc. of Cleveland, Mississippi since March of 1994.  He was consecrated to the office of Bishop in October 2003 under the leadership of Bishop Nate Holcomb, Presiding Prelate of Covenant Connection International and Pastor / Founder of the Christian House of Prayer Ministries of Killeen Texas / Copperas Cove Texas.   As a Pastor-Teacher to the Body of Christ, the Spirit of God through him enlightens, empowers, and encourages the lives of men to embrace the will of God.  Consequently, he travels extensively, ministering to clergy, victim service advocates, students and church congregations alike.  His life is summed up in this verse of scripture.  “But by the grace of God I am what I am and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, yet I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I but the grace of God that is with me”(Corinthians 15:10).  He is married to the former Mary Butler.  They have been blessed with one child:  Isaac.


Bishop Roderick Mitchell surrendered his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ in 1977.  He has been proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ since July of 1978.  He is the Founder and Pastor of the New Life Church, Inc. of Cleveland, Mississippi since March of 1994.  As a Pastor - Teacher to the Body of Christ, the Spirit of God through him enlightens, empowers, and encourages the lives of men to embrace the will of God.  Consequently, he travels extensively, ministering to clergy, victim service advocates, students and church congregations alike. 


Bishop Mitchell educational history consist of: three doctorate degrees: Doctorate of Divinity, Tyrannus University of Biblical Studies, College of Theology & Divinity, Santa Teresa, New Mexico, June 21, 2008; Doctorate of  Ministry from Minnesota Graduate School of Theology,  June 6, 1998; Doctor of Apostolic Ministry, Institute for Teaching God's Word Theological Seminary; Rockdale, Texas,  June 7, 1997. Master of Christian Counseling, Triune Biblical University, Longview, Washington, May  1997; Bachelors of Biblical Studies, Institute for Teaching God's Word Seminary, Rockdale, TX, June 1995.  


He is the Founder and President of Exodus School of the Bible in Renova, MS, July 2000 to present; Bishop and Founder of Miletus Covenant Connection (32 churches world-wide), Cleveland, MS, July 2006 to present; Consecration to the Bishopric, Covenant Connection International, Bishop Nate Holcomb-Presiding Prelate, Headquarters: Coppers Cove & Killeen, Texas, October 26, 2003.


As a child survivor of domestic violence, Bishop Mitchell has been committed to ending violence against women.   Watching his mom being beaten inspired Bishop Mitchell to co-found Our House, Inc.: New Birth To Violence Free Living, serving nine counties in the Mississippi Delta in October 1995.  Their mission is to eliminate domestic violence and sexual violence through intervention, prevention, prosecution, victim protection and sustainable restoration.  Bishop Mitchell created and design the first Domestic Violence Batterers’ group entitled: Men Against Spousal Harm (MASH) in February 1996.  This program has served over 1,600 men; empowering men to stop domestic violence on the home front.  Bishop Mitchell established the first rape crisis hotline in the MS Delta in October  1994.


Bishop Mitchell has received numerous awards for his dedication to ending interpersonal violence from our community including ANGEL AWARD, For his dedication to providing a safe haven for battered women and their families that addresses their spiritual, physical, and emotional needs, August 13, 2012, Norfolk, VA, by the Institute on Domestic Violence in the Africa American Community. ‘CHAMPION OF CHANGE’ Award, by President Barack Obama’s Winning the Future initiative (whitehouse.gov/champions), honoring fathers and leaders who embody the President’s passion to support and strengthen fatherhood and families in local communities, Washington, DC. June 14, 2012, CERTIFICATION OF HONOR given by the State of Texas House of Representatives, May 31, 1997; NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS SERVICE AWARD, the highest federal honor for victim advocacy, sponsored by the U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice program, Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, D.C.,  presented by Vice-President Al Gore and U. S. Attorney General Janet Reno, April 18, 1997.


A colleague of Bishop Mitchell indicates that his deep belief in the power of education transcends cultural and denominational barriers, reaching all crime victims, young and old, as well as at-risk youth, with inspirational messages that help to heal and prevent crime.  Bishop Mitchell is an energetic speaker...outgoing leader...high achiever...with strong belief in the Gospel of Jesus and the Principles of God's Kingdom.

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Paula Bingham Granger is the Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator for the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In this position, she gets to be a part of one of the most important causes in our state, country and the world - helping to raise awareness about interpersonal violence and to promote healthy relationships. She does this by offering support to Mississippi’s twelve certified domestic violence shelters who serve victims and survivors irrespective of gender, race, or religion. Her work as Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator affords her the opportunity to interact with teens and adults statewide, offering them tools to form healthy relationships in hopes of creating neighborhoods, communities, cities and a state where interpersonal violence is recognized for the evil that it is, and is not tolerated. 


Ms. Granger’s involvement in non-profit work began at Camp Pioneer where she worked as a summer camp counselor, Program Director, Girls Club Leader and Kitchen Manager. She is a graduate of Jackson State University with a degree in Communications.Ms. Granger is the mother of three adult children.


SKILL SETS:

  1. Fairy Tale Interrupted (my testimony of growing up violence-free as a pastor’s daughter, then transitioning into a marriage marked by verbal, emotional/psychological, economic and spiritual abuse);
  2. Teen Dating Violence (developing healthy relationships, recognizing unhealthy ones)
  3. Identifying the Signs (social acceptance of unhealthy behaviors from young ages through adulthood)

TEAM GREENVILLE

Dr. Patricia Davenport received her doctoral Degree from Triune Biblical University, Longview, WA, June 3, 1997, Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree for outstanding work with victims of crime and in community services.  She graduated from Northwestern University, School of Education, Evanston, Illinois, 1983, Concentration-Human Development and Social Policy; B.S. Degree in Education: Graduated President's Honor Roll.  She received the National Crime Victims Rights Week, Award for Outstanding Service On Behalf Victims Of Crime presented by:  Janet Reno-Attorney General of the United States and signed by Bill Clinton, President of the United States, April 29, 1993.  She is a licensed social worker by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists.  She is an active member of New Life Church, Inc. in Renova/Cleveland, MS under the pastoral of Bishop Roderick Mitchell.


Dr. Davenport has over twenty-eight years of continuous growth in positions demanding perseverance, innovative organizational and consistent follow-through, as well as communication, consulting abilities and grant writing skills. She has conducted frequent speaking engagements and presentations at more than 600, national, state and local conferences and training seminars encouraging family values and violence prevention related issues.  She has several published articles and poetry to her credit.


She was a feature writer for Mahogany magazine, column entitled “Sincerely Yours.   She is an instructor for Master Level Students at Exodus School of the Bible teaching on “The Secular and Religious Communities Working Together in Addressing Domestic Violence and Rape Prevention.”  She is also the co-founder and executive director of Our House, Inc.   Our House, Inc.’s programs consist of:  Men Against Spousal Harm (MASH) – a batterer intervention program; Letting Each Affliction Heal (LEAH) – a domestic violence victim outreach program; New Beginnings - a domestic violence shelter program; a rape crisis program; STD/HIV/AIDS prevention awareness program; Homicide Survival Program; a Behavior Modification Institute; and,  Rural Domestic Violence Public Awareness Program.