Brother Mark Thrift is the pastor of Parkwood Baptist Church. His father was the pastor here before him for twenty-two years. He travels and preaches extensively, and is a highly sought after conference and revival preacher.

Bro. Mark was saved at the age of sixteen, and felt the call to preach shortly thereafter. He attended Lynchburg Baptist College, Hyles-Anderson College, and graduated from Baptist Christian College in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1978. He obtained a Master's degree from Trinity Valley Baptist Seminary & College in 2001.

Bro. Mark continues to preach the old-time religion from the old-time book, the Bible. He is a dynamic preacher who strongly believes that expository preaching is the kind of preaching that will feed and grow the church. It is his contention that as a result of topical preaching, the church is not being fed, and is therefore weak. He desires not to conform to the programs and gimmicks of the modern church, but to solidly ground his flock in the doctrines and teachings of the Word of God.