About Us
The Potter's House is a Bible-believing, evangelistic, Pentecostal church. We are a friendly, multiethnic congregation of born-again believers who aim to reach people with the gospel. We preach forgiveness of sin and newness of life through Jesus Christ. Our mission is to see souls saved, lives changed, addictions broken, marriages strengthened, sins conquered and needs met through the power of the living God. The church is a place where we gather together in love for wisdom, friendship and direction.
All are welcome.
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:20
Our History
The history of our local church is part of a much larger story that began in Prescott, Arizona in 1970. Our founding pastor, Wayman Mitchell, and his wife Nelda took over a little church and opened its doors to many young hippies who were seeking Christ. There was a tremendous response to the gospel, and the new converts were eager to tell others what God had done for them. As a result, personal evangelism became a significant practice of the church. This outward focus led to the development of "impact teams", or groups of church members who would travel to nearby cities to share their faith. Over time, the church began to focus on training young couples for the ministry. This emphasized long-term spiritual growth and leadership rather than conversion alone. In 1973, the first couple was sent out to plant a church, and from there churches were planted all over the American Southwest. This marked the beginning of our fellowship's strategy for church planting, which is to raise up couples and send them out to start new congregations. Churches were started across the entire country, as people felt called to bring the gospel to their hometowns. In 1978, a church was planted in Australia, followed by Mexico, Holland, and Germany. Today there are over 4,000 churches around the world, all connected by this shared vision of evangelism, discipleship, and church-planting.
Our local church began in 1995 in Upper Darby, PA when Pastor Gibbs Peterson, his wife Marian and their three children came from Santa Fe, NM. They rented a small commercial space at 58 Garrett Road. An enthusiastic congregation began to grow as God used the church to reach lost souls. Through music ministry, Bible studies, door-to-door evangelism, and street preaching, the tiny church made an impact in Upper Darby. In 2001, the church bought a much larger commercial space at 45 Garrett Road. In 2004, the Petersons left to became missionaries. The church continued to grow under the leadership of the new pastor, Jon Overson, and his wife Colleen. As time went on, more congregants lived farther way, so there was a great need for a parking lot rather than metered street parking. Therefore, in 2024, the church moved again, to 360 North Oak Avenue in Clifton Heights, PA.
Although the Potter's House has only been in Clifton Heights for a short time, we are working hard to have an impact in the community. We go door-to-door offering prayer and church invitations. We have community barbeques, Christmas and Easter drama presentations, a Fourth of July parade float and a Halloween Trunk-or-Treat. We have special revival services throughout the year, as well as men's classes and women's fellowships. Our mission is to make a difference in our neighborhood, our county, and our world. Our congregation donates to world missions regularly, and our Children's Church gives offerings to buy Sunday School supplies for kids in Uganda.
Our local church has planted two churches of our own, in Reading, PA and Clayton, NC. Our vision is to plant many more in the future and to eventually send out missionaries.
Pastor Jon Overson
Pastor Jon Overson grew up in Bullhead City, AZ, where he gave his life to Jesus in 1975. With his wife Colleen, Pastor Overson has pioneered churches in Arizona, Georgia, Uganda, and South Africa. The Oversons have served the Delaware County congregation since 2004. They have been blessed with 2 children and 6 grandchildren.
Assistant Pastor Will Brown
Assistant Pastor Will Brown grew up in Cambridge, MD and later lived in Chester, PA. He began his journey with Christ in 2007. He married Amanda in 2010 and became the assistant pastor of the Clifton Heights Potter's House in 2024. Pastor Will and Amanda Brown are the happy parents of four children.
Our Leadership
Doctrines and Creed
WE BELIEVE...
1. Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and the only Savior from sin.
2. That Jesus Christ is the Great Physician and the Healer of the body and soul through the Blood Atonement.
3. That Jesus Christ is the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost today, just as He was on the day of Pentecost.
4. That Jesus Christ is the soon coming King, coming back to earth again as the only hope for a dying world.
5. That Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
CREEDAL STATEMENTS
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In the verbal inspiration of the original scriptures;
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In the absolute trinity of the eternal Godhead;
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In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ;
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In the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit;
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In the reality and personality of Satan (the devil);
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In the natural depravity of the human race;
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In the substitutionary atonement through Jesus Christ;
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In the propitiation for sin, only through the Blood of Christ;
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In full salvation by grace, through faith, and not of works;
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In divine healing through the atonement by the laying on of hands and prayer;
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In the personal baptism of the Holy Spirit;
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In the necessity of the new birth (born again);
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In water baptism by immersion at an age of accountability;
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In the true church composed of blood-washed believers;
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In the evangelism of the godless and the nations of the world;
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In obedience to civil Government;
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In divorce only on New Testament scriptural grounds;
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In Church Government, loyalty and obedience to those in authority over us in the Lord;
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In tithing as God's financial plan;
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In the restitution for past wrongs whenever possible;
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In God's laws and principles outlined in the Bible as the final authority in Christian conduct;
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In the open table at the Lord's Supper;
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In the maintenance of good works and holy living;
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In Christian modesty in the matter of dress and apparel;
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In a literal heaven and life everlasting for all true believers;
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In everlasting punishment for the impenitent;
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In the personal, literal, bodily, premillennial coming of Jesus Christ.
What we believe ABOUT THE BIBLE:
The Holy Bible was written by men, divinely inspired, and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. The Bible is God's message to man, revealing the word of the Lord beyond what can be clearly understood from the creation. The Bible is able to make one wise unto salvation through faith. The Bible, neither simple history nor textbook, is a supernatural revelation of the creator to his creation.
What we believe ABOUT GOD:
God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. He is eternally known in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:1, 2:7; Psalm 19:1-3; Jeremiah 10:10; Mark 1:9-11
What we believe ABOUT JESUS:
Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life among mankind. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins. He rose to life again on the third day and has ascended into heaven. One day, He will return unexpectedly in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.
Isaiah 52; John 1:1-18, 29; Acts 1: 9-11; 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-9; Titus 2:13
What we believe ABOUT THE HOLY GHOST:
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired holy men of old to write the Bible. Through illumination, He enables mankind to understand the truth. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which we serve God through His church. He proceeds from the Father and the Son and is involved in the creation, the new creation, and raising Jesus from the dead.
John 3:5, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4 ,38; Romans 1:4, 8:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 5:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Revelation 22:17
What we believe ABOUT MANKIND:
Mankind is the crowning work of God's creation, made in His own image. By man's own free choice he sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship again.
Genesis 1:26-30, Genesis 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10; 7:14-25; Ephesians 2: 1-22
The doctrine of Salvation is: Man, the creation of God, who is good, intelligent, possessing conscience, self-will, dominion, and responsibility is degenerate (fallen) and estranged (separated) from God. The story of man's sin, guilt, shame, and God's redeeming grace is the sum and substance of the Bible. Sin made man universally vulnerable to sickness, sorrow, and death.
Matthew 27:22-28; John 3:3-21, 36: Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-10, 13
What we believe ABOUT THE CHURCH:
The church is a local expression of the Body of Christ. It is an indigenous congregation of believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the church is the fulfillment of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.
Matthew 16:1-19; 22: 34-40; 28: 19-20; Acts 2: 41-42, 47: Ephesians 3: 8-11, 21; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21: 2-3