Mark and Kathy grew up in Winnipeg in the Fort Garry neighbourhood where Church of the Rock Winnipeg South Campus is located. They have been married for over 30 years and have 3 grown children.

Graduating from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Agriculture in 1977, Mark ran the family-owned farm for 10 years. It wasn’t until his mid-twenties that he entered Bible School and then went on to study New Testament Greek at Providence Theological Seminary. Mark has also been involved in politics over the years and in 1993 ran as a candidate in the federal general election.

Mark and Kathy founded Church of the Rock in 1987 with just a handful of family and friends, renting out a small, former church building in the Grant Park area. Despite humble beginnings, Mark’s calling and passion to reach and evangelize the city of Winnipeg began to see results, with new believers coming to Christ every week. Soon, the church outgrew their building, being forced to move several times into increasingly bigger spaces and having up to four services in a weekend. It was during this time that Mark and Kathy were inspired to begin a television ministry, and in 1996, Mark’s first service was televised on Manitoba’s “A” Channel. Now, Church of the Rock has a thriving television ministry that airs all across Canada.

Using a blend of comedy and storytelling to weave seamlessly with his fervor for evangelism, Mark doesn’t shy away from challenging and empowering his audience.

Outspoken, he presents in a relevant and captivating style, connecting with a diverse range of ages and backgrounds. Desiring to reach more people within Winnipeg, September 2013 marked the opening of the first of many Church of the Rock Campuses, live-streaming services from the Winnipeg South Campus. Within the same year, online services launched, suddenly engaging an online congregation from all over the world.

Mark also strives to see unity within the churches and Christian organizations of Winnipeg, and he serves as a principal leader in a city-wide prayer movement. He actively and intentionally meets with church and para-church leaders to equip and enable them to more effectively reach others. For 13 years, Mark was a primary organizer of North America’s largest March for Jesus, which drew crowds of up to 50,000 people. More recently, Mark spearheaded the Love Winnipeg movement—a group of churches showing love to the people of Winnipeg through random acts of kindness. Whether it is a free carnival, cleaning up community buildings, or blessing local teachers or police officers, Mark encourages churches to get creative in ways to show Christ’s love to people outside of their buildings.

Mark and Kathy feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to give back to the same neighbourhood and city they grew up in, continually striving to extend Christ’s influence across Winnipeg and globally. They are excited to see what God will continue to do through them and are constantly seeking new ways to spread His Word to all people.

Born in small town Saskatchewan, Steve joined our pastoral staff in 2013. After attending Church of the Rock for many years as “back seat spectators”, Steve and his wife, Sun, eventually came around to volunteer and later lead teams of volunteers. They now oversee many different ministries including Marriage Ministry, Visitation, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and Discovery.

Having an impressive background in Mechanical Engineering, former pastoral experience at Winnipeg Chinese Alliance Church & Chinese Mennonite Brethren Church, and working at CHAI Immigrant Centre, Steve has a unique skill set to pastor and lead people from all walks of life.

In 2020 Steve joined the Senior Pastoral Team where his influence continues to expand. Specifically he has taken on the role of leading the congregation of our Saturday night services. Steve has become an invaluable leader of the church with a vision to help others walk passionately with the Jesus. The Hoffman’s have three adult children whom they are delighted to see serving the Lord.

Aubrey and Eileen have been pastoring for more than 30 years.  They moved to Winnipeg to join our pastoral staff in 2001. An experienced leader, Aubrey exercises his talents as a mentor and spiritual guide for those in need. Since 2013, Aubrey has been heavily involved in the multi‐site plants, raising up and preparing leaders for each of the Church of the Rock campuses.

As part of our senior pastoral team, Aubrey has a strong focus on building Christian community, helping others hear the voice of God, equipping others to minister out of an emotionally healthy place, and raising up the next generation of ministry leaders, particularly for small groups and ministry leadership. In his relational and relatable style of preaching, Aubrey is a gracious and practical speaker, equipping believers to realize their full potential in Christ. He is continually on the watch for potential leaders and is elated for the opportunities God has given to develop and strengthen future church forerunners.

Aubrey also serves on the apostolic council for LifeLinks International, the network of churches to which Church of the Rock belongs.

Growing up in Fort Frances, Ontario, Duane and his wife, Shawna, moved to Winnipeg in 1998 before joining our staff in 2001. Having a Bachelor in Theology and pastoring at two churches prior, Duane and Shawna were a natural fit for Church of the Rock. Starting with Youth Ministry for several years, Duane showed natural leadership and a talent for technical aspects, eventually moving into the Operations Pastor role, and most recently, accepted a position on our Senior Pastoral Team in 2018.

Duane and Shawna have a heart particularly for spreading the gospel, having led dozens of local outreach events and mission trips during their time on staff. In 2019, Duane accepted the role as Executive Director of the missions organization World Focus Inc., furthering his desire to spread God’s Word. He is also gifted prophetically and a frequent teacher of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Duane and Shawna have been instrumental in the success of Church of the Rock, and they hope to continue their calling in helping others hear God’s voice for many years to come.

If you are visiting for the first time, we will not embarrass you, have you stand up, or ask you to give money. As you come into the building and make your way to the main auditorium (we also often call it the Sanctuary), you’ll have someone say hello at the doorway and direct you where you need to go. From there you can then choose where you would like to sit and enjoy the service, which includes music, prayer, and a sermon from one of our pastors. The whole service usually lasts around 70 minutes. 

After praise and worship on Sunday mornings, the younger members of our congregation are invited to join the classes for their age group in Kidz Rock. Children are provided with a SAFE and FUN environment within which to learn about the Lord. A check-in/paging system is in place for your convenience and peace of mind. You may also stay with your child until he/she is comfortable.

Each week you will need to register your children for Kidz Rock, and it’s easiest to do that by visiting the Kidz Rock desk before the service starts. The first time you register there will be a form to fill out,  so you will probably want to come a few minutes early that day so you won’t be rushed. 

When you visit us you will find people wearing whatever they are comfortable in. Some come in their casual clothes and others dress up. We are much more interested in your connecting with the church and finding a place to facilitate your spiritual needs than in what you look like or what you wear. So, “come as you are” and you will fit right in.

We believe that our time with God should be a joyful experience—that’s why we call our weekend gatherings “Celebration Services!” Our praise and worship includes both high energy/upbeat music and more reflective moments and songs, and we hope that all who attend will feel free to participate as they are most comfortable. 

The sermon will be the same at all locations most weekends – at Winnipeg South the sermon will be preached live.
The weekly message is filled with practical life applications and sprinkled with humour; each message is delivered in a biblically relevant manner and will help you deal with the real everyday issues of life. What you learn on the weekend you will be able to draw upon throughout the week.

We have an assistive listening system to help people who have a hearing impairment. When you visit our Winnipeg South Campus, please approach the sound desk in the center of the auditorium to sign out your receiver and headphones. Please bring identification with you.

At our Winnipeg South Campus many people enjoy lingering after the service. This proves to be an excellent time to meet new people. When you visit, plan to join us outside the kitchen in the main foyer for coffee and conversation. You can also go to our World Cafe to purchase specialized coffee and pastries.
(Note: only water bottles are allowed in the main auditorium/sanctuary, for the sake of our custodial team.)

Yes there is an option for you.  Our desire is that everyone is able to enjoy our service regardless of their needs.  For those who struggle with sensory input, we offer a Low Sensory Service in a smaller room near the Sanctuary.  There you will find a quieter space with a live TV stream of the service.  There will be lower lighting and sound, as well as a scent-free environment.  This room is hosted by one of our volunteers and the noise level is kept very low to accommodate the needs of those attending.