Rev. Mark Swayze, Pastor of NextGen Ministries, started his career in ministry on a different path. As a worship leader at a Methodist church in San Antonio, Mark and his family were settled in that community, and he was content in his role. But God had other plans.

“We were serving in San Antonio when we received a phone call from Bob Swan regarding the Harvest worship leader position. After a conversation with Mark Sorensen, who was Harvest lead pastor at the time, we knew God was calling us to begin ministry at The Woodlands Methodist Church,” says Mark.

Mark and his family moved to The Woodlands in the summer of 2014, and he spent the first five years at The Woodlands Methodist Church serving as the Harvest worship leader and Director of Contemporary Worship. In September 2019, Mark became the Pastor of Students, for grades 7 – 12, after the retirement of the beloved and long-tenured Bob Swan.

In August 2022 Mark was named Pastor of NextGen Ministries, which encompasses birth through the college years. He is excited about the vision and leadership of Senior Pastor Mark Sorensen and the church’s willingness to equip their people and give them a large canvas on which to bring their visions to life. And he has a vision for the next generation.

“My heart is now creating a culture of leadership with the next generation. My heart has always been for The Woodlands Methodist Church to impact neighborhoods, nations and the next generation. The future is bright. I can feel God doing something incredible here. He already has the last 40-plus years, and it’s going to continue in ways beyond our understanding.”

Mark and his wife, Missie, have two children, Lauren and Caleb.