“I’ve always been one who liked to figure things out,” said Marc Rose. “That is why I earned a degree in engineering. That same search for truth is what brought me to faith in Christ. I recognized a complexity in the universe that could not be explained by chance, but what the Bible says about God’s character and our humanity kept me studying. No other faith satisfied my search for truth.
“I didn’t grow up going to church. I was introduced to the gospel through Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the gospel resonated with me. It was clear to me that in spite of my best efforts, I was by no means perfect and I needed help dealing with my imperfection. Christ’s story resonated with me, and I wanted to figure out how it was significant for living my life.
“There is a history of mental illness in my family, and I had my first bout with severe anxiety and thoughts of suicide when I was in college. I tried to deal with it on my own (the same way I dealt with every practical problem in my life), but that was not working. As I descended into hopelessness, I asked myself if Scripture really had something to teach me about life. In search of answers, I turned to God’s Word, and that was a turning point in my life. After reading Scripture, I came to the conclusion that the Bible was a source of truth, and it was something toward which I should reorient my life.
“I went to seminary after college because I wanted to learn Greek, Hebrew and much more about Scripture. During that time in my life, my mother’s struggle with mental illness climaxed, and she eventually committed suicide in 2005. When my mother died, I became emotionally numb toward life and God. Was the truth of God’s Word going to be enough for me during this time of grief? Why did I feel so empty inside? It felt like God wasn’t there. It was a hard season for me, to say the least.
“During that very difficult time, God connected me with the heart behind His Word. A short time after my mother died I met my future wife, Laura. God used her compassion and empathy for me to change my perspective. I began to learn the value of having strong relationships around me as I sought the truth.
“Learning to care for someone as a husband challenged me to imitate God’s love and helped me appreciate the importance of both giving and receiving love – not only from God, but from others as well. Becoming a father taught me about how God feels towards me, His child. I came to realize I needed not only the truth God offered, but also His love to transform me into a source of truth in a world that is hurting and confused. It was not enough to speak the truth of God’s Word to others. The point was to speak God’s truth in love, and to serve my family as a response to God’s love.
“It is that heart for speaking the truth in love that drew us to Watermark and later, for me to serve on the Great Questions Team. Great Questions offers a safe place for people who have questions about the Christian faith. The Great Questions team is not there to beat people over the head with truth or win a debate. We are there to serve and to encourage people to ask questions and to explore truth together. No questions are off-limits, because truth fears no amount of scrutiny.
“The only common thread among the people we serve is the search for truth. We meet with people who have grown up in church, people who have never set foot in a church, and people who are questioning life because of the pain that life brings. We’ve served people as young as 10 and as old as 80. You are never too young or old to ask questions! Our job is to be an example of Jesus in two ways: to demonstrate His love and care for humanity and to teach about the truth found in Christ.
“Spending time answering questions about God’s Word has been an amazing outlet for me, because I’ve struggled on my own to find answers to some of the same questions. One of the most frequent questions people ask is why the Lord allows bad things to happen. Having had to answer that question for myself, I’m able to be a source of encouragement and help to others. Before my mother died, I was depending on the Lord for truth. Suffering and loss showed me my great need for God’s love. I needed His grace, care and mercy in a more fundamental way than I ever realized before. God’s love expressed through Scripture, the Holy Spirit and other believers is what really got me through. That is why it is rewarding for me to connect other people with the Lord’s great love for them. Whether I am serving as a shoulder to cry on or talking about the Big Bang Theory, it is a privilege to be there for someone else who is searching for truth and comfort from the Lord.”
Great Questions
Mondays
7:30–8:30 pm
South Community Room near Worship Center
If questions and doubts are keeping you from beginning a relationship with God, join us for Great Questions. It is a safe place to ask questions about who Jesus is and what it means to start a relationship with Him. Contact: greatquestions@watermark.org.