Mark Longworth grew up in northwest Indiana. His father, Mike Longworth, a 1988 graduate of Hyles-Anderson College, and his mother, Debbie, now reside in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mark was the fifth of six children born into the Longworth family. His parents worked hard to train him and his siblings to serve God with their lives. Mark’s mother led him to Christ at the age of four in their church in Lake Station, Indiana. God called Mark to preach at Youth Conference 2001, when Dr. Jack Schaap preached his well-known sermon “America! America!”
After graduating from high school, Mark enrolled in Hyles-Anderson College in September of 2004 with the intention of training for the pastorate. However, God had a different plan. Anticipating that the Lord was leading him into missions, Mark changed his major to missions his second semester, yet without any clear direction. It was during this semester
that Mark surrendered to go to the mission field under the preaching of Dr. Steve Heidenreich and Pastor Schaap during Missions Emphasis Days at Hyles-Anderson. It was during this conference that Dr. Schaap presented team missions and introduced his plans to send out many teams all across the world. Mark felt the Lord leading him to the Philippines when Dr. Heidenreich preached on Thursday, and felt the Lord leading him into team missions when Dr. Schaap preached on Friday. However, Dr. Darrell Moore, FBC’s missions pastor, later told him that he had no plans to send a team to the Philippines, unless God were to drop a billion dollars into his lap!
In 2006, Mark began to court Priscilla Hopkins, the daughter of a dedicated Christian couple, Ralph and Nancy Hopkins of Harrisville, Rhode Island. Shortly after Mark’s graduation, he and Priscilla were married on February 23, 2008. A new team had been
formed! Shortly after this new union was solemnized, Mark and Priscilla joined another newly-formed team, the India Team, and they began deputation in August of 2008. After thousands of miles, 36 states, three different vehicles, and one new baby boy, the Longworths arrived back in Hammond to make preparations for their approaching departure to India. Little did they know, God had a different journey ahead for this young family!
Through a series of God-ordained events, the India Team became the Indo-Philippine Team, and in June of 2010, Mark, Priscilla, and Andrew left their home for their new home, Bacolod City, Philippines.
Read Priscilla’s personal blog: For His Glory
Follow the longworthfamily on Twitter
Contact Mark & Priscilla via Skype: markncilla
