The Legacy of Our Dear Colleague and Friend Dr. Tommy Mitchell

Tommy was one of my closest friends. We had known each other for almost 25 years. Tommy moved from Tennessee to join the Answers in Genesis staff full time in 2006 after spending the previous year as a part-time speaker for us. His passion for speaking and writing on creation apologetics was spurred in 1999 after he spearheaded an effort to organize a major AiG conference in the Nashville area, which drew many thousands. Tommy and I first met around 1995 when he drove four hours from Nashville to purchase some items in our small new bookstore in Florence, Kentucky.

Over the past 15 years, Tommy became one of our most effective and dynamic speakers (he could also be quite funny in his talks) and was much in demand. He was constantly on the road, including in South Africa last spring. God used Tommy to influence many tens of thousands of people. On a personal level, I will miss my dear colleague who was often at my house to chat, watch science fiction TV programs, and play many, many cribbage games. He was also my 24-hour Mac-Book and iPhone serviceman. Tommy was brilliant with technology. He knew how to fix virtually any computer and cell phone problem I had, and I often had to call him while on the road so he could talk me through a fix.

I ask our faithful readers to pray for God’s continuing comfort for Tommy’s wife, Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell (she has written hundreds of articles for AiG), and their three daughters, Mary, Ashley, and Sarah. Tommy also leaves behind two young grandchildren, who were the apples of his eye.

Tommy was one of Answers in Genesis’ most popular speakers. He also had a burden to reach young people with biblical truths, starting with Genesis.

Tommy had a deep understanding of why God allows death, disease, and suffering in this world. As a medical doctor, Tommy treated thousands of suffering people in the course of his practice, and those difficult experiences spurred him to speak and write on the topic. Tommy wrote an evangelistic booklet for us, titled Why Does God’s Creation Include Death & Suffering? He also produced a DVD on the theme.

In his booklet (read by tens of thousands of people), Tommy wrote,

The Bible describes death as the last enemy that will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). Revelation 21:4 says that “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Those who have received salvation look forward to the time when the Lord will revoke the Curse and restore the universe to a perfect state like the one it had before man sinned (Revelation 22:3).

The Lord not only loves His children enough to die for their sin, He also promises to fix the ruined world by creating a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1). And just as the first Adam brought death into the world, Christ, as the “last Adam,” brings renewed life into the world.

Tommy is no longer experiencing pain and suffering in this world. He will be greatly missed by so many of us.

My dear friend Tommy, who was such a valuable colleague here at AiG, was 62. Continue praying for his family and his many close friends, ranging from Tennessee to Kentucky . . . and around the world.

You can read Tommy’s entire booklet on the Answers in Genesis website. (It is also a chapter in one of our Answers books.) Please share it to help us spread the message Tommy loved so much: the Creator, Jesus Christ, became our Savior so we can look forward to eternity together with him! This would be a great way to honor this servant of Christ who helped so many find comfort in God’s Word and its promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.