CNLP 296: Mark Batterson on How He Beat Overwhelm to Keep His Marriage Strong, Strategic Quitting and Continual Innovation and Why Blessing and Generosity Aren’t Tied to the Prosperity Gospel
As his career as an author and speaker took off, Mark Batterson was faced with so many requests for his time that he couldn’t keep up. The insane pace eventually led to his wife, Lora, telling Mark that she “didn’t sign up for this.”
Mark talks about how Lora’s concern led him to scale back radically and the impact that’s had on him, how innovation keeps fueling his 23 years in leadership, and why the subject of blessing isn’t just tied to the prosperity Gospel.
Welcome to Episode 296 of the podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and listen for free.
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The Pioneers by David McCollough
Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Wright Brothers by David McCollough
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
CNLP 242: Frank Bealer on How to Seriously Boost Your Productivity During High Demand Seasons
CNLP 165: Mark Batterson on How to Hear God’s Voice (and God’s Will for Your Life)
CNLP 128: Mark Batterson on Chasing Down Your Dreams Without Fear
Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
3 Insights from Mark
1. Read more books
Early on in Mark’s ministry, he learned that the average author puts two years of life experience into a book. Mark did the math and realized that if he were to read 250 books in one year, he would be able to gain 500 years of life experience in that year. This motivated him to read as much as he possibly could.
How did Mark have time to read that many books? He credited a couple different things:
- He didn’t have social media or a smartphone. These devices are taking up so much of our time without adding very much value to our lives.
- He was pastoring a church of 19 people, so he had a lot of extra time on his hands!
2. As leaders, we need to do new things to reach new people
Mark and the whole National Community Church team have been the first to do a few major innovations for the Church. They were some of the first to do church in movie theaters, Mark was one of the earliest Christian podcasters, and they are still innovating by exploring ideas like opening a shared workspace as a church.
So why have they been the first to do so many innovations? Mark credits it to one of their values as a team: “There are ways of doing church that nobody has thought of yet.” When they keep this phrase on their radar, they think “outside the box” and it leads to new innovations.
3. We aren’t blessed by God just for us; We are blessed to be a blessing to others
A common temptation for anyone when they receive a blessing is to assume that it is just for them. Mark has learned that God doesn’t bless us just for us but to be a blessing to the people around us. When we live like this, we have a lot more fun with the money we have been given because it truly is more blessed to give than to receive.
One phrase that Mark and his wife use often is to “flip the blessing.” This is their mindset whenever they are given something. It doesn’t have to be money, it could be time, influence or connections. However the blessing comes is how he “flips the blessing.” If someone gives him time, he will give someone else more of his own time.
Quotes from Episode 296
Every “-ology” is a branch of theology. @MarkBatterson
It’s hard to be famous at home when you aren’t home. @MarkBatterson
The Church belongs in the middle of the marketplace. @MarkBatterson
If you want to reach people who are outside the box, you need to do some things that are outside the box. @MarkBatterson
God doesn’t bless us to raise our standard of living, but to raise our standard of giving. @MarkBatterson
Read or Download the Transcript for Episode 296
Read or download a free PDF transcript of this episode here.
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You can complete the three-hour course at your own pace. It’s the most comprehensive content I’ve ever created for leaders to help you reclaim HOURS every day so you can become more effective at work and more present at home. When your time, energy, and priorities are all working together for you, it’ll impact everything you do.
- You become a better leader, because you’re doing what you do best when you’re at your best
- You become a better spouse, because you’re focused at home
- You become a better parent, neighbor, and friend, because you actually have time off to relax and engage
These principles will free you to thrive in every area of your life.
and never miss out on wisdom from world-class leaders like Brian Houston, Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, Nancy Duarte, Henry Cloud, Patrick Lencioni, Francis Chan, Ann Voskamp, Erwin McManus and many others.
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Next Episode: Gordon MacDonald
Gordon MacDonald has written books read by millions, spoken to almost as many and has left a lasting impact on the leadership and heart of several generations. In this wide-ranging interview, Gordon talks about his own wounds from his father, counselling President Bill Clinton, the dangers of drivenness, and the crisis most leaders go through between ages 32 and 42, and again at ages 48 and 62.
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