Leadership – Mark Conner

The Home Crowd

Mark Conner — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 16:52:33 +0000

There is an interesting story in the Gospel of Luke about Jesus and his home town crowd - Nazareth. Jesus grew up here. Everyone knew him as 'Joseph's son'. After reading the Scripture in the synagogue one Sabbath, people were surprised by how well Jesus spoke. But before you knew it, they were angry with … Continue reading The Home Crowd

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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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Learning to Retreat

Mark Conner — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 20:00:31 +0000

A few years ago, TIME magazine published an article stating that distraction was the pre-eminent condition of our time. Not only are we busy, we are pulled in multiple directions constantly by distractions of all kinds. The antidote? Mindfulness. Mindfulness is about taking time to be still, to reflect, to meditate, to contemplate, to be … Continue reading Learning to Retreat

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Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap

Mark Conner — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 05:00:00 +0000

I love learning new things. In fact, I can become obsessive with new ideas, leading to me becoming the 'expert' in my family about everything and anything. Yes, I'm a maven for new information. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved books. In fact, when my parents visited friend’s house, after dinner I’d … Continue reading Bridging the Knowing-Doing Gap

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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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The Art of Coaching (Part 3)

Mark Conner — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Graham Alexander developed a simple but effective model (or mental map) for sequencing good questions. It is called The GROW model and it was first published by John Whitmore. The Grow Model GOAL – “What do you want? What are you trying to achieve?” REALITY – “What is happening? What action have you taken so far … Continue reading The Art of Coaching (Part 3)

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The Art of Coaching (Part 2)

Mark Conner — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 06:00:00 +0000

The coaching process involves two aspects: (1) raising awareness and (2) building responsibility. Creating awareness is all about helping the individual see themselves ("self-awareness") and their situation (what is happening around them) accurately. People can only deal with what they are aware of. Without awareness, no true change or progress can be made. John Whitmore says that … Continue reading The Art of Coaching (Part 2)

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The Art of Coaching (Part 1)

Mark Conner — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 06:00:00 +0000

In many ways, all of us are leaders. We influence others - family, friends, neighbours and school or work associates. It may be formally or informally, but it happens. We get to choose whether that influence is positive or negative, helpful or unhelpful. Leaders engage in a number of activities when interacting with other people, … Continue reading The Art of Coaching (Part 1)

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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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My Farewell Address: The Meaning of Life

Mark Conner — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 07:20:00 +0000

What does one say in a farewell address? In biblical times, we have a record of parting words from people such as Jacob (Genesis 49:1-33), Joseph (Genesis 50:24-26), Moses (Deuteronomy 31:1 - 32:47), Joshua (Joshua 24:22-28), David (1Chronicles 29:10-20), Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20 and John 13-17) and Paul (Acts 20:18-25). In modern times, we can consider the farewell speeches of kings, presidents and … Continue reading My Farewell Address: The Meaning of Life

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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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The Art of Coaching

Mark Conner — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 12:21:00 +0000

The role of a leader includes many tasks, including vision-casting, planning, directing, building teams, communication, training, problem solving and coaching people. The primary means of leadership development in the Bible is through mentoring and coaching. Think of Jethro and Moses, Moses and Joshua, Samuel and Saul then David, Elijah and Elisha, Jesus and his disciples, … Continue reading The Art of Coaching

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Your Home Base

Mark Conner — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 05:06:00 +0000

Luke 5:16. As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer. The Message Bible This is an amazing description of how Jesus lived and did ministry. He loved solitude - by the sea or in the country, on a boat or in a garden. This required withdrawal from people, busyness and activity. It was his home base - the … Continue reading Your Home Base

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The Art of Loving Confrontation

Mark Conner — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 12:10:00 +0000

Life can be very rewarding and fulfilling. It can also be very difficult at times. Two of the hardest things to do are handling criticism and confronting people, not that we should love confronting people (!) but learning how to do so in a loving manner. The apostle Paul once wrote in Ephesians 4:15 that one … Continue reading The Art of Loving Confrontation

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Think Win/Win

Mark Conner — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 04:26:00 +0000

In his best selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey noted that when it comes to healthy relationships, mature people think “win/win”. Win/Win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all situations, agreements and solutions. With a Win/Win solution, all parties feel good about the … Continue reading Think Win/Win

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