Mark Cooper

Mark A. Cooper is the second child of Jesse and Rebekah Cooper. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. He attended The Light of The World Chapel under Pastor Thomas Ridley. He was taught to read the bible at a young age, and the evangelism and prayers of his mother and aunt Josphine Smith was fruitful. At age five he attended a Youth Christian rally at Town Hall in Philadelphia where he went forward to accept Christ as his Savior. He was baptized at age seven by Pastor John Green Jr. of the Christ Baptist Church where he became a member. At age 15 he dedicated his life to serve God while attending Camp Streamside. The following years he responded to an invitation to serve God as a missionary after a sermon by Rev. Joe Jeter of Have Christ Will Travel Mission. That summer he went on his first mission trip to Macon Georgia with Tim Green and Jimmy Griffin. There they worked as counselor at the Crossroads Bible Camp under Rev. Reginald Shipley. After attending Northeastern Christian Jr. College in Villanova PA. Rev. Cooper transferred to Geneva College in Beaver Falls and completed his B.A. in Communication Arts. In 1985 he was ordained as a deacon at Christ Baptist Church. Because of his love for mission Rev. Cooper took his first short term mission trip to Ivory Coast West Africa in the summer of 1985. In 1991 he was licensed as a minister of the Gospel at Christ Baptist Church and ordained in 1996 under the pastorship of Rev. John Green Jr. He started the Solid Rock Outreach Ministry to make summer camp available to inner-city youth in Philadelphia. He was made steward over a 48 acre neglected camp property in Lake Lure NC by Evangelist Charles William. He put together a team of workers and did restoration work and ran summer camp for seven years. In the winter of 1996 with Pastor John Green Jr. he returned to the Ivory Coast where they spent a month ministering with Daisie Whaley, preaching in small villages in the bush regions. Rev. Cooper researched and self published the book "Dear Father: Letters to Frederick Douglass from His Children" and composer of praise and worship music. In 2002 he married Dr. Crystal Robertson Cooper. In the winter of 2009 they planted the Crossroads Fellowship Church in Royersford, PA. which was a mobile church that met in a local school. In the spring of 2013 he met neighbor Ted Josey in Perkiomen Twp area of Montgomery County PA. After discussion and prayer they started The Simon Fellowship, a Men's Bible Study group that has continued to meet once a month. The aim of the group is to help men to grow in God's grace and knowledge, and have an impact on the lives of others.