Dr. Mark Ellington, Sr. Pastor
Pastor Mark was born right here in Mesa and was a graduate of Apache Junction High School – Go, Prospectors! He began attending church at Calvary Southern Baptist Church in East Mesa and accepted Christ, as Savior and Lord, when he was eleven years of age – stepping forward to accept the Call to full time Christian ministry at age sixteen.
After Attending Grand Canyon University with a degree in Bible, he attended Southwestern Baptist Theology Seminary in FT. Worth, Texas, for his Masters. After graduation, he and his wife (Violet), accepted a pastor position at Valley Southern Baptist Church (Mesa) and moved back to Arizona. And, in the past thirty years of pastoring, Pastor Mark served in four other churches while earning his doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Pastor Mark has been married to Violet for 28 years. They have five children (yes…you read correctly…5 children) and their names are: Hope, Sara, Ryan, Leah and Amanda. They have been involved in ministry, in their own ways throughout the years, and they know church-life as they know their own home. Pastor Mark just had the privilege of officiating his son’s marriage to April Robbins in August of 2015. Congrats to Ryan and April.
Pastor Mark has stated that coming to College View is like, “coming home”. Several years age, Pastor Mark, was an Associational Youth Pastor and hosted a few events at College View. He goes on to say, “The church has been home to me and my family for many years and I look forward to serving alongside brothers and sisters who love Christ, one another and their community.”