Having invested fourteen years in the ministry, Mark Daniel has served as a pastor at several churches in north Alabama, but he always wanted to serve close to home.
After a stint as the interim pastor at North Russellville Baptist Church, the congregation enjoyed him so much they asked him to stay.
“We had several other opportunities offered to us, but we could not take them because I thought we needed to be here,” said Daniel, who grew up in Littleville. “Our hearts were here, and my wife and I wanted to sow into this community. My wife, Angela, grew up here, and our kids have graduated from here. We love it.
“We know there are great things ahead for this church and this community.”
Daniel and his wife, who have been married for four years, have five children: Patrick, 24; Hannah, 19; Colby, 18; Drew, 16; and Emma, 11.
Daniel’s main goal for the church is to be community-driven and for people to know they are welcome.
“Our heart is to share the love of Christ with this community,” Daniel said. “We want to help the hurting and encourage the discouraged. We want to help families build a stronger home.
“Our church is multi-cultural, and any person from any denomination can come here and feel comfortable. We accept people from all walks of life. This is a non-judgment zone.”
Since he took the job, he has already seen God working inside the lives of his congregation.
“We have seen God’s goodness,” said Daniel. “They have been small things, but big things. People are getting a bigger heart for the community and other people. There has been a revival happening with the youth. We have already baptized four youth.”
Daniel, who is now 40, began pastoring at the age of 29 at Jonesboro Baptist Church. Like most pastors though, Daniel tried to run from his calling.
“I was 26 years old when God called me to ministry,” said Daniel. “I was doing everything I could at the church that was not preaching. I was teaching Sunday School and mowing the grass. I tried to substitute all those things for what I needed to do until one day I surrendered to it.”
Although ministry is a 24/7 job, Daniel is a bi-vocational pastor, meaning he works another job. He just accepted a position a month ago as a State Farm agent with Diana Fisher in Russellville.
“The owners have an office in Madison, but their passion had been to come back to Russellville and open an office here,” said Daniel.
For many people, having more than one job can be overwhelming, but for Daniel it is exciting because he gets to take care of people in both their physical and spiritual lives.
