Email John Mark Hicks at hicksjm (at) yahoo (Dot) com.
John Mark Hicks has taught in institutions affliated with 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).
John Mark married Sheila Christian Pettit on May 22, 1977. She died due to complications from back surgery in Ellijay, Georgia, on April 30, 1980.
John Mark married Barbara Adcox in 1983 but they separated and divorced in 2001 with great heartache as all divorces entail. He has two living children–Ashley (26) and Rachel (21), one grandaugher–Neely (2), and two deceased children–one was a miscarriage with Sheila and the other with Barbara named 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 by stillbirth.
Jennifer serves on the board of Share in Nashville which is a national organization that gives care to families who have experienced the loss of an infant child. Jennifer is a nurse clinical instructor for Vanderbilt University and donates two mornings a month to serving the poor at Siloam a non-profit medical clinic.
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. 
April 5, 2008 at 10:36 am |
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
April 9, 2008 at 8:13 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?
December 24, 2008 at 3:33 pm |
Dr. Hicks
I read your book Come to the Table a few years ago and found it very valuable. Might you be interested and available to speak to a PCA pastor’s luncheon in Charlotte sometime next year?
Howard Donahoe
May 10, 2009 at 5:24 pm |
Dear Dr. Hicks,
I’m studying on instrumental worship in the church. What is your take? is it a reason for disfellowship, is there biblical evidence to support not using the instrument in the worship assembly?
Impact
May 10, 2009 at 6:23 pm |
About 12 years ago I wrote a lengthy piece that is available at the HUGSR website. It will give you my views as about 10 years ago. I have not written much on the top since but my views have adjusted. Nevertheless, that piece lays out the parameters. It was reviewed by Al Maxey at his website which is helpful as well.
In either case, the article and my present view is that the use of instrument music in the worship assembly is not a salvation issue and is not a matter of fellowship.
May 21, 2009 at 7:50 pm |
Hi John Mark,
I think you were once a participant on RM-Bible in years past. We recently moved to a Yahoo Groups platform. I wonder whether you might consider re-joining us. Not much traffic. Sometimes a topic worthy of consideration emerges. I saw your recent rememberance post of your lost child. I am certain that the pain of such an event never lessens. I suspect that there are those of us on RM Bible who might benefit from your perspectives upon occasion. Please let me know you have an interest.
Blessings,
Tom Farr
May 22, 2009 at 6:22 am |
Tom, send me an invitation. I will take a look. Thanks for the invite.
May 21, 2009 at 9:19 pm |
I thought the RM bible site closed years ago. Is it still around?