INAUGURATING THE SERVANT Mark 1:1–2:28 Opening Thought 1) Churches commonly employ creative practices, novel techniques, or flashy gimmicks to attract attention, entice visitors, and launch new ministries. Which of these strategies do you view as worldly and inappropriate? Which are merely wise ways to get the message of the gospel out to a broader audience? Background of the Passage Mark’s gospel was intended for a Gentile audience, especially a Roman one (see Introduction to Mark: Background