Mark McBride grew up in Paradise, Texas (40 miles northwest of Fort Worth).  He grew up playing football, baseball, and running track.  In addition to school sports, he is an avid fisherman and hunter.  Mark is married to Debbie, and they have three children, Tabitha is a Senior at Howard Payne University (and getting married in May 2012), Caleb is a sophomore at Rice University, studying geology, and Anna is a High School Junior that is homeschooled.

Mark was called into full-time ministry while attending Weatherford Junior College on a music scholarship.  Before entering the ministry full-time, he was a vocalist, and played the guitar, mandolin, and banjo in a Bluegrass Gospel Band, Crossroads, for 8 years.  He graduated from Weatherford Junior College with an Associate’s in the Arts (Music).  He then received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education through Stephen F. Austin University, and lastly received his Masters Degree in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Mark is celebrating his 26nd year of fulltime ministry.  Mark served as an intern at the First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches, Evangelism Coordinator for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Youth Minister at the First Baptist Church of Kingsville, Associate Pastor and Minister of Youth at Oakview Baptist Church, Minister of Youth and Education at Highland Village First Baptist Church, Minister of Youth at 2nd Baptist Church of Corpus Christi, Associate Pastor and Minister of Youth and Educational Director at the First Baptist Church of Uvalde, and for the last 3 and half years as the Pastor and Youth Minister at Knobbs Springs Baptist Church.

Mpact Missions, Inc. (Making People Aware of Christ Truth) was founded by Mark McBride in the summer of 1997. Two youth leaders from different churches brought their youth together to impact Georgetown, Texas, in a way they would not soon forget.  Random acts of kindness were sweeping the town and townspeople were learning that this was free and was being done by none other than teenagers. The reason for such kindness was simply to show the love of Christ to others.  Mpact has been doing missions throughout Texas for the past 15 years.  The mission trips are led by youth pastors and leaders each summer.  Working together, students develop responsibility and accountability as they serve in teams during the weeklong mission.  They take on different projects such as painting houses, mowing lawns, home repairs, and even something as simple as carrying someone’s groceries.  The next mission date is June 9-13 in Irving, Texas.  200+ will be attending the event from across the state.

Mark firmly believes, in the area of outreach to the community for reaching others for Christ, that strategies be developed to target these areas, “doing things outside of the church walls” and always looking for ways the church can get out into the community to meet needs.

His goal in life as a pastor is to see the church come to full maturity in Christ (fully devoted followers), for all believers to know and use their spiritual gift/gifts for the building of the kingdom of God and for serving and building up the local church. He believes the pastor is to shepherd the flock, enable and equip them for ministry and send them out to make a difference in their community (to mobilize a group of believers to get the big picture of Christ, to make the Bible come alive to them). Mark is a strong leader, but has learned how to delegate and to find people who are gifted in areas and to turn them loose to serve and lead. He feels that leading and serving are synonymous and people grow as they lead.

Mark’s passion and gift is his love of people and his ability to evangelize and lead others to Christ. He feels that sermons are important; however, the day-to-day of caring and loving his congregation is a major role of being the Pastor. He has a true servant’s heart, doesn’t like conflict, but is not afraid of it.  He feels the greatest blessing in his life, other than his salvation and his wife Debbie, is that all of his children are saved and are active in ministry.