Hello! My name is Mark Fowler, and I have been the lead pastor at Discover Church since 2003.
During my last year of Bible College, I met my wife, whom I have been married to since 1978. I am deeply and passionately in love with her and we are the happy parents of four children who have all flown the coop but come around every so often with our amazing grandchildren; much to our delight!
In 1985, I left a job in the home healthcare industry to pursue my own small business venture, which proved to be very successful. But in 1988, after selling my business, my wife and I pursued a change of careers that led us into church ministry. In 1989 we were accepted as missionaries to Ecuador, South America with Avant ministries.
During our time there, my education and business experience became very useful. Besides helping small businesses to emerge in an effort to develop impoverished communities, I also served as a church planter, managed and facilitated the sale of a Christian literature distribution center and taught pastors in the mission seminary. Those experiences have greatly influenced who I am and how I think today.
In 2003, God made it clear to us all that our time in Ecuador had come to an end and that we needed to accept a call to pastor at our home church in Hampden, Maine, now known as Discover Church. It was hard to leave our dear friends and fellow workers in Ecuador, but God has filled our hearts too with a love for our church family here and the people of Maine.
I guess you could say that I am very passionate about my faith. I love the Lord and am so thankful for the positive change He continues to bring to my life. I long for others to know Him and to discover the love He has for them and the purpose and satisfaction that brings to living.
During my stints as missionary and pastor I have had the privilege of teaching in three colleges. I currently serve as an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. My favorite subjects to teach deal with Biblical studies and cross-cultural dynamics.
I am an avid believer in the necessity of being a life-long learner. Maintaining a teachable spirit, no matter what level of education you have achieved, is important. By doing so, one inevitably becomes a good listener who values and respects other people’s opinions and points of view.
As far as hobbies go, I love the outdoors. I love to fly fish and hunt, as well as sail the rocky coast of Maine. When it comes to indoor activities, I love a good movie or the theater. I come from a very artistic family of painters, authors, and poets; only a bit of oil painting has rubbed off on me along with a knack for home design. When it comes to sports, I am an avid racket ball player and love to play pool.
So, that is my story, I would love to hear yours. God’s Blessings on you,
Pastor Mark Fowler
