Chris Battle, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, is an alumnus of Morehouse College and holds Master’s degrees in Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and in Hebrew Bible from Cincinnati Bible College. He has served as pastor in several cities including Bowling Green, KY, Hackensack, NJ, Cincinnati, OH, and Knoxville, TN. His journey took a pivotal turn in 2018 when he launched a community garden in Knoxville, which led him to tackle food disparity and connect more deeply with his community. This initiative expanded into Battlefield Farm and the establishment of the Eastside Sunday Market at Dr. Walter Hardy Park, now in its fourth year. Beyond gardening, Battle has encouraged other churches to start their own gardens and leveraged a food truck to aid underserved areas. Currently, he is the Lead Pastor at Harvest Fellowship and a father to 19 children with his wife, Tomma.
Between 2016 and 2018, he co-led Justice Knox, focusing on diverse community challenges in Knox County, including education and gun violence, and emphasized environmental concerns through national dialogues on Creation Care. Battle is recognized for his commitment to justice and community engagement, advocating for involvement in societal issues both locally and beyond.