Pastor Mark is the founding pastor of Friendship Church. Mark and a seminary friend started the church in 1984 while both were still seminary students. Upon graduation from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, Mark was asked to come back to Maryland and pastor the new congregation of about 20 people. In June, 2006, Mark will celebrate 22 years at Friendship Church. He has witnessed the congregation's growth from about 6 people to nearly 500 in attendance.