Core Values:
Foundation. Discipleship. Grace. Focus. Remembrance. Waiting. Jesus Christ.
Our Story, Mission, and Beliefs
Individually
To Live a Matthew 6:33 Life, Refreshed and Satisfied in Christ Alone
UsA
Revive the Church. Disciple Believers. Win the Lost. Do all this through the power of the Holy Spirit. To Christ be all the Glory!
Globally the Great Commission as a parachurch organization
Providing resources for evangelism and discipleship globally to help Believers grow in the Word and Spirit of God and unbelievers come to know Christ, love Christ and follow Christ.
History of Focusing on the Mark
2009-2010 The Lord begins to lay a call and vision in Ryan Marks to take the Great Commission seriously and make disciples of all nations utilizing the free tools of the Internet. But Ryan feels called to wait for the vision is not yet.
2010 Ryan begins a monthly devotional newsletter called Devo Blast. Several volunteers shared in producing this newsletter over the next several years.
Nov 2012 Ryan believes the season of waiting on the Lord is over at a worship service and begins Focusing on the Mark Ministries as a Blog, YouTube channel, and Sermon.net podcast. A friend helps Ryan start FMM.
July 2013 Ryan incorporates FMM as a DBA of Marks Enterprises, LLC so that resources can be published and established an official website instead of just the Blogger blog. Podcast grows to a consistent weekly new episode.
2014-2015 Social media platform grows to over 10,000. Ministry increases to the Middle East, especially having an impact for the Gospel in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and India. Ryan begins to pray about a team to join in FMM’s ministry.
2016 FMM begins to transition toward a new ministry model as the ministry grows too large for one man. A contributing network of faithful men join the team social media platform. The combined effort spreads the leadership of the ministry to Ryan Marks (founder and director), Kenneth Zimmerman III (transition intern), Nathan Parker (contributing writer and organizational counsel), and Noah Schwindle (contributing writer). Ryan and Nathan draft Doctrine and Practice statement.
2018 October 1, 2018 FMM shutdown believing the season of the ministry had ended and the team members were being led elsewhere. Website taken down.
2019 May FMM relaunched by Ryan and Nathan Ashbrook with a mission to reach out to the USA through social media as well as providing resources for Christians globally, with a particular emphasis on live-streaming and video-based teaching. Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 Project by Ryan emerges as a live-streamed and on demand video-based Bible study. New FMM logo made by a friend.
2020 Revamp and simplification of ministry platform. FMM webpage relaunched as branch of RyanMMarks.com. Gen1toRev22 webpage launched for first time under RyanMMarks.com. Facebook platform username changed from @focusmatt633 to @Gen1toRev22
Doctrinal and Practice Statement
Scriptures: We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration; inerrancy; sufficiency; and infallibility of the Scriptures in their original languages (Hebrew and Greek with some portions of Daniel in Aramaic). We also believe that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments comprise the Scriptures for believers in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 25:35, Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 55:11).
God: We believe in God as the Trinity comprising: God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the (Holy) Spirit (Genesis 1:1-2, Genesis 1:26, John 1:1-18, John 14-16).
Salvation: We believe that all of mankind are enemies of God, lost and fallen, totally depraved and without hope of redemption by any effort of their own. We believe that Salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. (Ephesians 2:8-10) We believe in the eternal security of those believers who surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 5:10-13, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 5:1-2, Romans 11:29, Titus 1:2, John 10:28, Jude 1:24-25. Philippians1:3-6, 1 Corinthians 15:10, John 6:37-40, Hebrews 6:17-20, 4:10, 10:35-36, 38-39, 1 John 2:18-19, 1 John 5:17, 1 John 2:1-2, John 6:27).
Evangelism and Discipleship: We believe that the essential task of the Body of Christ (which comprises the church) is evangelism and discipleship of all the nations. It is the role of believers to teach all of Christ’s commands, make disciples, and baptize converts in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19-20).
Church: We believe in the essential nature of the local church. Our ministry under no circumstances will compete with or endeavor to replace the nature and ministry of the local church but supplement and strengthen the local church.
Unity: We believe in unity of professed believers only with regard to Gospel centrality. We will not unify or partner with other “believers” who do not likewise share a central and firm belief in Biblical message of the Gospel: that Jesus Christ died to save sinners; that all mankind is lost, enslaved to sin and children of Satan; and that only the saved through faith in Christ are the people and children of God. We do not endorse the Seeker Friendly Movement, the Social Gospel, the Internet Church, Ecumenical movements, or Liberal Theology. We hold this firmly for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the proclamation of Christ (John 3, 1 Peter 3:18, Romans 10, Romans 5, 2 John 1, 2 Corinthians 6).
Biblical Interpretation: We believe in the literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of Scripture, while recognizing a distinction between interpretation and application in that the Holy Spirit applies Scripture personally in varied ways in our lives (John 16). We deny that the Bible is still being written or that any one man possesses divine revelation, infallibility, and leadership of a global Body of Christ.
“FMM is a Platform Providing Resources for Evangelism and Discipleship Globally by Helping Believers Grow and Unbelievers Come to Know Jesus Christ.”
Ryan M Marks
ryanmmarks.com 