General Interest – Mark Conner

Waking Up to My Own ‘Blind Privilege’

Mark Conner — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 06:36:14 +0000

I am white, I am male, I am tall, I am middle class, I am educated, I am straight, and I grew up in a Christian home. All of these things were given to me by birth, not by choice. I did not earn them or do anything to acquire them - other than live … Continue reading Waking Up to My Own ‘Blind Privilege’

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Birthday Reflections: Here’s to Good Health!

Mark Conner — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 10:28:06 +0000

I turned 58 years of age a week ago. Where did the years go? I still feel like I am in my 30s ... but then other days I feel like I've squeezed the work and activity of multiple lifetimes into this one solitary life. In the last 12 months, my dad and my step-mother … Continue reading Birthday Reflections: Here’s to Good Health!

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A Map of Life’s Journey

Mark Conner — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 08:37:33 +0000

In a few months time I will be 58 years of age. As I grow older, I find myself reflecting more on my life. Where I've come from, where I've been, where and who I am now, and where I am going. I also observe other people in their own journey as they seek to … Continue reading A Map of Life’s Journey

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Seasons (Part 5)

Mark Conner — Sun, 26 May 2019 19:00:27 +0000

One final reflection ... (read Seasons Part 1 for background). Endings Make New Beginnings Possible Once Paul and his team had said their goodbyes, they were on their way … to Jerusalem then Rome (Acts 21:1), where he would spread the good news of Jesus even further, as well as speak to kings. Good days … Continue reading Seasons (Part 5)

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Seasons (Part 4)

Mark Conner — Sat, 25 May 2019 19:00:09 +0000

Here is my next reflection ... (read Seasons Part 1 for background). Endings Involve Grief As Paul left Ephesus, not only were their final words and prayers, there were also tearful and painful good-byes, knowing they would never to see each other again. In the Message Bible, Eugene Peterson translates this moment this way: "Then … Continue reading Seasons (Part 4)

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Seasons (Part 3)

Mark Conner — Fri, 24 May 2019 19:00:53 +0000

Here is my next reflection on Paul's transitioning from the city of Ephesus where he had spent the last three years of his life (read Seasons - Part 1). Endings Require Us to “Let Go” of the Past Moving on, required Paul to let go and the church at Ephesus to let him go too … Continue reading Seasons (Part 3)

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Seasons (Part 2)

Mark Conner — Thu, 23 May 2019 19:00:11 +0000

Here is my second reflection on Paul's life and the transition of seasons he was undergoing in leaving the city of Ephesus (read Seasons - Part 1). Seasons are Marked by Endings and Beginnings Paul felt an urgency that compelled him to leave Ephesus and go to Jerusalem, though he was completely in the dark … Continue reading Seasons (Part 2)

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Seasons (Part 1)

Mark Conner — Thu, 23 May 2019 02:48:06 +0000

I love Autumn! It is one of my favourite seasons of the year. The somewhat cooler days, the clear blue skies, and the glorious colours of the leaves. Change is in the air. The cycle of life is moving forward. Nicole and I moved back to Melbourne last May after 18 months of living in … Continue reading Seasons (Part 1)

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Do You Have a ‘Secular’ Job?

Mark Conner — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:05:05 +0000

Every now and then when I am talking with someone, in the course of the conversation, they will mention their 'secular job'. I always pause and think about that statement. It actually grates me. Why is that? Unfortunately, many people have created a division between the “sacred” and the “secular”. This dualism is a product … Continue reading Do You Have a ‘Secular’ Job?

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The Blessing of Giving

Mark Conner — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 23:52:16 +0000

Jesus said and did many things, a lot of which is recorded in the four Gospels of the New Testament. But not everything Jesus said and did was written down (see John 21:25). The apostle Paul rarely quoted Jesus, but one statement that must have been passed on to him through 'oral tradition' (it's not … Continue reading The Blessing of Giving

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Decisions – How to Know God’s Will For Your Life

Mark Conner — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 07:04:56 +0000

Many years ago, when Nicole and I were working for my dad, Kevin Conner, who was then the Senior Minister of Waverley Christian Fellowship (now CityLife Church), we had a number of people advise us to consider moving away for a few years. They thought it would be good for me to get out from … Continue reading Decisions – How to Know God’s Will For Your Life

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Navigating the Storms of Life

Mark Conner — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 06:00:42 +0000

Nahum 1:3. The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. NKJV

The book of Nahum is one of the 12 minor prophets found at the end of the Old Testament. Nahum lived in the seventh century BC during a time of great political upheaval due to the rise of the Assyrian Empire. His messages sought to encourage God’s people who were being oppressed by a seemingly invincible foe. The book opens with a song of praise to God for his power and justice. The spectacular manifestations of nature are symbolic of his power.

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Is Our View of Retirement Still Working?

Mark Conner — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 05:30:00 +0000

"Retirement" - what does that word mean for you? Maybe you are young and retirement seems a distant, mysterious world for you. Or maybe you are working your butt off right now and can't wait to finish? Or maybe you are already there. In the insightful book Playing Life's Second Half, author David J. Powell notes … Continue reading Is Our View of Retirement Still Working?

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Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 4)

Mark Conner — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, once noted that we are the first generation to have two lives - a first half and a second half. Over a hundred years ago, many people lived to only 45-50 years of age. Now, as we have seen in this series of posts, many people are living … Continue reading Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 4)

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Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 3)

Mark Conner — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 18:35:21 +0000

In part 4 and 5 of this series of posts on the possibility of living to 100, we will look at what longevity could mean for our lives. What does a life of significance, rather than mere success, look like? How do we break free from the conventional view of the three-stage life: education, vocation, … Continue reading Could You Live to 100 Years of Age? (Part 3)

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