Mark Yaconelli holds an MA in Christian Spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union and received a Graduate Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction from San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has spent the past 15 years working with young people in congregational, camp and conference settings. He is the founder and director of Sabbath a weeklong contemplative retreat for youth workers, held in three locations each year.

Mark has contributed chapters to Starting Right: Thinking Theologically About Youth Ministry (Zondervan Publishing, 2001) and Way to Live: Practicing Our Faith With Youth (Upper Room Press, 2002). Interviews and profiles of his work have appeared in the national media including the Wall Street Journal, ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Knight Ridder News Service, and The Osgood Files for CBS Radio. He is featured on the Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry's Cloud of Witnesses audio journal on youth, church and culture (Vol. 2, Spirituality). He has published articles on his work in The Christian Century, Youthworker Journal, and Group Magazine.

Mark holds youth ministry workshops across the country and is a regular speaker at the Youth Specialties National Youth Worker's Conventions. Mark and his wife, Jill, have two sons—Noah and Joseph and one baby girl, Grace. Hobbies include grape-stomping, fish-wrestling, hooting, and biking.