(Not) Sponsors – Mark Riddle

My head hurt. My nose was running. It was cold. My first trip to Minneapolis was part of an innovative learning group hosted by my friend Spencer Burke. The hotel accommodations secured for the event were nice. I had plenty of room. It is at this event I first met Mark Riddle. He recently posted a gracious reflection on that chance meeting here.

Nine years later we have shared countless conversations, co-led a number of courses on Youth Ministry both offline at Biblical Theological Seminary and online through the same seminary. Mark is an author, former youth pastor, church planter, and consultant. He founded TheRiddleGroup. I have had the privilege of being one of his “pastor” consultants for three different consulting arrangements.

Mark believes ministry belongs to the church. He chides us to consider how “staff” facilitate, or serve with rather than for, God’s mission in the context of a local congregation. Many would agree but most of our systems thinking circumvents that goal. Mark has an uncanny and intuitive grasp of possible ways forward moving from what he refers to as a new model for ministry, not just youth ministry.

I would recommend Mark for any number of consulting matters for your local church interested in the missional turn and how to evaluate the systems at work in the life of your congregation.