Mark Glew

The Rock Church | Denton, England

Tell us about your family.

My wife's name is Alexandra, and we've been married for 22 years. We have two children: our daughter Isabelle, who is 16 years old, and our son Zach, who is 13 years old. We love family movie nights with pizza, our church family, exercising, and going on walks with our dog, Wilf.

How have you seen God working in your family?

My wife and I are so thankful to God for the way that he has been working in our children's lives as we parent them through exam season at school.

Growing up in loving but non-Christian households, my wife and I were motivated to do well in school to achieve a good career, with the financial security and good reputation that that can bring.

Whilst having a successful career can be a great achievement under God, we want our children to be motivated to work as if they are working for Christ (Ephesians 6:7), out of thankfulness for what Jesus has done for them, and so bring him glory, rather than personal glory.

Just last week, our daughter showed us a Post-it note in which she wrote down why she studies. Top of the list was to bring glory to God. My wife and I both could see that it was not her feeling that she had to write that down to please us, but that this was her beginning to desire to work for the glory of God. We praise God for that!

How have you seen God working in your life?

As a church planter, you experience lots of highs and lows as you seek to launch a new church with the team that God has given you. God has helped me see that with him, no low is too low and that I need not despair. There is always hope with God, and it has been amazing to see how far he has grown us as a church (in faith and in number) over this last year and a half of planning and planting The Rock Church Denton, despite the lows. He has taught me to, 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make straight your paths' (Proverbs 3:5-6). This has made me calm amidst the highs and lows of church planting and I love that God has helped me in this way.

How have you seen God working in your church?

When we first started meeting together as a launch team for the Rock Church Denton in October 2024, to plan and pray for the new church, a number of us barely knew each other, and some didn't know each other at all.

It has been wonderful to see how God has united us as an expression of the body of Christ in Denton, to see how the team have grown in love for each other and the people of Denton, and how he has gifted people in ways which we didn't know or expect. It has also been so great to see members of the launch team becoming clearer in the gospel of grace and forgiveness, and what that means for them in their lives, as well as for those we want to reach. God's grace is so sweet to us!

What is your church’s mission/vision?

Our Mission: Encouraging everyone to enjoy the hope and help of Jesus, our Rock.

How can we be praying for you?

1. Please pray for me to grow in trusting the Lord to build our church, and in his timing, rather than anxious toil (Psalm 127:1-2)

2. Please pray for my family that I would lead family devotions that are accessible, fun and spiritually nourishing for us all. Please pray for love for Jesus to grow, and laughter.

3. Please pray that the Rock Church Denton would be a healthy church, shaped by repentance and faith in our relationships with God and each other.

To send Mark a note of encouragement, write to HelloCP@spanishriver.com.