Servants on the same team.

Dr. Mark Mucklow became pastor of First Southern Baptist Church on October 10, 1993. Born and raised in a Christian home in Atlanta, Georgia, Mark is the youngest of four children. He became a Christian at the age of twelve and felt God's call to a ministerial vocation during his junior year of college at Georgia State University. He completed his education at Georgia State (B.A., Business Administration, 1982) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1987, D.Min., 2000).

Brother Mark has served God as a Sunday school teacher, church recreation director, youth minister, and pastor of his now third church. Mark was commissioned as a Chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve (1988), served in Operation Desert Storm, and is also a chaplain for the Arizona Disaster Relief Team. He has been an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University and Gateway Baptist Theological Seminary (Arizona Campus). He serves on the Board of Trustees for Arizona Baptist Children's Services and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Brother Mark met his wife, Tricia, while pastoring in Lawton, Oklahoma. They married and have four grown children: Abigail, Caleb, Elizabeth, and Joel. Pastor Mark enjoys several hobbies and activities. Tricia is a CPA turned homemaker turned Administrator at Northwest Christian School, and she is currently playing keyboard for our worship services and enjoys singing in the choir.

Andrew Marchbanks has been a member of FSBCG since he was a young child, and in 2019 he graduated from Grand Canyon University, majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Biblical Studies. Andrew completed his M.Div in 2023 and is currently working on his D.Min from Gateway Baptist Theological Seminary. Andrew oversees the educational and administrative ministries in the church. He also supervises the Christian Challenge collegiate ministry staff at Glendale Community College, Arizona Christian University, and Grand Canyon University. Andrew married his wife, Caitlin, in March 2021.

Caitlin Marchbanks has been a member at FSBCG since January 2019, when she came on staff as a full-time campus missionary at Glendale Community College in partnership with Christian Challenge. She has been serving as our part-time Publications Secretary since 2022. Caitlin graduated with her Associate in Arts from Glendale Community College in 2016 and her Bachelor's in Behavioral Health from Arizona Christian University in 2022. She and Andrew have two kids.

Darek Millsaps joined our staff as part-time Minister of Music in January of 1993. Nearly a Phoenix native, he was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but his family, including an older brother, moved to the valley in 1971. He accepted Christ as a 9-year-old and sensed God's call to a Christian music vocation at the age of 19. Darek is a graduate of Grand Canyon University (Bachelor of Music with emphasis in vocal performance, 1994).

Darek has been serving God in part-time Minister of Worship positions since 1990. He was ordained at our church to the Gospel ministry in 1996. He also currently works full-time as a private investigator for Kolb, Stewart and Associates.

Darek was married to Melissa for 25 years before she went to be with our Lord as the result of a malignancy. In 2020, he married Christine, who presently works in the administration office at Faith Christian School in Mesa. She brought three adult children into his life: Chandler, Brannon, and Grace. Darek and Christine enjoy serving together in the Worship and Music ministry.

John Walton came on staff at FSBCG in 2023. Before that, he served with the collegiate ministry Christian Challenge for four years, after serving in youth ministry for three years before his time here. John has a Bachelor's in Biblical and Theological Studies with an emphasis in Biblical Languages from Arizona Christian University. He is currently attending Gateway Seminary where he also works as their librarian. John has been married to Ashlynne (a Special Education teacher) since December 2023, and the two have enjoyed serving in youth ministry for years.

Mikal Hoodenpyle has been a member of the FSBCG congregation since 2023. In addition to working in the office, Mikal also serves with Christian Challenge as a campus missionary to Arizona Christian University. She is currently attending Gateway Seminary, working toward a Master of Christian Counseling.