In a few weeks Janet and I are moving to Dallas where I will begin a new ministry chapter serving pastors with Guidestone Financial Resources, a ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention. Two years ago, Oklahoma Baptists’ Executive Director Dr. Hance Dilbeck invited me to help serve pastors and churches in Oklahoma. I was surprised when 19 months later he told me he was going to become Guidestone’s new president and CEO in Dallas. I was even more surprised when he invited me to go with him! 

I thought, “Who in their right mind would hire me twice?”

My Guidestone ministry is similar to my former role at LifeWay in that I will be partnering with other SBC ministries nationwide to help pastors get and stay healthy. My calendar is already filling up with opportunities to serve alongside NAMB, IMB, Lifeway, state conventions, seminaries, associations, and select ministries outside the SBC. 

Friends, there is nothing that brings me more joy and purpose than helping pastors succeed!

FAMILY

Janet has proven herself to be a rock star realtor in both Nashville and Tulsa, so why not Dallas? Yes, we are miraculously still happily married because she is also a rock star wife! Janet is restarting in a new state for the third time in four years, and each state requires her to take another real estate exam. #StJanet

Janet’s parents, Gilbert and Joyce Kendrick, are also moving to the Big D, and we will all live in the Frisco area off of the Dallas North Turnpike which leads to the Guidestone office (across the street from the Galleria). All four of us are native Texans, so we all have family and friends awaiting us there. 

Our children live in Tulsa now, which is by far the greatest downside of this move. Holly and Brandon both grew up in Arkansas so I suspect they will go back there, and Brad is moving to Waco where most of the Dances live. 

OKLAHOMA! 

I do not want to miss this opportunity to say thank you to the dear friends we have made in Oklahoma. Thank you for entrusting me with your Oklahoma Ministry Pipeline which exceeded all of our expectations with over 100 mentoring cohorts across the state! I will also miss the 400+ pastors you entrusted me with in my region .. and your ginormous deer!

STAY CONNECTED

Please take a moment to update our contact info: Mark: 214-720-4705; markdance7@gmail.com; mark.dance@guidestone.org. Janet: 918-261-4008; janetdance@kw.com. While you’re at it, why not take two clicks and five seconds more to sign up for my encouraging blog posts. Simply scroll down a tad to the “Subscribe” box and add your email address. 

Thank you for catching up and for encouraging us!

mark & janet