Church – Mark Conner

COVID-19 and the Church

Mark Conner — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

As of Sunday, 22nd March this year, churches in Australia could no longer meet in physical buildings due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. The majority of churches had to immediately move to some kind of online platform - ready or not. For some, this was a relatively easy step, especially for churches who had already … Continue reading COVID-19 and the Church

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My Top Ten Fund-Raising Tips

Mark Conner — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 07:02:45 +0000

Are you passionate about a particular cause? Do you want to make a difference in the world? Then you could use some money. It's commendable to have a vision for a better future but without provision not a lot happens. But asking for money is not for the faint-hearted. It's never an easy exercise. Over … Continue reading My Top Ten Fund-Raising Tips

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How to Create a Culture of Generous Givers in Your Church

Mark Conner — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 10:23:23 +0000

Over these last few years, I have been coaching quite a few pastors across Australia and a few overseas. It's a privilege to come along side these church leaders from different denominations and contexts and offer them encouragement and advice in a wide range of aspects of personal ministry and church life. One of the … Continue reading How to Create a Culture of Generous Givers in Your Church

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Songs of Praise by Mark Conner

Mark Conner — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 07:00:23 +0000

In my younger years, I was very involved in church worship music. I played the piano for church services, led times of worship, wrote songs, directed a choir, and did some studio recording work. Occasionally, when speaking at various churches and conferences today, I will go to the piano and sing one of my own … Continue reading Songs of Praise by Mark Conner

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To Russia With Love

Mark Conner — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

As I teenager I loved to play RISK, a board game similar to Monopoly, but in RISK the goal is to conquer the world, not just own the houses in the neighbourhood. Each player is dealt a certain number of countries and armies to placer on them. Then through the roll of the dice they … Continue reading To Russia With Love

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My Experience with Burnout

Mark Conner — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 07:00:00 +0000

My first encounter with burnout was back in 2002. I experienced what I would call an ‘emotional valley’ that lasted for about 6 months. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me but it took everything within me just to make it through the next meeting, the next appointment or the next project. My mood … Continue reading My Experience with Burnout

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God’s Story Building Project

Mark Conner — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Most churches I have been a part of over the years have undergone a building project or extension at some time. Of course, a church is not a building nor is a building ever meant to be the vision or the focus. After all, buildings don't change people's lives but what happens in them can … Continue reading God’s Story Building Project

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Church Life AFTER Marriage Equality: The Questions No One Is Asking

Mark Conner — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 17:37:24 +0000

Right now, Australians are deliberating about just one question - “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?” A majority of conservative Christians (as well as Jews and Muslims) are campaigning for a 'No' vote, while less are saying it should be 'Yes'. A majority of society in general seems to be … Continue reading Church Life AFTER Marriage Equality: The Questions No One Is Asking

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Pass the Baton: Successful Leadership Transition

Mark Conner — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 11:54:39 +0000

CityLife Church, located in Melbourne Australia, had three Senior Ministers in the first 50 years of it's history. Richard Holland was the founding pastor and led the church for 20 years, followed by my father, Kevin Conner, who led the church for the next 8 years. I was the Senior Minister for the next 22 years … Continue reading Pass the Baton: Successful Leadership Transition

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The Stresses of Church Work

Mark Conner — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 14:02:00 +0000

I would never suggest that pastors and church leaders work harder than other people ... but church work has its unique challenges and pressures. Here are five of them: 1. Ministry work is never done. It is open ended. There is never full closure. There is always more to do. It just keeps coming at you … Continue reading The Stresses of Church Work

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A Church United

Mark Conner — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 12:45:00 +0000

John 17 is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus and it reveals what was important to him. After praying for himself (vs.1-5) and his disciples (vs.6-19), he prayed for all who would believe in him – for the church yet to born (vs.20-26). Nearest to Jesus’ heart was his concern for the unity of his … Continue reading A Church United

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Navigating Transitions

Mark Conner — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 09:31:14 +0000

At a recent conference, I shared a message about "Navigating Transitions". Here is a summary of the main insights I shared: 1. Trust God for the Future. Life is a journey with many seasons. We can have a sense of where we have come from, where we are now and where we are going. Seasons … Continue reading Navigating Transitions

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Transforming Your Church

Mark Conner — Thu, 26 May 2016 02:00:00 +0000

When I became the Senior Minister of CityLife Church back in 1995, I invested extensive time in prayer, study, research and reflection about principles for building a healthy and effective church. As a result, I was prompted to lead our church through seven "strategic shifts" over the next few years. This has resulted in much positive … Continue reading Transforming Your Church

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The Supper

Mark Conner — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 11:08:05 +0000

As we move towards Easter, let's take a look at the supper from Mark 14:12-26. Part of our God-given humanity is the instinct to celebrate significant moments with significant meals (e.g. Christmas, birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries). Sharing a meal bonds a family, a group of friends, a team, a collection of colleagues together. The meal says more than … Continue reading The Supper

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Jesus’ Ministry

Mark Conner — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 00:50:00 +0000

The Gospel of Matthew tells us this about the ministry of Jesus: Matthew 9:35-37. Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them … Continue reading Jesus’ Ministry

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