Robin Mark Biography 2008

Robin Mark lives in Belfast, with his wife Jacqueline and three children, Catherine, David and James. He combines an international ministry in Praise and Worship with a worship leading role at his Belfast home church (CFC) where he is now Emeritus Director of Worship. He is also a partner in acoustics company F.R. Mark and Associates and Lecturer in Acoustics in Belfast's Queens University.

Last year he passed his 20th anniversary of worship leading in Christian Fellowship Church in Belfast. He continues to flourish under the leadership of Senior Pastor Paul Reid and the elders there, and is also pleased to provide pastoral oversight to a whole new generation of musicians and leaders in that, now famous, “Revival in Belfast” church.

It was way back in 1992 when the first recorded album "Captive Heart", included several songs that are still used in worship not only in his home church but throughout Northern Ireland and the world. Further locally produced albums, “Not by Might” and “Days of Elijah” became best sellers in Ireland in the mid 1990s and news of Robin's songs and albums spread fast throughout the UK where publishers and event organisers began to make contact.

Europe wide release of new albums followed including the award winning certified U.K. Gold selling "Mandate" series with a unique blend of old and new songs presented in the context of the largest men's conference in the U.K. Robin recorded another Mandate album late last year at the 2007 event which has just been released in Europe. It again captures the unique and intensely emotive sound of thousands of male voices joined in praise.

In 1999 Integrity Music signed Robin to record the seminal “Revival in Belfast” album, live at his church. Using a blend of mainly local church musicians and the US based recording engineers, the spirit of worship at CFC was captured in what was to become one of the biggest selling church based worship albums of all time. Robin has remained with Integrity Music ever since with a further four albums recorded. His overall music sales have now reached almost 2 million albums throughout the world.

In these productions, Robin’s signature style of songwriting has spawned hymns of praise and worship which have consistently and repeatedly become the anthems for churches around the globe. Not that Robin regards himself as a "songwriter" per se. In the Worship Together, Toronto worship conference in 2000 he stated,

"...I write only when I feel I have something to say. I cannot sit down and write automatically or prolifically, God hasn't given me that gift, unfortunately! But whether it’s in music, song, business, family or other area of service, so long as I am praising Him, that's all that matters."

Songs such as “Days of Elijah”, “Revival”, “The Wonder of Your Cross, “Take us to the River”, and “Heaven’s Gates” have been his vehicles for that praise.

The albums containing these songs have garnered several awards including Albums of the Year in the U.K., four certified Gold Discs in local and overseas markets and other nominations and personal awards from peers and the Christian Music Industry. He was awarded International Artist of the Year at the 2004 Dove Awards and as recently as March 2008 was awarded Worship Artist of the Year at a U.K. Radio Awards ceremony.

Last year (2007) saw the release of a new studio album, his first for 8 years, called “East of the River”, with another superb collection of songs, hymns and melodies. The album was a top ten Christian Music album on 2007 sales in Canada, though only released half way through the year.

His first book “Warrior Poets of the 21st Century” was also released during the summer of 2007 and is now available. It charts a personal and Biblical journey through worship to underline the importance of a heart of worship in our lives as Christians.

His latest projects, all planned for release early to mid 2008, include the new Mandate men’s worship recording “Living the Adventure” from Integrity Music Europe, his songbook for “East of the River” including many of the stories behind the songs, and, a new DVD featuring his most popular songs live in concert with footage and stories from his ministry.

Naturally invitations to minister have come from all over the globe and, whilst balancing a strong commitment to family and his home based responsibilities, he has traveled the world on concert and conference tour dates including Canada, the US, Hawaii, Australia, Singapore, Hungary, Italy, Scotland, England and Wales. In 2008 he is again ministering in various parts of Europe, the U.K., Canada and America.

With such an anthology of album success, awards and touring experience, you might have expected all this to have gone to his head a little. But not so. His attitude and approach is most simply encapsulated by this recent quote during a press interview when asked about his life and ministry.

“I remember being told by an old Pastor to “hold everything loosely”. Everything that I have ever had or will ever achieve is simply God’s grace and pleasure. Any talent that I might muster has been given to me by the Lord, as the Bible says, “in accordance with my ability”. The worth or value of my ministry pales into total insignificance when set against what Christ did for me. All I have ever done is, at its core, an offering of worship in response to Him. Were it all to end or change tomorrow then, so long as I have tried to do whatever He asked me to with all my heart and soul, that’s all that matters. I have been very blessed”.

In the midst of all this travel and expanding horizons he still feels the need to invest in his family and continue to praise the Giver of all gifts within the context of the broken, but slowly healing, society where he grew up. He remains firmly rooted in Northern Ireland desiring that the fulfillment of the prayers of many people, that God would "come and heal this Land", will soon be completed.

This page last updated 05/29/2008 11:32:44 AM