In Mark Batterson’s new book Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity (WaterBrook Multnomah 2009) the reader is taken down into the catacombs of second century Christianity to examine “Christianity in its primal glory.” Prime numbers are only divisible by themselves and the number one. Mark notes that prime truths have a similar indivisible quality to them. The Great Commandment, or as it could be called the Primal Commandment, is familiar to us all. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind and with all your strength.”
But here in the Twenty-first Century, people tend to think of Christians in terms of what they are against, rather than what they are for. We are so quick to criticize culture that “critical” may now override “compassion” as the word more closely associated with Christianity. Could there be any correlation between this and the disturbing mass exodus of twenty-somethings from the church? Some studies have shown 61 percent of the twenty-somethings who have grown up in church will stop going to church while still in their twenties. While the common question is “what is wrong with this generation,” Mark Batterson suggests that the correct question is “what’s wrong with the church?”
If there is anyone qualified to ask and answer this question, I believe it is this visionary pastor, speaker, and author. You see, he pastors National Community Church, in our nation’s capital. I had the opportunity to visit the Union Station location last year. Seventy percent of this church’s congregation is comprised of twenty-somethings. This demographic donut hole is sadly missing from most of our churches today. However, it is this generation that will be essential to the next reformation wherein the church will move from merely recognizing its creeds to one which turns its creeds into deeds.
And while Mark acknowledges that there is much to criticize within today’s culture, in Primal he invites each Christian to first examine themselves. Think of it getting the log out of your own eye, so you can see better to help your brother. The primal problem is identified as the fact that “we’re not great at the Great Commandment. In too many instances, we’re not even good at it.” He suggests that we must get back to the basics of our beliefs.
So, “the quest for the lost soul of Christianity begins with rediscovering what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.” Mark examines each of the four different aspects of the Great Commandment individually: heart, soul, mind, and strength. He observes:
The heart of Christianity is primal compassion.
The soul of Christianity is primal wonder.
The mind of Christianity is primal curiosity.
The strength of Christianity is primal energy.
Let me entice you with some samplings from each section: On the heart – “It’s much easier to act like a Christian than to react like one. Anyone can put on an act. But your reactions reveal what is really in your heart. And if you love God will all your heart, you won’t just act like it. You’ll react like it.” p. 22
On the soul – “One of the great mistakes we’ve made in modern Christianity is approaching God deductively as an object of knowledge instead of approaching Him inductively as the cause of wonder…God is more than factual. He is wonderful. The mind is educated with facts, but the soul is educated with beauty and mystery. And the curriculum is creation.” p.53
On the mind – “We need sanctified imaginations writing songs, making movies, drafting policies, and starting nonprofits. We need fewer commentators and more innovators. We need fewer critics and more creators. We need fewer imitators and more dreamers. In the immortal words of Michelangelo, criticize by creating.” p. 117
On strength – “I know God loves the sound of our voices when we sing songs of praise. It’s music to His ears. But you know what God loves even more? God loves the smell of your sweat. It stinks to high heaven, but it’s a sweet aroma. Your sweat is sacred incense. God loves it when we break a sweat serving His purposes. Our energy turns into beautiful melodies, and it’s music in God’s ear. It’s also the way we build sweat equity in His kingdom.” p. 134
At the conclusion of Primal, Mark observes that “compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy are nouns,” and it’s our job to turn them into verbs. This is the Great Commandment of Christianity. In the end, we will not be commended for well thought, well understood, or even well said, but rather “well done.”
It has been my privilege to see Mark Batterson grow as a writer. With each new book he is able to more clearly convey challenging concepts which should be central to each Christian’s life. I have now read all of his books, and my reaction is to always wonder how he’ll top it next time, but somehow each time he does. With each new book I am compelled to step outside my comfort zone and go further down a path with God on a most amazing and rewarding journey of faith. I highly endorse Primal for any Christian who wants to enter into the New Year focused on making the main thing the main thing.
Primal is set for release on December 22, 2009. For information on how to purchase the book online go to
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601421319
The author of Wild Goose Chase and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. One church with nine services in five locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations and meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the D.C. area. Mark has two Masters degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. He and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children. www.markbatterson.com
