It’s deep heartfelt sadness that we inform you that Pastor Mark Tobias the former Chairperson of The Asia Pacific Discipleship Trust passed away on Wednesday night the 14th of August, 2024.
Pastor Mark suddenly resigned as a trustee on the 23rd of February 2023 when he learned of his diagnosis of cancer of the intestine. He graciously continued to support the Trust and its publications and other activities in many practical ways until about two months before he entered a hospice in Wellington.
Nearly four years ago his beautiful wife Julie passed away with cancer, so it had been a lonely road for Pastor Mark in recent times.
The Trustees passed their sincere condolences, love and appreciation to his family and congregation at the Sunday service of the Christian Revival Centre church on 53 Vivian St, Te Aro, Wellington, 6011 this Sunday the 18th August 2024.
A memorial service was held at 2 pm on Saturday 14th September at Wellington CRC. The delay in conducting a Memorial Service is because it has been scheduled for a time after a CRC ministry team returns from the Solomon Islands, and the Tobias family members arrive from South Australia.
When Pastor Mark visited his home state of South Australia he would always come back with stories about how he was guiding his fellow denominational ministers and leaders in the privilege of ‘Loving Our Neighbours’.
Pastor Mark frequently recalled the happy memories he had of his childhood growing up in South Australia as the son of Hungarian immigrants. In his ministry experience, he studied Eastern Orthodox theology and obtained a master’s degree. He thought outside of the box, and was a much loved friend and mentor to a young Maori man who had been a Muslim and studied Islam in the Middle East. Pastor Mark highly valued his friendship with a Wellington-based Shia Sheikh formerly from Kerala in Cochin, Southern India.
Pastor Mark was instrumental in promoting and delivering and distributing hundreds of copies of the APDT booklet ‘Answers to New Christians Questions’ throughout the Solomon Islands.
Pastor Mark pioneered a ‘Friends of Friends Fellowship’ in Wellington after attending an ‘Our Neighbours’ Conference at the Avalon Assembly of God Church. He loved ‘Our Neighbours’ and was always ready to tell us about his latest exciting encounter with ‘Our Neighbours’.
As a legacy to Pastor Mark’s life and ministry, please pray that God will raise up many more Pastors who will catch the vision of ‘Loving Our Neighbours’ and support publishing contextual literature that will advance the Gospel among those who have not heard. Pastor Mark is survived by his daughter and son who live in the Wellington region. Both are married and have children, who were Ps Mark’s most loved grandchildren.