Biography

 

Mark and Linda Louw are global missionaries for the Church of the Nazarene living in Dakar, Senegal.  Mark serves as Field Strategy Coordinator (Field Director) for the 18 nations that comprise the West Africa Field. In his capacity as Field Strategy Coordinator, Mark provides leadership through vision casting, leadership development and strategy coordination of all ministries on the Field. The primary ministry objective of Mark and Linda is to ensure that all essential elements are in place to help facilitate a great church planting movement of the Lord across the Field.  Linda provides Mark with mission support, enabling him to travel throughout the sub-region of West Africa.

Prior to their missionary assignment Mark and Linda served as youth pastors on the Sacramento District in California from 1992 – 1994.  They also served as senior pastors on the Sacramento District from 1994-1999.  Mark was ordained on the Sacramento District in 1997.

At 16, Mark felt called to missions.  After a period away from the Lord, whilst serving as an officer in the Infantry, Mark accepted the call to ministry and entered into pastoral ministry in 1992.  Linda is a graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University (1982) and is a credentialed teacher in California. In 1994 both Mark and Linda sensed the Lord’s leading into missions.  During the missions’ service at the 1997 General Assembly in San Antonio, Texas, they accepted the call placed on their lives.  Feeling the Lord’s release from their pastoral assignment in December 1998, they attended Missionary Assessment in June 1999 and began their Missionary Internship in September 1999.

The Louws have four daughters:  Kathryn, Kirstin, Johanna, and Alexandra.