A dynamic leader, a passionate preacher, and a tremendous visionary, Dr. Mark E. Harris serves as the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC. A native of Winston-Salem, NC, Dr. Harris graduated from Appalachian State University in 1987 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Upon answering God’s call to ministry that same year, Dr. Harris enrolled at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC where he would earn both his Masters of Divinity degree and his Doctor of Ministry degree in Christian Leadership. Having served in youth ministry for a short time, in 1989 he was called to his first pastorate at Center Grove Baptist Church in Clemmons, NC, where God blessed in remarkable ways with unprecedented growth and relocation of the church campus. Answering God’s call in late 1999, Harris began as Senior Pastor of Curtis Baptist Church in Augusta, GA in January 1, 2000. Again, God blessed with phenomenal growth and facility expansion as the church entered a time of planning, construction, and occupation of a $7.4 million Preschool and Children’s building. Then, in July 2005, Dr. Harris answered God’s call once again, and came to his current post as Senior Pastor of the 3400 member First Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC.
Dr. Harris was married to Elizabeth Bates Harris on June 20, 1987. They have 3 children, Laura, John, and Matthew. As a gifted leader, Dr. Harris has served in many leadership roles in the local association, the North Carolina Baptist State Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Along with serving on numerous committees and task forces, Harris served from 1999-2009 as a trustee of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. During that time he served on the Presidential Search Committee, as well as Chairman of the Board from 2005-2007. Most recently, Dr. Harris served as President of the NC Pastor’s Conference in 2008, Board of Directors for the Biblical Recorder from 2006-2010, First Vice President of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention 2010-2011, and is currently serving his second term as the President of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention.