In Memoriam: Mark Herbener

Founder, Luther Center of North Texas

Bishop Mark Herbener

In 2011 Mark Herbener invited me to join a group which was called the International Lutheran Foundation, which was affiliated with the Luther Zentrum in Wittenberg, Germany. The role of the Dallas contingent would be to work toward the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation in 2017. Ultimately, the group was incorporated with 501(c)(3) non-profit status as the Luther Center of North Texas (LCNT).

Each year, the Luther Center of North Texas conducts an annual lecture around some facet of Luther’s work and/or legacy. To honor Mark, the lecture series will now be known as the Annual Herbener Lecture.

What Mark neglected to tell his fellow members of the LCNT Board was that he would actually be spending the much-awaited 500th anniversary on October 31, 2017 with Luther himself! Mark died on October 28, 2017. His timing, and God’s timing, were perfect!

To his dying day, Mark was alert, inquisitive, funny and faithful. Though his physical powers abated, his mind and spirit did not.

Mark was born in Chicago. He knew he would become a pastor when he was five years old. He graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis with a theological diploma in 1956. His first call was to Messiah Lutheran Church in Richardson, Texas which he served from 1956-1961. During those years he met the love of his life, Donna Gergens. They were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dallas on April 25, 1958.

Trinity later became Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. Mark served as pastor there from 1961 until he was elected first Bishop if the Northern Texas – Northern Louisiana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. During his ministry there he worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Black Citizens for Law and Justice, and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. While he was at Mt. Olive, the church established the first food pantry in the city of Dallas.

He also served as a leader in the Seminex movement as Mt. Olive left the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and moved into the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and then into the newly formed ELCA.

Mark was ever a thoughtful and devoted theologian who translated his faith in the Risen Christ into every fiber of his life and work. And all, with a glint in his eye