Our Vision

Love God, love people, make disciples and be His witness.

Name: The story of justBible Ministries
Uploaded: 2016-06-28T10:11:04-07:00
Duration: 39 min 10 s
Description: How a 2012 meeting with a village pastor became a roof over Seeta Nazigo, an annual Symposium that now gathers believers from across East Africa, and partnerships that dig wells and raise classrooms alongside the teaching. Press play for the story of justBible Ministries.

Who we are

What is justBible Ministries?

justBible Ministries is a 501(c)(3) missions organization that trains pastors across East Africa to teach Scripture, and meets the physical needs in front of those same churches. Founded in 2011 by Mark Cooper, it is one work — not a teaching ministry on one side and an aid ministry on the other.

A symposium is three days through one book of the Bible, verse by verse. Pastors leave with a printed workbook in their own language and, if they came without one, a Bible. Selected pastors are trained in the study method and then hold Partner Symposiums of their own.

The same partners have asked for wells, classrooms, toilets, and homes. What is built belongs to the local ministry that asked for it. Mark Cooper — ordained chaplain, Dallas Theological Seminary, former PACCAR executive and Samaritan’s Purse — leads the work from Windthorst, Texas.

The documentary

One work, on film.

How a 2012 meeting with a village pastor became a roof over Seeta Nazigo, an annual Symposium that now gathers believers from across East Africa, and partnerships that dig wells and raise classrooms alongside the teaching.

Press play for the story of justBible Ministries.

A packed symposium hall at the Zion Community Center — press play to watch the documentary.

A note from our founder

Why Uganda?

Not in my most creative imagination did I ever think that I would run a ministry that would work in Uganda, Africa. Ministry — yes. But Africa — no way! “My” vision was to gain experience, work hard, and start a ministry that would teach the Bible in the US and be comfortable. Many times I have been confronted with comments such as: “There is so much need in this country — why Uganda?” The answer is simple but complex: God. Yes, that’s the Sunday School answer. But let me explain.

For many years I traveled to many countries, making great ministry connections around the world. When the Lord orchestrates a connection between His warriors, it is instant, real, and indescribable. The Holy Spirit makes it clear that this is a relationship that is ordained and must be nurtured.

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In 2012, I met Pastor David Musoke from a village called Seeta Nazigo in Uganda. Pastor David was pastoring a church and administrating a school. When I met him, he was holding church in a building with only partial walls and without a roof. What impressed me was his heart for the Lord and for getting people to know Him.

Pastor David, at the time, was mentoring 40 other pastors from different villages. He would ride a motorcycle over rough dirt roads every week to share what he had studied from the Word of God — because those pastors did not have their own Bible.

Upon returning home, the Holy Spirit kept replaying the interaction, and I realized something had to be done. justBible Ministries had been formed in 2011 to teach the Word of God and help those in need; through it, funds were raised to install a roof on the Zion Community Center in Seeta Nazigo. In 2014, the first Symposium was held in the Center — the book of Joshua taught to 200 attendees, who received workbooks to take back and teach in their home villages, and 50 Luganda Bibles were handed out.

Okay, Lord, I did that. Exhausted from the preparation, logistics, fundraising, travel, and teaching three days straight, my mindset was to check it off the list and move on. But no — the requests came in for the Symposiums to become an annual event, and the Holy Spirit would not release me from the burning desire to hold another. So in 2015 I set out to do “one more.” Again the preparation, planning, funds, and travel… but the Lord provided and made it all happen. With the exception of the “lockdown” years, these Symposiums have occurred every year since.

The Lord wasn’t done. We held three independent Bible Study Techniques workshops with selected pastors in Uganda and Kenya, training them to study the Bible and to understand how the workbooks are structured so they could teach the Word efficiently and accurately. The result: Partner Symposiums now held across East Africa by pastors we trained, in languages we do not speak. Check out our map to see where they’ve been held.

In conjunction with the Symposiums, the Lord has provided the resources to continue construction on the Community Center. The roof is complete, the walls are complete, windows and doors are installed, the building is fully plastered, and the floor is concreted.

The Lord was not done yet! In addition to the Symposium, in 2024 over 200 children attended a Children’s Symposium — supported by a team of four of us who conducted both.

And the Lord is still not done. In July 2025 we held the 9th International Symposium at the Zion Community Center in Seeta Nazigo, Uganda — roughly 400 adults and 250 children, a team of six from the US teaching the book of Colossians, and pastors traveling from Kenya, Ethiopia, Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, and across Uganda.

Only the Lord knows the exponential impact that 400 people from eight nations — each resourced with a workbook on Colossians and its teaching of the supremacy of Christ — will have for His kingdom.

None of this was planned. There was no “five-year plan” that put justBible Ministries in this position. There have been many seasons of frustration, angst, and weariness along the way. Over the years I asked: How can I sustain this? Where will the funding come from? Can I manage all the logistics? To borrow a conjunction Paul loves — but God. The Lord sustained and grew it, provided every year through generous donors, and coordinated Ugandan partners to manage the in-country logistics. There was, and is, no option but to move forward.

Why Uganda? Because the Lord wants East Africa discipled, per His command.

What’s next? Only the Lord knows.

The Lord has made all of this happen — but only because of people like you, passionate for the Word to spread and for disciples to be developed. Join the Lord’s work with me as we discover what’s next.

For His people,
Mark Cooper — Founder / President

How we decide

The board does not take majority votes. Decisions are unanimous, under the headship of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This is how the ministry is written to function. It is in the bylaws — for the board, not a government filing.

Anyone who wants the full bylaws can write us.

Board of Directors

The people behind the work

Mark Cooper
Founder / President
Founder and president. Ordained chaplain; Dallas Theological Seminary; former PACCAR executive and Samaritan’s Purse; author of Baptism of Grace.
Mark Cooper
Founder / President
Mark is the founder and president of justBible Ministries, and the author of numerous Bible studies and devotionals. Mark is an ordained Chaplain who previously worked at Samaritan’s Purse after a successful executive career in truck manufacturing with PACCAR Inc. Mark holds a Bachelor degree in Engineering from Washington State University and a Master degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. Beyond his academic and business experience, Mark’s life lessons are derived from forty-one years of marriage, raising two daughters, being a grandfather, and traveling the world.
Mark has spoken, taught, and preached in multiple venues domestically and internationally. His versatility to address various forums is demonstrated by his experience speaking at Dallas Theological Seminary Student Chapel, Pastor Symposiums, Business Conferences, Sunday Morning Services, Bible Studies, and Training Seminars.
Mark’s passion is to use the gift God has blessed him with by motivating and inspiring the Lord’s disciples through teaching and preaching His Word.
Mark has authored the book: Baptism of Grace.
Paul Allen
Secretary
PACCAR executive and longtime church deacon, serving on the board since 2016.
Paul Allen
Secretary
Paul has served on the Board since 2016. He has been married for 29 years and has two sons. Paul holds degrees of BS in Aerospace Engineering from UT Austin and an MBA from TCU.
He has been employed by PACCAR Inc. (parent company of Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks) for 22 years in numerous executive management positions.
Paul was raised in a Christian home, and his faith is in a Savior, Jesus Christ, not in himself or his good works. Paul calls himself a process Christian, as he has many spiritual markers. Paul and his family attended McKinney Memorial Bible Church (MMBC) in Ft. Worth for 20+ years. He has served on the Deacon Board at MMBC for over 14 years. As a Deacon, he currently serves on the finance committee (Chairman), the benevolence team, the Sunday offering counting team, and the communion set-up team. In 2014 Paul went to Cuba on a short term mission trip to encourage the local churches. Through God’s faithful provision, Paul’s family partners with missionaries in India and Africa, and previously Indonesia, as well as Compassion International.
David Ettinger
Treasurer
Ministry treasurer since 2011 — and a woodworker, camper, and outdoorsman at heart.
David Ettinger
Treasurer
David has been treasurer of justBible Ministries since 2011. He keeps the books and the budgets. Away from the ledger he works wood, camps, rides, and fishes — the same patience he brings to the numbers.
Lee Gunter
Board Member
Financial advisor and deacon who grew up on the mission field in Romania.
Lee Gunter
Board Member
Lee lives with his wife (of 15 years) Annie and four girls (ages 4, 7, 9, and 11) in North Texas. He works as a financial advisor helping families make good financial decisions.
Lee grew up in Texas the son of a pastor, and in 1994 at the age of 9 moved with his parents and two brothers to serve as missionaries to Romania. During their time serving the Lord in Europe before returning to the US permanently in 2002, Lee lived in Romania, Germany, and Hungary, and was fortunate to travel many other places.
Lee and Annie have a passion for serving the Lord in the local church. Today, Lee serves as a deacon while also teaching Junior High (11-13 years old) and High School (14-18 years old) boys each week. Annie serves as a leader in the children’s ministry where she has a heart for teaching and discipling young girls.
Wade Pierce
Board Member
Joined the board in 2024 with a heart to see the gospel reach the ends of the earth.
Wade Pierce
Board Member
Wade joined the board in 2024 and has a heart to see the gospel of Jesus Christ brought to the ends of the earth. He has been married to his incredible wife Tabitha since 2008 and they have three wonderful children. When he is not spending time with his family, he is working at the family business or helping to teach Sunday School to the young men in the youth program at church.
Sarah Farris
Board Member
Ranch wife and children’s ministry leader who joined the 2025 Ugandan Symposium.
Sarah Farris
Board Member
Sarah is a ranch wife, mom of two busy kids, and currently teaches music and Bible classes at a local preschool. She has been involved in children’s ministry for over 12 years as a children’s minister, preschool leader and supervisor with Bible Study Fellowship, and Bible based preschool teacher. She is passionate about continuing to learn about Jesus and His kingdom. Sarah has been a supporter of justBible Ministries since its creation and had the honor of traveling with the team to participate in the 2025 Ugandan Symposium.
Mike Brown
Board Member
Following God’s call through Uganda with a heart for discipleship and missions.
Mike Brown
Board Member
Mike Brown is a follower of Jesus Christ who desires to live a life marked by faith, obedience, and service. At 55 years old, Mike has come to deeply understand the truth of Proverbs 3:5–6 — to trust in the Lord with all his heart and allow God to direct his path.
Mike is married to Heather, a registered nurse whose compassion for others reflects Christ’s love in a tangible way. Together, they seek to honor God in their home, marriage, and ministry.
Over the past two years, God has opened doors for Mike and Heather to travel to Uganda, where they have developed a heart for discipleship, missions, and supporting the body of Christ across cultures. His time there has strengthened his conviction that the Gospel is not only to be believed, but lived — through service, humility, and love (Matthew 28:19–20; James 1:22).
Mike’s desire is simple: to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, to serve wherever the Lord leads, and to proclaim the name of Jesus with boldness, compassion, and truth.