Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Catalyst Review: Mark Batterson

Main Idea: A single prayer can change a generation and you are one prayer away from a different life. 


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. 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. Batterson's latest book The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears was released in December 2011


Thoughts: It's been awhile since i've heard of a message about prayer and asking God to do things. I guess it's because of the people i listen to or just the pendulum swing from the health & wealth movement and the whole prayer of Jabez thing. Most of the message was in reference to his own book, "Circle Maker" and how in Acts 10 the interaction of Peter and Cornelius. It was a good message with a lot of grunts and "yes's" of affirmation from the crowd. I think for me it was a good reminder for a solid and consistent prayer life. I struggle with this because i tend to over-analyze everything and totally forget that it is the Spirit who can change the hearts of people. It was good to thinking through the question, "why don't i treat prayer this seriously?" Batterson suggested in his message (as well as his book) to draw circles around things we want God to change. He challenged the audience to take a map and just draw circles around it and watch God do things. It's a good principle. 


Quoteables: "When you pray regularly, God will do irregular things"; "If you have an argument with God and you win, you lose." 


More Thoughts: The principles given were definitely applicable but the tether to Scripture was kinda weak. He mentioned that from Acts 10, this is the first time that Gentiles were being prayed for and all of us today is a direct result from that prayer meeting. My first thought was, "wait...doesn't Jesus pray for non-Jews?" So ok, I got the principle and it definitely made me reevaluate my prayer life...but i would have wanted to see more scripture laid as the foundation. Another side note of pure picky-ness and perhaps warning for teachers: the whole time he was reading scripture from his notes while his bible was open on the stands. I don't know if this is way too picky but i just found that to be a bit odd. 

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