March 5, 2007

By Barbara Denman

ORLANDO- (FBC) Mark Stephens, director of the Florida Baptist Convention’s Theological Education and Distance Learning Department since 2002, died unexpectedly Sunday night, March 4, of an apparent heart attack at his Orlando home. He was 41 years old.

In this role, Stephens also served as assistant professor of preaching and pastoral ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, directing the Orlando Extension Center.

“He will be sorely missed, not only as an employee but as a good, personal friend,” said John Sullivan. The state convention’s executive director-treasurer had traveled several times with Stephens to Haiti to establish a program of theological training for pastors in that third-world country.

“His work was exceptional,” Sullivan noted. “He was bright, articulate and knowledgeable of distance learning and theological education. He was a warm-hearted gospel preacher who had taken our program to a new level.”

“Mark was like one of my own kids,” said Jimmy Dukes, dean of the New Orleans Seminary’s extension center system. “That was the way he related to people. He was a friend, had a brilliant mind and was a joy to be around.”

Dukes credited Stephens with “bringing organization and awareness of our program to the churches in Florida.”

A gifted teacher who “developed strong personal relationships with the students,” Dukes added.

“Mark had an evangelistically-hearted academic mind,” said Bob Bumgarner, director of the Convention’s Church Development Division and Stephen’s supervisor. “As you listened to him, while he was gifted in the skills of his job, he was very possessive of his students. He took personally the development of his students and was always excited if there was another way to help students through the academic maze.”

Prior to assuming his Convention post in 2002, Stephens served as pastor of Lockhart Baptist Church in Orlando from 2001 to 2002 and Mt. Tabor Baptist Church in Lakeland, from 1997 to 2001. He served churches in Arkansas and Tennessee.

He received the doctor of ministry degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, La., in 2003; a master of divinity degree from Mid-American Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tenn., in 1997; and a bachelor in music from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1989.

John Holloway, associate pastor, First Baptist Church of Sweetwater in Longwood where Stephens is a member, reported that Stephens had participated in the church’s evangelistic outreach event on Saturday and attended Bible study on Sunday, before serving as guest preacher at Orlando’s Downtown Baptist Church.

Playing children’s games at Saturday’s WinterFest, “he was just being Mark,” Holloway added.

Stephens, an avid bicyclist, had ridden 35 miles on Saturday and Sunday before he died.

He is survived by his wife, Natalie, and three daughters, Rachel, 15; Sarah, 13; and Hannah, 10.

“He was passionately devoted to his family,” said his pastor Larry Michael. “He had such an obvious special relationship with his girls. I think one thing that was hard on him was that with his preaching schedule and interims, he often could not worship with his family. I think that is why he wanted them involved in a local church like ours.”

Stephens served as interim pastor of the church during most of 2003 before Michaels became pastor in January, 2004. “He helped lead the church through a difficult time, and his preaching, his humor and his personality were a real lift to the church,” Michaels said. “He was always a great encouragement to me, as one pastor understands another. He was a consummate servant of God.”

On Sunday March 4, First Baptist Church of Eustis voted to call Stephens as interim pastor after he had preached in February.

Stephens had a rich heritage among Florida Baptists. His father, David, has served as chairman of deacons at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, where Ken Whitten serves as pastor. Calling him a “long-time friend,” Whitten said “Mark was a pastor who served Florida Baptists so very well. We have been partners in ministry for several years.”

“No pastor had a greater friend or cheerleader than that of Mark; and no one loved him more or will miss him more than his precious family.”