Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson 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 latest book The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears was released in December 2011.[3]

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.[4] In 2008, Ebenezers was recognized as the #1 coffeehouse in the metro DC area by AOL CityGuide [5] and has been profiled by the Washington Post [6] and Washington Times.[7]

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.[8] Batterson blogs daily at www.evotional.com.[9] In 2008, Batterson began using Twitter.[10] Batterson's use of Twitter for ministry purposes was covered by The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer in 2009.[11]

Books

Batterson is the author of multiple books, including In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase,[12] Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity,[13] Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny,[14] The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears.,[15] All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life, [16] and "if:Trading your If Only regrets for God's What If Possibilities." [17] His latest release is "Chase the Lion: If Your Dream Doesn't Scare You, It's Too Small" [18]

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.”[19]

On homosexuality

During an interview with Washingtonian Magazine, Batterson pointed to a sermon in which he included homosexuality in a list of sexual sins.[20]

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.[21]

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. [22]

Personal

Batterson has a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from Regent University.[23] 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.

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 [24] and is an avid NFL and Brett Favre fan.[25]

References

  1. ↑ America’s 25 Most Innovative Churches of 2008
  2. ↑ http://www.evotional.com
  3. ↑ The Circle Maker
  4. ↑ Ebenezers Coffeehouse
  5. ↑ Here are your City's Best winners
  6. ↑ Coffee and Community at Ebenezers
  7. ↑ Where would Jesus hang out?
  8. ↑ Religion on demand
  9. ↑ Cyber-Savvy Pastors Blog When the Spirit Moves Them
  10. ↑ twitter.com/MarkBatterson
  11. ↑ Twitter: Harmless Fad, or Web Revolution?
  12. ↑ Wild Goose Chase
  13. ↑ Primal
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ The Circle Maker
  16. ↑
  17. ↑
  18. ↑ Chase The Lion
  19. ↑ 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.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ Batterson, Mark (17 April 2014). "The Kojo Nnamdi Show: Contemporary Religion on Capitol Hill". TheKojoNnamdiShow.org. WAMU. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  22. ↑ Batterson, Mark (March 2008). "The Elephant in the Church: The Gray Elephant". SermonCentral.com. SermonCentral. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "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.
  24. ↑ National Corn Hole Tournament
  25. ↑ I love Brett Favre
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