📍Mesa Roots & Calling to Ministry

Pastor Mark Ellington was born and raised right here in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Apache Junction High School — Go Prospectors! His walk with Christ began early in life. While attending Calvary Southern Baptist Church in East Mesa, he accepted Jesus as his Savior at age eleven and later responded to God’s call to full-time Christian ministry at sixteen.

🎓Education & 30-Year Pastorship Timeline

Driven by a passion for biblical teaching, Pastor Mark earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Bible from Grand Canyon University. He continued his theological training at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he completed his Master’s Degree.

After graduating, he and his wife, Violet, returned to Arizona to serve at Valley Southern Baptist Church in Mesa. Over the next thirty years, Pastor Mark faithfully pastored four additional churches across the state while earning his Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy.

🏡Family & Life Together

Pastor Mark and Violet have been married for 28 years and are the proud parents of five children: Hope, Sara, Ryan, Leah, and Amanda. Ministry has always been a family calling, and each of them has served in various ways throughout the years.

In 2015, Pastor Mark had the joy of officiating the wedding of his son Ryan to April Robbins — a moment he describes as one of his greatest privileges.

⛪Coming Home to College View

For Pastor Mark, College View truly feels like “coming home.” Years ago, he served as an Associational Youth Pastor and hosted several youth events at the church. He often shares that College View has been a meaningful place for him and his family, and he looks forward to serving alongside a congregation that loves Christ, loves one another, and loves its community.