Mark Martin

Co-host, Martin's Must-Reads

Mark Martin (also known as Mr. Betty Martin) was born in Midland, Texas. In 1979, after graduating from Texas Tech University, he worked as a financial analyst for Conoco. Upon graduating from Concordia Seminary with a Masters of Divinity degree in 1993, he began his ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills and later moved to the Associate Pastor position at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. In November of 2019, he began a new career as an Intentional Interim Pastor, currently for Concordia Lutheran Church in Sikeston. When he's not pastoring, he's watching sports, reading, or riding his BMW motorcycle. His reading tastes gravitate to nonfiction: history, sports, science, biographies, and the human condition. As a monthly guest reviewer, he adds another dimension to Martin's Must-Reads.

Martin's Must Reads: 'Leave Only Footprints'

By Mark Martin • Jul 6, 2021

Before sunrise on January 1, Conor hiked to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park braving the cold Maine weather to watch the sunrise on the continental United States. This began his odyssey to visit every national park in one year.

Martin's Must Reads: 'The Last Days of John Lennon'

By Mark Martin • Jun 22, 2021

With their impact on our culture, the legacy of the Beatles transcends music. An impact that is still felt today. The heart of the Beatles was its initial driving force John Lennon.

Martin's Must Reads: 'You're Not Listening'

By Mark Martin • May 18, 2021

“In modern life, we are encouraged to listen to our hearts, listen to our inner voices, and listen to our guts, but rarely are we encouraged to listen carefully and with intent to other people…Online and in person, it’s all about defining yourself, shaping the narrative, and staying on message.”

Martin's Must Reads: 'A Life on Our Planet'

By Mark Martin • Apr 20, 2021

"This is the true tragedy of our time: the spiraling decline of our planet’s biodiversity. For life to truly thrive on this planet, there must be biodiversity. Only when billions of different individual organisms make the most of every resource and opportunity they encounter, and millions of species lead lives that interlock so that they sustain each other, can the planet run efficiently. The greater the biodiversity, the more secure will all life be on Earth, including ourselves. Yet the way we humans are now living on Earth is sending biodiversity into a decline.”

Martin's Must Reads: 'Yogi'

By Mark Martin • Mar 30, 2021

“I really didn’t say everything I said. You better cut the pizza into four pieces; I’m not hungry enough to eat six. It’s déjà vu all over again.”