Mark Barnett has a broad background in sales, marketing, pastoring, music, and technology. Currently he is semi-retired, but still works a couple of days a week in accounting for his wife. He also spends lots of time working on video productions of various kinds. He has produced over a hundred videos – some of which can be found on YouTube. In the past he has formed church orchestras in Topeka and Minneapolis. In addition, he has begun church choirs and put together numerous ensembles in many churches throughout the country. Playing the piano is one of his favorite leisure activities. Lately he has picked back up his interest in Concert Productions, pulling together remarkable musical talent from the local area in both the youth and adult sectors. He loves seeing young people work hard and develop their musical skills to an enjoyable and entertaining level of expertise.
The first production of the Siloam Music Festival Series was a private Home Concert at his brother and sister-in-law’s home (James and Marilyn Barnett) on March 18, 2012. About 65 attended, and it was immensely well-received (see Concert Reviews). Between 2012-2014 Mark produced a total of nine free public concerts involving 230 local musicians with a total attendance of around 3,500 from the Siloam community. You can check out all the videos from the nine concerts on the Video Links Page.
In 2020 Mark had organized two high-end concerts for the Siloam Music Festival with up to 60-musicians involved. However, because of COVID, those had to be postponed until now. The November 13th concert will fulfill one of those two previously planned events, and provide Dr. Deborah Caldwell the opportunity to play in front of home-town friends accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra and professional conductor.
Mark also put together a full day of music for the Heritage Festival in the Amphitheater in Siloam Springs in June of last year (2021), as well as organizing and producing a Patriotic Concert Event (also at the Amphitheater) this past July 2nd. To view the performances of that concert, check out the Latest Video Page.
Another music production that Mark has enjoyed putting together the last several years have been recruiting and organizing different rock-n-roll band members that were active back in high school in the 60’s and 70’s. They have performed at several multi-year class reunions of the same year period. Check out this LINK from the last one.
Mark has a huge passion for spiritual and eternal things, especially everything pertaining to the exegetical study of the Bible, which he has read many times. Although he has gained great wisdom, knowledge, and understanding from others, most of his Biblical understanding has come through deep and intense prayer and study while facing and overcoming some difficult experiences in life. Mark has a strong desire to do more writing on Biblical topics of interest, especially on the subject of the God-man relationship as it relates historically and prophetically. He is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lawrence, Kansas, and enjoys attending church at the First Baptist Church in SS and Fellowship Bible Church in Rogers and Fayetteville when he’s back in town. Mark shares the same methodology for evangelism as demonstrated by Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, where he attended several Leadership Conferences back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He has a great love for people from all walks of life, whether Christian or not. He has come from beautiful and humble Christian roots, being the fifth-of-seven children of the late Ray and Laurine Barnett, who celebrated their 74th anniversary on November 17, 2014.
Mark graduated from Siloam Springs High School in 1972. Since then he has completed a B.A. in Theology from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska; a M.Div. from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and a M.A. in Educational Technology from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Other universities that he has attended along the way toward completion of these degrees are: John Brown University, Texas Christian University, Washburn University, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and the University of Arkansas. Mark is married to Sandra, who is the Director of Financial Operations for McGrew Realty in Lawrence, Kansas, and is very, very proud of his three boys, Michael, Stephen, and Christopher, as well as his daughters-in-law, Amanda, Andrea, and Becca, and, of course, his grandchildren, Jacob, David, Evelyn, Luke, Ellie Boo, and great-grandson, Christian.
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