Mark Whipple was born and raised in Sudbury, MA and therefore is a lifelong Boston sports fanatic. He first arrived in Durham to attend Duke University, then served as Youth Ministry Director at CGS for two years, during which time he met and married his wife, Jen. After attending Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (and after consuming many cheesesteaks), the Whipples landed in Asheville, NC—first doing youth ministry at Trinity Presbyterian Church, and ultimately planting Westside Church. Mark and Jen and their four children (Mercy, Micah, Luke and Sophia) returned to Durham and CGS in 2018.