After more than 50 years serving the Lord as a pastor and 25 years as a professor at the Baptist University of Florida, Mark Rathel is retiring to enjoy the beach life and spend time with his family.

Rathel began his career as a youth director and spent the majority of his ministry serving as interim pastor at various churches along the Gulf Coast, including First Baptist Church DeFuniak Springs, First Baptist Church Port Saint Joe, Southwide Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Paxton Baptist Church, Saint Andrews Baptist Church in Panama City,  First Baptist Church Milton, East Brent Baptist Church in Pensacola and, most recently, Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs.

For 12 years Rathel wrote Bible studies for the Florida Baptist Witness, an experience that he described as a great blessing. “The greatest blessing has been my personal growth as I studied God’s Word while also crystalizing my thoughts through writing.”

He and his wife also served as missionaries in Brazil with the International Mission Board.

“Mark has been a stable gospel presence who has shepherded and equipped thousands across his five decades of ministry,” said Brian Nall, West region catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention.

“In addition to his faithful work at Friendship Baptist Church, it has been a joy to see him strengthen several churches during their times of ministry while he served as their interim and to see the multigenerational impact he has made teaching men and women called to ministry at the Baptist University of Florida. I know our region, and beyond, is better because of Pastor Mark’s ministry, and I wish him the best as he enters a new phase of ministry.”

The professor of theology retired from the Baptist University of Florida in 2024 and preached his last sermon as pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in April 2025.

Highlights and encouragement

For Rathel, building meaningful relationships, really knowing the people he served alongside and ministered to, and preaching the Word have been the highlights of ministry.

Rathel noted that “Sunday cometh,” meaning no matter what you do for missions and ministry during the week, no matter what crisis arises, “Sunday cometh” and a pastor must preach the Word.

To pastors beginning their ministries, Rathel encourages them to make prayer their foundation and build relationships with other pastors. “Seek advice; have breakfast together; be active in your local association, and communicate your needs to one another,” said Rathel. “Pastors understand pastors and the challenges they face. Being open and honest and having one another to lean on can bring the encouragement that is most needed.”

Rathel also noted that a pastor “cannot lead where he’s never been.” He encourages pastors to be active in witnessing and going on mission. “I couldn’t ask a congregation to do something if I wasn’t also doing it,” said Rathel.

To honor his service, Friendship Baptist Church, where Rathel has served for the past eight years, held a fellowship lunch, and church members showered the Rathels with cards of appreciation, gift cards to local restaurants and a new set of patio furniture to use as they enjoy the Florida sun.

In retirement, Rathel and his wife, Angie, plan to spend more time with their grown children and three granddaughters. Rathel will continue to write and preach as opportunities arise.