Dr. Mark E. Strong is a pastor and author from Portland, Oregon. He and his wife Marla have served as the senior pastors of Life Change Church, a dynamic multi-ethnic church located in the heart of Portland since 1988. Mark leads the community as they labor for personal, social, and spiritual transformation in their city and community. It is his conviction that Jesus doesn’t have a Black church or a White Church; he has one church comprised of all people. Life Change Church is a testimony to a changing city that there is space in the church for everyone—all people and all colors.

Throughout the city of Portland—one of the most gentrified cities in the country—Dr. Mark is considered a bridge builder between the black and white communities. He has been instrumental in bridging the gap that exists between these two communities, often being called upon by judges, police, and community officials to help bring understanding and healing in difficult situations

In 2012, the Mayor of Portland called local pastors together to address the escalating violence in the Portland area. After that meeting, Mark created 11:45, an organization that works extensively with the City of Portland, the judicial system, Multnomah County, churches, and other social agencies to help youth who are gang affected, fatherless, and otherwise disenfranchised.

When 11:45 began working in conjunction with the Portland police department, the city saw a documented 30 +% decrease in crime in the neighborhood 11:45