Pastor Mark McBride has been at First Baptist Saint Jo since 2021. He has been involved in full time ministry for the past 40 years. He served as a youth pastor for 23 years and has served as a senior pastor for the past 17 years. Mark has been a Christ follower since he was a teenager. His love for the Lord and the ministry of the church is evident by the time he spends serving at the church and community events. He was licensed to the gospel ministry 1988 and ordained to the gospel ministry in 1991.
His desire is to see all come to repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ. Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Rom 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Scripture to consider - Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:13
Mark grew in Paradise Texas and was highly involved in many athletic and extra curricular activities in the school. Mark graduated in 1982 and attended Weatherford college on a music scholarship. After graduating from Weatherford he transferred to Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. Mark graduated from SFA with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1987.
While being involved in the Baptist Student ministry, he surrendered his life to full time ministry. He has been involved with ministry since he was a teenager. Mark plays the guitar, mandolin, banjo and the bass and has been involved in leading worship for over 40 plus years. He was involved in many intramural sports while at SFA and has always loved competing in athletic team sports. Mark attended Southwestern seminary in Fort Worth Texas and received a master degree in Religious Education in December 1994.
While attending SFA he met the love of his life (Debbie Atkinson) and they were married on July 11, 1987. They have been married for 39 years and have 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Spending time with his kids and grandkids is one of his greatest loves. Mark has a love for fishing and hunting. When he is not doing ministry at the church and serving the Saint Jo community, you find him fishing or hunting.