From decline to resurrection: The story of Saint Mark Mankato

Churches, like people, can go through seasons—dying to mission and then, in the strength of Christ, rising to it. Saint Mark Mankato is one such story.

You can think of the story like this: Saint Mark is Saint Mark—not Saint Mark’s. In other words, the church does not come from Saint Mark. Instead, it’s like him. The church has lived his same story.

Mark’s story, our story
Likely, the first cameo we get of Saint Mark in Scripture is that of the young man fleeing from Gethsemane, running away naked. He makes the same move later, deserting Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey. To Paul, Mark was unreliable—a deserter. But Mark rose again in mission. We know that. In one of the most touching reconciliations of the New Testament, Paul, facing execution, asks for Mark, declaring him “useful to me in ministry.” Mark, once a deserter, rises again and even later writes the gospel of Mark.

Saint Mark in Mankato has lived out that same rhythm of death and resurrection.

A church in need of renewal
Founded about 80 years ago as a Home Missions church plant, Saint Mark quickly grew into a dynamic and mission-focused church. It launched a school, started a campus ministry at what is now Minnesota State University, and stood as a hub of outreach and service.

But over the decades, energy dwindled. Membership slipped. By the time a new pastor arrived three years ago, the congregation described itself as a patient on the brink—needing “paddles like a paramedic to bring it back.” The pastor recalls walking in prepared for decline but finding the reality even more dire.

And yet, the central question of the Christian faith pressed in: Do you believe that God raises the dead?

Resurrection at work
Instead of rushing to programs or gimmicks, the congregation leaned on the simple power of the gospel to establish the new foundation. “I’m not going to change a thing,” the pastor decided when he first got there. “I’m just going to preach. I’m just going to teach the gospel.” The results have been nothing short of remarkable. In three years, Saint Mark has grown by more than 40 percent. Entire households have been baptized—something the pastor admits he had never experienced before. Families are returning. The church is seeing new life.

The revival of Saint Mark is even more striking when viewed against its surroundings. Mankato is dotted with large Lutheran congregations, some even ranking among the biggest in their denominations. Yet despite their size, more than 60 percent of the city remains unchurched. The mission field is vast, and Saint Mark has only begun to scratch the surface.

Hope for hollowed-out churches
Saint Mark’s story is not just its own. It’s a word of encouragement for congregations everywhere. Churches don’t have to die. They can rise. They can rediscover purpose, mission, and vitality, resting in Christ’s power to resurrect what seems lost.

The transformation of Saint Mark in Mankato stands as a living testimony: God still raises the dead. And for churches wondering if their best days are behind them, Saint Mark’s story whispers back with hope—not yet.

Written by Jonathan Bourman, home missionary at Saint Mark Mankato, Mankato, Minn.