Mark Sage
Pastor
Pastor Mark Sage was born and grew up in Northern Ohio. At the age of eight he trusted Christ in a small church in West Salem, Ohio. As a teenager he played football and participated on the track team. He was not close to God as he should have been and ended up out of God’s will caring about the world’s view of him more than God’s view. He decided to join the Marine Corps, graduating two weeks early to go to bootcamp at Parris Island. He continued to walk with the world for his first six months in USMC. Under conviction in Okinawa, Japan, and knowing that Christians should not live the way he was living; he sought God again and looked for a church there.
To his surprise, there was a small Baptist Church there in Okinawa. He started going the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1988 and has not looked back since. Later, in 1989 he surrendered his life to God’s will and in 1990 he surrendered his life to preach the Gospel. It was there in Okinawa at church that he met his future wife, Stephanie, who was also a young Marine. Stephanie is from the Chicago area.
Mark graduated from Oklahoma Baptist College and served as an assistant Pastor both in Texas and in Ohio. In December 1999 they were approved as missionaries with Baptist International Missions, Inc. They went to Puerto Rico and started Victory Baptist Church in 2002 in the San Juan area to reach military members at Fort Buchanan and the civilian population of the surrounding area. God blessed their ministry there where they saw many come to Christ reaching military, Puerto Ricans, and other islanders living there.
In 2005, after turning over their work in Puerto Rico to another missionary, they went to Yokosuka, Japan where Mark became the Pastor of Yokosuka Baptist Church. They saw the church grow in exciting ways and many new ministries were started along with a move of the church building nearer to the base and a complete remodel. They are especially thankful for the opportunity to establish a strong Japanese ministry there in the church. The church continues on reaching both military and Japanese for Christ.
Through a host of circumstances including the problems resulting from the earthquake and tsunami, the Sage family left Japan in March of 2011. God worked in their lives and brought them to Maineville, Ohio where they fell in love with people, the area, and were burdened with the need of the tens of thousands of people in the vicinity.
God has blessed Mark and Stephanie with three beautiful daughters, who are all married, and five grandchildren who they love very much.
To his surprise, there was a small Baptist Church there in Okinawa. He started going the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1988 and has not looked back since. Later, in 1989 he surrendered his life to God’s will and in 1990 he surrendered his life to preach the Gospel. It was there in Okinawa at church that he met his future wife, Stephanie, who was also a young Marine. Stephanie is from the Chicago area.
Mark graduated from Oklahoma Baptist College and served as an assistant Pastor both in Texas and in Ohio. In December 1999 they were approved as missionaries with Baptist International Missions, Inc. They went to Puerto Rico and started Victory Baptist Church in 2002 in the San Juan area to reach military members at Fort Buchanan and the civilian population of the surrounding area. God blessed their ministry there where they saw many come to Christ reaching military, Puerto Ricans, and other islanders living there.
In 2005, after turning over their work in Puerto Rico to another missionary, they went to Yokosuka, Japan where Mark became the Pastor of Yokosuka Baptist Church. They saw the church grow in exciting ways and many new ministries were started along with a move of the church building nearer to the base and a complete remodel. They are especially thankful for the opportunity to establish a strong Japanese ministry there in the church. The church continues on reaching both military and Japanese for Christ.
Through a host of circumstances including the problems resulting from the earthquake and tsunami, the Sage family left Japan in March of 2011. God worked in their lives and brought them to Maineville, Ohio where they fell in love with people, the area, and were burdened with the need of the tens of thousands of people in the vicinity.
God has blessed Mark and Stephanie with three beautiful daughters, who are all married, and five grandchildren who they love very much.
Jon Moore
Assistant/Youth Pastor
Pastor Jon is our youth pastor and assists Pastor Sage in areas needed.