Mark Clark on Developing Young Leaders, Handling Criticism and New Perspectives in the Pandemic
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In this episode Shaila Visser from Alpha Canada interviews Mark Clark from Village Church. This conversation explores the explosive growth of Village Church and Mark’s heart to go after non-Christian, dechurched people. As the church has grown, Mark riffs on the changes he has made to his leadership approach and staffing culture, highlighting a few areas in which he had to grow as a leader.
In the midst of the fatigue that leadership can bring about, especially during the challenges of COVID, Mark discusses the spiritual rhythms he has embraced to maintain spiritual vitality and emotional health during this season. More specifically, he highlights the necessary discipline of not responding to every message or post or issue directed his way. Taking on the burden of being the spokesperson for every hot topic in our polarized culture is overwhelming and exhausting so he has embraced the practice of picking his battles in light of Gospel priorities.
Raising up young leaders, the importance of apologetics in preaching, and the necessary pivots leaders need to make in our on-line COVID reality are also touched upon. The episode ends with Shaila and Mark praying for pastors and the Church in Canada.
Mark Clark
Mark grew up in Toronto and moved to Vancouver in 2004 to attend Regent College, where he received a Master of New Testament Studies. Following over ten years of ministry, Mark, along with his wife Erin and an amazing team of people, planted Village Church in January 2010, which has now grown to a vibrant multi-site church in the Greater Vancouver Area and Calgary. He is passionate about contextualizing the gospel, teaching the Bible, seeing people transformed by Jesus, planting churches, and seeing the gospel advance across Canada. Mark resides in South Surrey with his wife and their three daughters. He is honoured and excited to lead Village Church wherever God calls it to go.
“I’m always thinking about the people who don’t care about the church, and asking ‘how do we reach them?’”
Order Mark’s book Everyday Apologetics today.
In Everyday Apologetics, readers will be equipped with answers to some of Christianity's most difficult objections from a variety of different voices: Why is the God of the Old Testament so violent? Are science and faith in fundamental conflict with one another? The contributors take up these questions, and more, helping Christians be strengthened in their faith, while also providing powerful answers to opponents of the Christian faith. With a clear, inviting, winsome style, Everyday Apologetics is for everyone: Christians, skeptics, seekers, and everyone in between.
The Problem of God is Mark’s first book, and it was birthed out of his quest to find reasonable grounds for Christian belief. Growing up in an atheistic home, Mark had minimal exposure to the truth claims of Christianity and, instead, struggled through his parent’s divorce, Tourette Syndrome and OCD in his formative years. His father’s early death launched him into a full out exploration of truth through science, philosophy and history — a journey that eventually led to him becoming a Christian and the pastor of a growing, multi-site church.
In a disarming, winsome, and persuasive way, The Problem of God responds to the top ten God questions of our present age, including: Does God even exist? What do we do with Christianity's violent history? Is Jesus just another myth? Can the Bible be trusted? Should we believe in Hell anymore today?
“The main change our country needs is not political, we need people to get to know Jesus.”
His Podcast
The Mark Clark Podcast - rants, conversations and interviews. This podcast is full of the stuff that Mark finds interesting and worth diving into at any given moment. Raw, un-produced, and fun. Mark riffs on everything from theology to business, marriage to movies, church life to leadership, coffee to family, apologetics, to the everyday stuff of life.
Youtube Links
We have also posted some of our favourite sections of this interview on our Youtube Channel - here is one of them:
This episode was brought to you by Briercrest.
Briercrest College & Seminary will be returning to campus this fall, in person! If you know someone who’d rather be on-campus then on-line this fall, Briercrest is a great option. With courses that are highly transferable to Canadian universities, and a community focused on discipleship, it could be a life-changing year for you or someone you know. Check out their Return To Campus eBook and webinar dates on their website today!
Coming Up Next
Alex Seeley
Alex Seeley was born and raised in Australia, and served as an Executive Pastor at a church in Melbourne for nearly 20 years. Having relocated with her family to Nashville in 2012, Alex and her husband Henry, began to open their home on Tuesday nights. By February 2014, their basement was filled to capacity and as a result The Belonging Co church was born. As Senior Pastors of the Belonging Co, Alex and Henry call Nashville home where they live with their two children, Holly and Taylor.