Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson (born November 5, 1969 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American pastor and author. Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. NCC was recognized as one of the Most Innovative and Most Influential Churches in America by Outreach Magazine in 2008.[1] Batterson is also the author of the books In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and Wild Goose Chase and blogs daily at www.evotional.com.[2] Batterson's bestseller The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears was released in December 2011.[3]

Background

He was raised in Naperville, Illinois having been born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Batterson first went to the University of Chicago via a scholarship to major in pre-law and playing basketball. He was called to full time ministry which led to a move to Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.[4]

National Community Church

Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. One church with nine services in multiple locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations. Approximately 70% of NCCers are single adults in their twenties.

The vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the DC area. NCC holds services at Georgetown, Kingstowne, Columbia Heights, Ballston Common Mall, and Ebenezers Coffeehouse near Union Station, all in the Washington, DC Metro Area. Ebenezers, the largest coffeehouse on Capitol Hill, is owned and operated by NCC.[5] In 2008, Ebenezers was recognized as the #1 coffeehouse in the metro DC area by AOL CityGuide [6] and has been profiled by the Washington Post [7] and Washington Times.[8]

New media

Batterson and the NCC staff are known for their use of new media. Since 2005, Batterson's sermons have been available via podcast.[9] Batterson blogs daily at www.evotional.com.[10] In 2008, Batterson began using Twitter.[11] Batterson's use of Twitter for ministry purposes was covered by The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer in 2009.[12]

Books

Batterson is the author of multiple books, including "Whisper," "Play the Man and Chase the Lion: If Your Dream Doesn't Scare You, It's Too Small. Most focus on issues of Christian living.

Social and political views

On sex

Batterson is quoted by Washington Magazine as saying "We ought to be more concerned about being biblically correct than politically correct"..."So here is the biblical bottom line: Sex outside of marriage is wrong. Sex is a sacred covenant between a husband and a wife. Period."[13]

On homosexuality

During an interview with Washingtonian Magazine, Batterson pointed to a sermon in which he included homosexuality in a list of sexual sins.[13]

On April 17, 2014, Batterson was a guest on "The Kojo Nnamdi Show". During the interview, Kojo Nnamdi asked Batterson "So do you believe or consider that homosexuality is a sin?" Batterson replied:

Yeah, you know, I believe that marriage is something between a husband and a wife. I think that sex is a gift from God. It was his idea. And so our church celebrates that. But it's a gift that was meant for the covenant relationship of marriage. And so that's something that we teach and encourage.[14]

In his sermon "The Elephant in the Church: The Gray Elephant", Batterson explains

So when a church hangs a plaque endorsing homosexuality it's a gray elephant. It is approving of something God disapproves of. And while it may seem loving and accepting to some, it is approving of something God disapproves of. And that is neither loving nor honest. [15]

Personal

Batterson has a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from Regent University.[16] Batterson also has two master's degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, Illinois, and a bachelor's degree from Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. He is a graduate of Naperville (Illinois) Central High School.[17]

Batterson is married to Lora and they live on Capitol Hill with their three children. Batterson is known for his love of the game cornhole [18] and is an avid NFL and Brett Favre fan.[19]

Books
  • Batterson, Mark (2004). Id: the true you. Longwood, FL: Xulon Press. ISBN 9781594679094. OCLC 270993555.
  • ——— (2006). In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers. ISBN 9781590527153. OCLC 70775594.
  • ——— (2008). Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9781590527191. OCLC 224442418.
  • ——— (2009). Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9781601421319. OCLC 401141340.[20]
  • ——— (2011). Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9781601420398. OCLC 752207554.[21] - probably a new edition of Id: the true you
  • ——— (2011). The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN 9780310333029. OCLC 733755580.[3]
  • ——— (2013). All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN 9780310333050. OCLC 833300915.[22]
  • ——— (2014). The Grave Robber: how Jesus can make your impossible possible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. ISBN 9780801015946. OCLC 871319236.
  • ———; Clark, Joel N. (2014). Jack Staples and the Ring of Time. Jack Staples trilogy. 1. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook. ISBN 9780781411073. OCLC 863196144.
  • ———; Clark, Joel N. (2015). Jack Staples and the City of Shadows. Jack Staples trilogy. 2. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook. ISBN 9780781411080. OCLC 879246231.
  • ———; Clark, Joel N. (2015). Jack Staples and the Poet's Storm. Jack Staples trilogy. 3. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook. ISBN 9781434707321. OCLC 911946608.
  • ——— (2015). A Trip Around the Sun: turning your everyday life into the adventure of a lifetime. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. ISBN 9780801016837. OCLC 894139927.
  • ——— (2015). If: Trading Your If Only Regrets for God's What If Possibilities. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. ISBN 9780801016004. OCLC 903675423.[23]
  • ——— (2016). Chase the Lion: If Your Dream Doesn't Scare You, It's Too Small. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9781601428851. OCLC 942838402.
  • ——— (2017). Play the Man. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. ISBN 9780801018985. OCLC 1023201872.
  • ——— (2017). Whisper: How to Hear God's Voice. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9780735291089. OCLC 975132772.[24]
  • ——— (2019). Double Blessing: Don't Settle for Less Than You're Called to Bless. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9780735291119.[25]
  • ——— (2020). God Speaks in Whispers. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah. ISBN 9780735291119.[26]

References
  1. "America's 25 Most Innovative Churches of 2008". churchrelevance.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  2. "Mark Batterson - New York Times Bestselling Author & Lead Pastor of National Community Church". www.evotional.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  3. "The Circle Maker". thecirclemaker.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  4. "Mark Batterson - Lead Pastor". National Community Church. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  5. Russell, David. "Ebenezers Coffeehouse". ebenezerscoffeehouse.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  6. "Travel inspiration and articles that will help you plan your next vacation. — MapQuest". citysbest.aol.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  7. "Coffee and Community at Ebenezers". 2 March 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  8. http://www.washingtontimes.com, The Washington Times. "Where would Jesus hang out?". washingtontimes.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  9. Ralli, Tania (29 August 2005). "Missed Church? Download It to Your IPod". Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via www.nytimes.com.
  10. Greenwell, Megan (9 July 2006). "Cyber-Savvy Pastors Blog When the Spirit Moves Them". Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  11. "Mark Batterson (@MarkBatterson) - Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  12. "Twitter: Harmless Fad, or Web Revolution?". pbs.org. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  13. Kapralos, Krista (5 March 2013). "s National Community Church's Mark Batterson the Most Innovative Pastor in America?". Washingtonian.com. Washington Magazine, Inc. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  14. Batterson, Mark (17 April 2014). "The Kojo Nnamdi Show: Contemporary Religion on Capitol Hill". TheKojoNnamdiShow.org. WAMU. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  15. Batterson, Mark (March 2008). "The Elephant in the Church: The Gray Elephant". SermonCentral.com. SermonCentral. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  16. "Outstanding Graduates: Mark Batterson, D.Min. '12". Regent University Web Site. Regent University. Retrieved 23 August 2015. Mark Batterson D.Min. '12 ... Mark serves as lead pastor of National Community Church ... recognized as one of the "Most Innovative and Most Influential Churches in America" by Outreach Magazine.
  17. Arrowhead: 1988 NCHS Yearbook. 1988.
  18. "Mark Batterson - New York Times Bestselling Author & Lead Pastor of National Community Church". evotional.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  19. "Mark Batterson - New York Times Bestselling Author & Lead Pastor of National Community Church". www.evotional.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  20. "PRIMAL by Mark Batterson". theprimalmovement.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  21. "Book Review: Soulprint by Mark Batterson". bloggingtheologically.com. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  22. "All In". zondervan.com. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  23. "IF by Mark Batterson". Mark Batterson. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  24. "Whisper by Mark Batterson - WaterBrook & Multnomah". WaterBrook & Multnomah. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  25. "Double Blessing by Mark Batterson - WaterBrook & Multnomah". WaterBrook & Multnomah. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  26. "God Speaks in Whispers by Mark Batterson & Summer Batterson Dailey - WaterBrook & Multnomah". WaterBrook & Multnomah. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
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