D. MARK DAVIS

BOARD PRESIDENT

Mark Davis was raised in Hampton, VA, attending and being educated for ministry in the Pentecostal Holiness Church. After college he attended Union Presbyterian Seminary in VA, and shortly after began the journey of becoming a Presbyterian pastor. He moved to Iowa in 1989 to pursue a Ph.D. in Theology, Ethics, and Culture at the University of Iowa, embarking on what turned out to be a 25-year stay in the state. In 1996 Mark began serving for 18 years as the pastor of a New Church Development near Des Moines, during which the church grew from 90 to over 400 members. Also during that time, Mark was on the Board of Directors for The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, serving several terms as President of the Board.

In January, 2014, Mark accepted a call to serve as the pastor of St. Mark Presbyterian Church, a vital, socially active congregation in Newport Beach. Mark is also active in the Presbytery of Los Ranchos, moderating the Generative Catalyst Team, which is responsible for cultivating a spirit of innovation and faithful responses to what God is doing in the world. Mark has also been a featured speaker at conferences, workshops, and retreats on theology, biblical studies, and worship.

Ordained in 1996, Mark holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Theology, Ethics and Culture from the University of Iowa and a Doctor of Ministry from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Virginia. He is the author of two books: Talking About Evangelism, (May 2006), and Left Behind and Loving It (Fall 2011), as well as numerous articles, book reviews, and essays. In addition, Mark blogs intensive Bible studies regularly at Left Behind and Loving It and occasionally at Mark of St. Mark.

Mark is a music lover who writes, sings, and plays the saxophone, particularly with St. Mark’s Synerjazz Trio. Mark and his wife, Chris, have four delightful children ranging in age from 15 to 26 and a shy rabbit named George.