Mark Bettinger grew up an only child, but it didn’t start out that way. When he was three years old, he was riding with his dad in a truck on their way to Salt Lake City. His mom and brother were following in a car behind them.
“It was a clear blue sunny day. I remember it like the back of my hand. My dad slammed on the brakes in the middle of the interstate and went running back.”
His mom had a flat tire. It was so hot that day that the rim stuck in the asphalt causing an accident which killed both Mark’s mom and brother.
From then on, it was just Mark and his dad. He worked on the road in construction so he would drop Mark off at daycare in the morning, and pick him up in the evening.
“We would go to the tavern every night. I got more free quarters to play video games, and more Buck Rogers and Shirley Temple drinks than I can count. Little did I realize how much baggage I was carrying around at that time.”
When Mark was six, his father remarried. His stepmom Cindy took him to church, where he heard the Gospel for the first time.
“The pastor said if anybody wants to come forward and receive the good news, now is your opportunity. I got down on my knees and surrendered my life to Christ that night. I remember feeling like a thousand pound pack had been removed from my back. I was carrying around that much weight.”
The pastor said Jesus loved Mark and that He died for him. Mark had never equated death with love. He had always equated death with sadness and anger.
“I found Jesus that night and I have never been the same.”
Mark says he knew right away that God had a plan and purpose for his life. The first verse he memorized was Mark 16:15,
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
From the time he was 6, he had a passion to share Jesus with others. That passion has led him on an adventure that is spreading the Gospel literally around the world.
Hear Mark’s inspiring story in Chapter 8 of Epic.
Mark Bettinger – go into all the world
