Sunday’s contentious presidential debate provided yet another reminder of how sharply divided our nation is—and how desperately we need leaders who can bring us together. Pastor and bestselling author Mark Batterson knows all about reaching across the aisle. He’s led National Community Church (NCC) in the heart of Washington, D.C. for 20 years. Today NCC is a multisite church that attracts mainly single 20-somethings, many of whom work for Congress or the Administration. We talked to Batterson about leading a congregation in D.C. during a divisive election cycle, his ministry successes and failures, and about his latest book, Chase the Lion.
Your new book, Chase the Lion, is about seizing opportunities even when there is a high risk of failure. What “lions” have you’ve chased?
I’ve chased a few 500-pound lions. Some of those lions got the best of me. One was an attempted church plant in the Chicago area when I was 22.
It’s amazing how much you “know” when you’re 22. I was ready to take the world by the tail, and the Lord had to humble me. The cure for the fear of failure is not success; it is failure in small enough doses that you build up an immunity to it and you realize God will be there to pick you back up. It frees you to step out and take risks again.
Pastoring National Community Church for the last 20 years has been an epic adventure. We started with 19 people, and now we have eight campuses. It has been a thrill ride. Certainly I shed a few tears and felt some fear along the way, but God has blessed this church big time.
After a failure, how do you get back up, brush the dirt off your knees, and keep moving forward?
When we as pastors share our success stories, people love it. They’re inspired by it. But do you know what they love even more? Our failure stories. It’s a point of identification. One of my primary objectives, when I preach and when I write, is to humanize myself. I have issues and challenges and doubts and fears just like everybody else. And I’ve had my fair share of failures.
Success is really well-managed failure. It’s learning the lesson that God wants to teach us and cultivating the character that God wants to develop within us. And the flipside is true, too. Failure is often mismanaged success. If we’re able to stay humble, then there’s nothing God can’t do in us or through us.
After your first church plant failed, why did you go to Washington, D.C., where church plants fail at a greater rate?
Success is really well-managed failure.
The only way God could have gotten us here was through that failed church plant in Chicago. We had to fall on our faces right on our home turf, because then I was willing to get out of Dodge. In fact I said, “Lord, the farther away, the better.” Because I was embarrassed.
God knew that Washington, D.C. would be a wonderful fit for us. We have the opportunity to influence influencers. I was a pre-law major at University of Chicago my freshman year, and one piece of that was politics. In the back of my mind, I wondered if I might end up in this town in a political capacity. I’m eternally grateful that I ended up here in a pastoral capacity. I have the opportunity to pastor hundreds of Hill staffers and people who work at the Pentagon and the White House and in the Capital. It’s a wonderful privilege and responsibility to make sure we’re preaching the gospel and that the gospel is informing what they do day in and day out.
What is it like pastoring a church in the nation’s capital, especially during such a divisive election season?
We have a unique interpretation of Galatians 3:28, where it says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female.” We add, “Republican nor Democrat.” We believe that blood—the blood of Christ—is thicker than water—the water of political affiliation. Somehow the Lord has enabled us to reach across the aisle to both sides and keep our focus on the mission, the Great Commission.
I love the people who live and work in this city, and I know that some of the criticism and skepticism we get is probably justified. But I also know there are a lot of good people here trying to make a difference in the name of Christ. After I wrote The Circle Maker, several members of congress contracted me to tell me, “I want you to know I am now circling the capital in prayer.”
Whoever gets elected in the fall, we need revival. We need to see God’s kingdom come, his will be done. And that’s what we’re striving for. I love our country. I love democracy. But first and foremost, I’m a citizen of God’s kingdom.
What advice do you have for other pastors on bringing clarity and reconciliation during such a divided season?
We have a core conviction that the church ought to be the most creative place on the planet. It should also be the most diverse place on the planet. And I can say with joy in my heart that NCC is one of the most racially diverse churches I’ve ever been in. And it’s because we celebrate our differences.
One reason we have a teaching team is because I don’t want the church to be a reflection of only my personality or my giftedness. I want to make sure there’s a more well-rounded demonstration of God’s grace. And one way you do that is through diversity of expression.
We believe that blood—the blood of Christ—is thicker than water—the water of political affiliation.
It starts with pastors loving each other and being in each other’s corner. Some of my dearest friends are African-American pastors in our city. I know they’re on my team, and they know I’m on their team. Then you have to demonstrate that as a church. You have to be willing to go where the culture isn’t willing to go.
One reason we wanted to raise our three children in the city is because we wanted them to experience diversity firsthand and not to bat an eye at it. We wanted them to understand that people are made in the image of God. Everyone is invaluable and irreplaceable.
What are some of your dreams for NCC in the coming year?
We own and operate the only movie theater on Capitol Hill. That might seem strange, but one of our core convictions is that the church belongs in the middle of the marketplace. Let’s not criticize culture. Let’s criticize by creating. Let’s write better books. Let’s produce better films, draft better legislation, start better businesses. The beautiful thing about that theater is we get to determine what goes on the screen.
The Dream Center—an activity center we’re building—is another way of coming at that. We’re mentoring kids in parts of our city where they are under-resourced, under-privileged, and don’t have enough role models. The Dream Center is one way for us to show the love of Christ in very practical ways. It will have a basketball court, a dance studio, and computer labs. Whatever happens there will be done in the name of Christ and with the love of God in our hearts. And ultimately that’s what’s going to change those kids.
What are you planning to preach on the Sunday after election night?
Actually, I’m not preaching that week. We’ll be in the middle of a series called “Dream.” We’ll continue to cast vision for the mission trips we’re taking, for the Dream Center, for the way we want to see the gospel get to everybody. That’s probably a good response to whoever wins and whoever loses: let’s be on mission.
For more on how National Community Church created unity between Republicans and Democrats in the heart of D.C., check out "The Bipartisan Small Group" from SmallGroups.com.
