Pastor
Brief info
I didn’t set out to become a pastor. I didn’t build a perfect life and then decide to serve in ministry. The truth is, God reached into the middle of a broken story and showed me what real grace looks like.
Most of my adult life has been spent building businesses, raising a family, and leading in community organizations. I’ve had the privilege of seeing successes, but I’ve also made mistakes that cost more than I could have ever anticipated.
I’m a father of six children — five who have grown into mature, respectful adults, and one whose life I regret not being a part of. That failure stays with me, not as a weight of shame, but as a reminder that God’s mercy is bigger than our mistakes.
My personal story isn’t polished. I’ve been through the pain of two failed marriages, because I wasn’t the man I should have been. I faced legal trouble years ago that could have defined my life — but God used it instead to break down my pride and rebuild my heart. Today, those experiences fuel a passion for jail and prison ministry, because I know firsthand what it’s like to wonder if life could ever be different.
I’ve lived life on every side of the fence — the good, the bad, and the in-between. I’ve tasted victories. I’ve lived through regret. And through it all, one truth has been proven over and over again: Jesus Christ is faithful.
The calling God placed on my life isn’t based on having it all together. It’s based on the reality that He doesn’t give up on the broken, the struggling, or the imperfect.
That’s why I preach the Bible plainly and unapologetically — because the Word of God isn’t about information, it’s about transformation. It’s why I believe the church isn’t a place for appearances — it’s a place where real people can encounter real hope through Jesus.
And it’s why leadership, to me, isn’t about titles or tradition — it’s about serving with humility, teaching with truth, and pointing every heart back to the only Savior who truly heals. That’s also why my nameplate, my business card, and my everyday introduction simply say:
Scott Marshall
Pastor & Redeemed Sinner
When people call me “Pastor Scott,” I appreciate the respect — but I gently remind them that “pastor” is just my role, not my identity. I don’t want the title to receive the kind of reverence that belongs to God alone. I’m no better than anyone else. I’m simply a man who’s been forgiven, called, and equipped to share His Word. My goal isn’t to be lifted up—it’s to lift up Christ.
Northern Light Church exists to shine the light of Jesus Christ to Northern Michigan.
Not by offering man-made religion.
Not by promoting a pastor’s brand.
But by holding out the hope of the gospel — hope that has the power to redeem any life, just like it redeemed mine.
No matter where you’ve been, no matter what your story holds, there is hope in Christ. Because if He can rewrite my story — He can rewrite yours too.