Who is Mark Brister

Committed to use his speaking, teaching, educational, and leadership experiences to save villages, serve churches, and help colleges.

Professional Experience   

Mark Brister, Ph.D., has ministered as a pastor, teacher, and mission volunteer since 1971. After nine years as a university president, he retired in 2007 and established Mark Brister Ministries to pursue expanded writing, teaching, and speaking engagements. He has helped churches in transition as an Intentional Interim Pastor, and seeks to save and improve people’s lives in rural India. 

He has traveled more than one million miles preaching and ministering in international mission projects in Scotland, Russia, China, Kenya, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Romania. He has contributed articles to a number of publications including Impact: The Student Leadership Bible.

Reared in Fort Worth, Texas, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s degree and the Ph.D. degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  He and his wife have been married for over 45 years. They have two sons, and grandchildren. Dr. Brister has served on numerous boards, is a Paul Harris Fellow Rotarian, and has received a variety of honors including being named by Baylor University as an Honorary Alumnus of George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

Mark Brister Ministries is a 501 (c) (3) publicly accountable charity recognized by the I.R.S. The ministry strives to keep low overhead, has no debt, and maintains working capital.