Email John Mark Hicks at hicksjm@yahoo.com.
John Mark Hicks has taught in institutions operated by Churches of Christ for twenty-five years. He currently lives in Nashville, TN. John Mark was born in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. His father (Mark N. Hicks) and mother (Edith Lois Hicks) were Texans who moved in the 1950s to Virginia to plant a church (though they were back in New Mexico in 1957 for a few years where John Mark was born).
John Mark grew up in Virginia, spending his teen years in the Washington, D.C. area. He received his A.A. in German and his B.A. in Bible from Freed-Hardeman University (1977), his M.A.R. in Theological Studies from Westminster Theological Seminary (1979), his M.A. in Humanities (Philosophy) from Western Kentucky University (1980) and his Ph.D. in Reformation and Post-Reformation Studies from Westminster Theological Seminary (1985).
He has taught at Alabama Christian School of Religion (1982-1989), Magnolia Bible College (1989-1991), Harding University Graduate School of Religion (1991-2000 fulltime; 2000-2008 partime), and Lipscomb University (2000-2008). He has also adjuncted at Northeastern Christian College, Christian Brothers University, Abilene Christian University and Institute for Christian Theology and Minstry (St. Petersburg, Russia).
He has published numerous articles, both popular and scholarly, contributed to thirteen books and authored an additional nine. His third book (the first two, written as as a teenager, are best forgotten) was Yet Will I Trust Him: Understanding God in a Suffering World (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1999). This was followed by a small group study version published as Anchors for the Soul: Trusting God in the Storms of Life (College Press, 2001). He has also written a 600+ page commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles in the College Press NIV Commentary series (2001).
His most recent publications are Come to the Table: Revisioning the Lord’s Supper (Orange, CA: New Leaf Press, 2002), Down in the River to Pray: Revisioning Baptism as God’s Transforming Work (with Greg Taylor; Siloam Springs: Leafwood Publishers, 2004), and A Gathered People: Revisioning the Assembly as Transforming Encounter (with Bobby Valentine and Johnny Melton; Abilene: Leafwood Publishers, 2007). These three works are an attempt to “revision” the traditional Stone-Campbell ordinances (or sacraments) as divine means of grace by which humans encounter God’s transforming power; the ordinances (or sacraments) are theocentric rather than anthropocentric.
In 2006, John Mark also published Kingdom Come: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of David Lipscomb and James Harding (with Bobby Valentine; Abilene: Leafwood Publishers, 2006).
In addition to various ministry positions in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama and Mississippi, he has served as a church planter from 1998-2000 (Cordova Community Church, a church of Christ in Cordova, TN), Adult Education Minister at the Ross Road Church of Christ in Memphis, TN (1991-1998 ) and Adult Education Minister for the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ in Nashville, TN (2001-2006). In addition, John Mark was the interim preaching minister for the Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis, TN from January to November in 2007.
He has lectured widely across the 39 states and 18 countries (Japan, Korea, Uganda, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Croatia, Italy, Ukraine, Jamaica, England, Wales, Russia and Honduras).
He has two living children–Ashley (25) and Rachel (21), one grandaugher–Neely (2), and one deceased son–Joshua Mark Hicks who died on May 21, 2001 at the age of sixteen after a long struggle with the genetic condition called Sanfillippo Syndrome.
On December 20, 2002, John Mark married Jennifer and now shares responsibility for a blended family that includes Jennifer’s three children: Lauren Bristol (20), Michael Bristol (17), and Lacey Bristol (13). Jennifer also lost a child, Leah, in 1994.
Oh, last but not the least important–I am a Chicago Cubs fan…diehard and waiting for the inbreaking of Cub Kingdom to dominate the baseball world…or at least win a World Series once every 100 years.
This is me in the Radio Booth at Wrigley…standing next to Ron Santo…separated by the glass as they were not too interested in me “helping” Ron with his job. 
Dr. Hicks:
Thank you so much for the Bible class materials on the epistles of John!!!!
I am teaching General Epistles at Heritage Christian University in Florence, AL and your survey of the literature and summary paragraphs will help me greatly!
Michael
By: Michael Jackson on April 5, 2008
at 10:36 am
Hey John Mark! I’ve been looking for your contact information online, but have been unsuccessful. I’d love to bounce some things (theological of course) off of you if you’re willing. How can I contact you?
By: Josh Patrick on April 9, 2008
at 8:13 am
Good to hear from you Josh. You can email me at hicksjm@yahoo.com
By: John Mark Hicks on April 9, 2008
at 8:24 am
Are you still at Lipscomb? Your wordpress is great! Tell Jennifer hello.
By: Daniel on April 10, 2008
at 5:25 pm
