ABOUT
If you're looking for business as usual, you've come to the wrong place. If, however, you are looking for something fresh, innovative and strategic, something truly TRANSFORMATIONAL fostering LIFE and MULTIPLICATION, you're precisely where you need to be. With a variety of services offered hopefully you can find the help you need to build your team, to strengthen your church or workplace. We are delighted to serve you in any capacity you might need!
From a posture of humour, creativity and fun, Mark Griffin has been serving for over three decades in every province of Canada, all over the United States, Europe and Australia. His heart is to develop and encourage people in leadership, in relationship, in networking, in business, in the local church, in organizations; wherever he can facilitate destiny, bringing hope, declaring life.
Mark has been married since 1988 and has four kids living here in Canada; one of the "kids" (born in '89) is a student and stand-up comic who currently lives in Calgary, Alberta; another is married, runs her own information design business and lives in Kelowna, British Columbia; yet another is a writer and a musician who is also a coffee expert; the youngest is still local, studying in the final year of high school.
Mark has spent his career as a leader, a vocational minister, a charities CEO and as a coach; traveling, speaking, pastoring, training leaders, helping plant churches and doing missions. Mark has also been a ghost-writer authoring 6 books and many scripts for television. In the summer of 2017 Mark began to travel full-time once again - something that has been a pleasure and passion of Mark's since his earliest days of work and ministry. Having a family history filled with Southern-Ontario circuit riding Methodist preachers Mark's heart has been pleased to travel, coach, consult and serve in this capacity.
PROFOUND HERITAGE
The Griffin family emigrated to America in the 1630's from Wales, settling initially in the Chesapeake Bay area then later in Flushing, NY. During the next 150 years this pioneer Quaker family moved north to Pennsylvania and then further north to the Canadian frontier as United Empire Loyalists, claiming loyalty to the King. Griffins founded the Ontario communities of Smithville and Waterdown. Later, the Griffin family was active in the underground railroad assisting many slaves to freedom. The family was also blessed to see dozens of Baptist and Methodist ministers sent into ministry, many successful business owners, doctors, farmers, lawyers, and a number of politicians as well. Ancestor Walter H. Griffin was involved in the world's first long-distance telephone calls between Mt. Pleasant (Brantford) and Paris, Ontario. Mr. Griffin was directly involved in those calls since at that time he operated the telegraph office which furnished the power supply and telegraph lines to facilitate pioneer telephone technology for Dr. Alexander Graham Bell.
Mark's uncle, Everett Wood served as Speaker of the House and continued as an MPP for decades. He was instrumental in pioneering universal health care, serving with Tommy Douglas in his Cabinet in the Saskatchewan Legislature.
Mark's ancestors experienced the second great awakening in Baptist and Methodist camp meetings of the late 19th Century. His Great-Grandfather, O.B. Griffin experienced the joy and infilling of the Spirit at the Asuza Street revival in Los Angeles. His son, teenager George Griffin (Mark's grandfather) experienced the same soon after at Angelus Temple, then moved back to Canada where he pioneered his first church at age 17. The boy preacher preached on the streets of Brantford and the beaches of Lake Erie before heading off to Bible College in Winnipeg, Manitoba. George B. Griffin had a fruitful ministry teaching for decades at a denominational bible school (EPBC, later "Master's College Seminary") along with years of church planting and pastoring.
Murray Griffin, Mark's father, an incredible musician, also pastored for nearly four decades before retiring from full-time pastoral ministry. He still plays countless hymns and gospel songs daily on the piano at the assisted-living home in Cobourg, Ontario where he actively encourages, edifies and evangelizes every chance he has!
Mark's maternal grandfather, John Gresko emigrated from Slovakia in the 1920's. He found faith after reading a Gospel of John handed to him while disembarking a boat of immigrants in Montreal, "Good News from a Man Named 'John'", in his native Slovak tongue. He was impacted by the scripture while journeying on a train cross-country; he confessed his faith in God with no one to speak to him except the Bible itself. Although he was raised Orthodox and had served as an altar boy, he had never actually heard the "good news", the life-changing story of Jesus Christ. Upon his employment in Hamilton, Ontario he also planted a church that remains open today.
The Griffin name has become synonymous with church planting and leadership in the last 250 years. Mark's ministry reflects the peace and joy that typifies ancestral Griffin gentlemen, warm generosity, a disarming sense of humour coupled with a strong teaching gift to navigate the scriptural foundations of newly planted churches. His communication is often described as "refreshing" and "authentic" because of his conversational delivery and story-telling, profound exegetical preaching and his illustrative teaching style - all while having relaxed fun.
Mark would be delighted to serve you, especially with any opportunity to share at your business, church or organization -- any time. Mark is always delighted to declare LIFE through coaching, consulting or communicating; in any way he can serve and assist you.