The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears [Hardcover]

Mark Batterson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 20, 2011

According to Pastor Mark Batterson in his book, The Circle Maker, 'Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn't just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It's a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.' Do you ever sense that there's far more to prayer, and to God's vision for your life, than what you're experiencing? It's time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker---a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people. What impossibly big dream is God calling you to draw a prayer circle around? Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a circle maker, Mark Batterson will help you uncover your heart's deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Batterson serves as the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D. C. Recognized as 'one of America's 25 most innovative churches,' NCC is one church with seven locations. Mark's blog and webcast also reach a virtual congregation around the world. Mark is the author of several bestselling books, including New York Times Bestseller - The Circle Maker and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Mark holds a doctorate degree from Regent University and lives on Capitol Hill with this wife, Lora, and their three children. SPANISH BIO: Mark Batterson, autor de El hacedor de circulos y Con un leon en medio de un foso, es pastor principal de National Community Church, en Washington, D.C., cuya labor esta enfocada en alcanzar a las nuevas generaciones. Tiene dos maestrias obtenidas en la Escuela de Divinidades Evangelica Trinity, en Chicago. Reside con su esposa Lora y sus tres hijos en Capitol Hill, Washington, D. C.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (December 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310333024
• ISBN-13: 978-0310333029
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (369 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington DC . Targeting emerging generations, 73 percent of NCCers are single twentysomethings that live or work on Capitol Hill. Currently one church with three locations, the vision of NCC is to meet in movie theaters @ metro stops throughout the DC area. The theaterchurch.com podcast is one of the fastest-growing church podcasts in America . Mark is also a daily blogger @ www.markbatterson.com . Mark lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and three children.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 108 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Big. Pray Hard. Think Long. December 13, 2011

By Jeffrey E Ellis

Format:Hardcover

THE CIRCLE MAKER by Mark Batterson is a book about prayer and faith which will encourage, challenge and motivate the believer. Lead pastor of National Community Church, Mark writes with insight and clarity about the importance of "dreaming big, praying hard and thinking long".

The story begins with Honi, a legendary Jewish figure from 1 BC, whose faith and prayer saved the generation before Jesus by calling upon the God of heaven and earth to provide rain in time of near- fatal drought. Honi drew a circle in the desert sand, took his place, and called upon God to let it rain. And rain it did!

Mark calls upon believers to pray big prayers and draw circles in holy desperation for more of God in our lives: for ourselves, our children and our communities. Those prayers, when mixed with faith, are seeds which bear fruit, even in the generations to come. He exhorts the believer to pray prayers which honor God's greatness, His Goodness, His omnipotence, His desire to answer as a loving Father. Draw circles around God's promises. They are for us. Pray them through and wait expectantly.

Praying hard is key: "Work like the outcome depends upon you and pray like the outcome depends upon God." "Prayers are prophecies. They are the best predictors of your spiritual future...Ultimately, the transcript of your prayers becomes the script of your life."

Mark has a gift for speaking to this generation. No one connects with young people in more relevant or impactful ways than he does. For example, Mark writes, "Our most powerful prayers are hyperlinked to the promises of God." Suddenly, my Bible is underscored with hot links which we double-click by prayer. Who'd have thought?

This book is built upon faith. "Every prayer is a time capsule. You never know when or where or how God is going to answer it, but He will answer it. There is no expiration date, and there are no exceptions. God answers prayer. Period."

There are only a couple of Christian books I read time and again, next to my Bible: The Collected Works of Smith Wigglesworth and Pursuit of God by AW Tozer. The Circle Maker has been added to this company.

This book is a shout out to this generation to call upon God. Let it rain!

246 of 276 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the way Jesus taught us to pray April 16, 2012

By Jeffrey Borden VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I've put off reviewing this book for a long time. I was sent a prerelease copy by Zondervan before the book was published in mid-December of 2011. Why has my review been so slow in coming? I struggle with critique for books that I don't particularly enjoy---and this was a book that I didn't enjoy; in fact, I don't care too much for it at all except for the fact that I like Mark Batterson. I had the opportunity to meet him personally a few years back at a conference in Ohio. He's a very good speaker and a seemingly genuinely nice guy. I've read all but one of his books to date and have pretty much enjoyed them all; my favorites have been Wild Goose Chase and Primal. This compounds my reluctance to offer my honest review of Circle Maker. I wanted to like it and I wanted to submit an encouraging review, but I can't...at least if my intent is to be honest about it. One last point before I continue, it seems as though I am in the minority with my opinion concerning this book, but then...the Prayer of Jabez has sold millions of copies and is a New York Times bestseller, so what do I know.

(From the Back Cover) In the Circle Maker, Pastor Mark Batterson shares powerful insights from the true legend of Honi the circle maker, a first-century Jewish sage whose bold prayer ended a drought and saved a generation. Drawing inspiration from his own experiences as a circle maker, Batterson will teach you how to pray in a new way by drawing prayer circles around your dreams, your family, your problems, and, most importantly, God's promises. In the process, you'll discover this simple yet life-changing truth: God Honors Bold Prayers; Bold Prayers Honor God.

Without attempting to be overly critical, I have a fundamental issue with this: "Batterson will teach you how to pray in a new way by drawing prayer circles..." as compared to this:

He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." And he said to them, "When you pray, say:

'Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation"' [Luke 11:1-4].

Am I to believe that Mr. Batterson is going to unlock the mystery of prayer that Jesus did not? I wonder why Jesus did not teach his disciples about Honi. Surely Jesus must have seen the value of Honi's boldness and realizing that "bold prayers" are the secret to grabbing the attentive ear of God Almighty, he would have shared this information and teaching with them.

The book is full of neat anecdotal stories that grab a reader's attention. It is full of interesting stories, but that is about the extent of my generosity. I think the hermeneutic used to make some of the claims regarding "biblically-defined-theologically-accurate" prayer is weak at best. I suppose I could make a few examples, but the book is rife with them beginning with Batterson's interpretation of the "Jericho Miracle" to the "Feast of Quail" and on and on, through to "Daniel Fasting" and beyond. And... I have to admit I'm still scratching my head over Batterson's claim; "God has determined that certain expressions of His power will only be exercised in response to prayer. Simply put, God won't do it unless you pray for it. We have not because we ask not, or maybe I should say, we have not because we circle not. The greatest tragedy in life is the prayers that go unanswered because they go unasked."

I think this book is full of hyperbole. I think hyperbole makes for good copy and much profit. I think it also contributes to bad thinking, and in this case - bad theology. Prayer is more about unity with the Godhead than it is making petitions and supplication. A soul who is in constant and unbroken fellowship with the Godhead will pray the prayers of the Trinity and will be in agreement with Him at all times. Although I did give one of my copies away, I can't in good conscience recommend the book as a faithful teaching on prayer.

88 of 104 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring. Controversial. Life-Changing. December 13, 2011

By Daniel

Format:Hardcover

Mark Batterson is a interesting writer and a dynamic speaker. His five books have inspired readers, sparked controversy, and generated discussion. My guess is that The Circle Maker is going to do the same.

The Circle Maker will inspire readers.
The Circle Maker is a book about prayer. Books about prayer have a knack for packing conviction and sparking inspiration. They make me want to pray more and to pray better. The Circle Maker does just that. Mark's dream-big-pray-big message honors a big God, who delights in answering prayers.

The Circle Maker will spark controversy.
As much as it is inspirational, Circle Maker is also controversial. The controversy begins on the first page of chapter one, where Mark Batterson recounts the legend of Honi, a first-century mystic whose power in prayer saves the land from drought. Some have objected to the idea of "prayer circles," because they smack of paganism and superstition. After reading the book, it seems that Batterson is using "prayer circles" as a metaphor to describe the way someone prayers--prayers of specificity, audacity, and faith. Batterson is an evangelist for relentless, daring prayers.

I have some concerns with the book--a bit of sketchy exegesis here and there, a name-it-claim-it style of intercession, and a blurry line between dreams and prayers. I frankly discussed these concerns with Mark when I interviewed him on December 13, 2011, and I appreciate his genuine thoughtful answers to my questions. The interview will be broadcasted on crossleadership.com

The Circle Maker will generate discussion.
If there's one thing I despise, it is people who criticize books without reading them, and who demean authors without having a conversation with them. If you have questions about The Circle Maker, read it. If you have a problem with Mark Batterson, drive up to D.C. and treat him to coffee at Ebenezers. The Circle Maker will generate discussion, and I hope that it is a discussion that brings glory to God and a revival of prayer among God's people