Mark Conner Think About It

WORRY

WorryHave you been worrying lately? Worry is a common thing. How do you deal with your worry?

Well, firstly you need to ask yourself, “What am I worrying about?” A study was done recently about the things that people worry about. 

Here are the results:

  • 40% of the worries were about things that never happened or would never happen.
  • 30% of the worries were things in the past for which they could do nothing about.
  • 12% were worries about health and worry actually worsens your health.
  • 10% were about petty or minor worries.
  • Only 8% of the worries were about anything substantial or legitimate and of that 8%, half, or 4%, of them were out of the person’s control.
  • That means only 4% were something that they could actually do something about. 

The research therefore reveals that 96% of what we worry about is totally irrelevant. It’s not worth worrying about! 

So why don’t you evaluate your worries today. If you can do something about it go ahead and do it, but with the rest just leave it. Don’t worry.  Trust in God.

Worry … Think about it.

Mark Conner Think About It

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

EqWell known psychologist, Daniel Goleman has done a lot research on the components of success, especially in the work place. His conclusion is that Technical Skill and Intellectual Intelligence (or IQ) are very important, but that the quality of Emotional Intelligence (or EQ), is the most essential.  In fact, it’s twice as important as the other two attributes. 

‘Emotional intelligence’ is: knowing how to relate well to a wide variety of people.

How do we do that?  Well, Jesus gives us some great advice in Matthew 7:12 when he says, “Do for others what you would like them to do for you.” 

Some people call this the “Golden Rule”. Jesus is basically saying to think about how you like to be treated. Think about the qualities and attributes that attract you to others, the ‘ideal friend’. We can also think about the qualities and attributes that repel us from others. You know, the ‘friend from hell’. 

Think about how you want to be treated and then you take the initiative. You begin treating other people in that way. Imagine a world where every one of us follows this basic principle of relationships. 

Emotional Intelligence … Think about it.

Mark Conner Think About It

ANGER

AngerHave you been angry lately? Anger is a common emotion. Every person has times when they experience feelings of annoyance, irritation, resentment or anger. Let’t talk about anger for a few moments …

What we need to realise is that anger can cause great damage and so therefore it is essential for healthy relationships that we get our anger under control.

There are two common causes of anger.

  1. Firstly, there is frustration. Frustration occurs when our goal is blocked. Maybe the driver in front of you is going 10 kilometres under the speed limit and you are in a hurry or maybe someone is an hour late for an appointment that you made an effort to be on time for. When you are frustrated you start to feel angry. 
  2. A second cause of anger is hurt. When someone does or says something to us that really hurts us anger begins to emerge.

There is a big difference between feeling angry and then acting out angry behaviour.  Anger is not the problem. It’s what we do with it.  I encourage you to manage your anger today.

Anger … Think about it.

Mark Conner Think About It

PASSION

Steve_irwinMany studies have been done about what some of the factors are of those that perform well in the arenas of business, music and sport.  What they discovered was that it’s not so much your intelligence, your gifts, your talents, your appearance, or your background. It comes down to your attitude – how you think – and your passion – how you feel.

Passion is like a fire on the inside that affects everything on the outside. In contrast apathy is a-pathos, no passion. Just kind of living life but going through the motions.

A great example of passion is the late Steve Irwin. Steve probably wasn’t the most educated Australian. He definitely wasn’t a model of occupational health and safety. But one thing about Steve is that he was passionate about crocodiles. I have always thought: imagine if everyone was as passionate about life as Steve was about crocodiles. I urge you today to live your life with passion.

Passion … Think about it.

Mark Conner Books

How to Reach Your Life Goals [Book Review]

Peter_daniels_2Peter Daniels has quite an amazing ‘rags to riches’ story. You can read about it in various resources available on his web site. His story has been an inspiration to many thousands of people.

Throughout Peter’s life journey he learned many lessons for doing well in life, including the principle of effective goal-setting.

Peter’s book How to Reach Your Life Goals presents a heap of ideas and inspirational concepts on this topic.

Here are some of the highlights:

Continue reading “How to Reach Your Life Goals [Book Review]” →

Mark Conner Books

Half Time [Book Review]

Half_timeBob Buford is the author of the best-selling book Half Time: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance. He is also the founder of the Half Time ministry, and of Leadership Network, an organisation dedicated to innovation in leadership.

The basic concept of his book is that in the first half of our life we focus on 'success'. However, in the second half we need to shift our focus to 'significance'. The key to making this transition effectively is to have a good 'half time' where we reflect on our life and our most important contributions.

This is an excellent book, especially for anyone in their early 40s or older. We live in a world that encourages early retirement. Yet even at 55 years of age, given your health, you potentially have a good 25-30 years left of significant contribution. Don't think about 'retiring'. Think about 're-firing' and making your second half of life your best half of life.

Here are a few extra thoughts from Bob's writings (which also include Game Plan and Stuck in Half Time):

  • Be who God has called you to be. Aim for significance not just success.
  • What do you dream of doing? What contribution will you make? What is the theme of God’s story in you? It will be BIG!
  • Take a 'half-time', not just a short 'time out'. Disengage from busyness and routine. Take regular one-day 'retreats'. Eliminate whatever you can. Clear your plate.
  • Start thinking about second half goals. Keep thinking ahead and moving forward.
  • We all can benefit from regular reflection time (silence).
  • Personal goal-setting can be very helpful, as can a personal strategic plan.
  • You need a strategy or 'game plan'. A personal mission statement. Focus in a few things and do them well. Create time for your agenda. Eliminate whatever you can. Clear your plate. Remove 'distractions'.
  • Have a passion for learning and growing in areas related to your mission.
  • No matter what your age, your best years are yet to come. Don’t fear getting 'old'. You still have many good productive years left.
  • Aim to give more and more away to others (community and church).

Where are you in the game of life – the first half, the second half, or half time?

Mark Conner Books

Adrenaline and Stress [Book Review]

Arch_hartDr. Arch Hart, co-founder of the Hart Institute, has written a very good book on Adrenaline and Stress that is worth reading. Dr. Hart is well known for his ministry to churches through psychological training, education, and consultation. A former dean of the School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, he is now retired from full time teaching. Dr. Hart has published 24 books.

A few years back, I had the privilege of taking a two-week intensive course on The Minister’s Personal Health (as part of my Doctor of Ministry program through Fuller Theological Seminary) with Dr. Hart and I learned so much from this wise man, especially in the area of healthy life and ministry habits.

Here are a few insights from this book:

Concerning life in general …

  • We must conquer ‘time urgency’ and ‘hurry sickness’. A sense of time urgency produces hurry sickness, which involves an internal state of emergency.
  • Constant ‘stretching’ damages us (like a rubber band).
  • We need time for rest and relaxation, contemplation and meditation.
  • Life should be hills and valleys, highs and lows, pressure and relaxation. Balance is the key.
  • Learn to slow down. Plan ahead and avoid rushing.  Learn to laugh more.
  • Learn to live with ‘unfinished business’ and be content.
  • Jesus’ life was a model of unhurriedness and balanced priorities.

Continue reading “Adrenaline and Stress [Book Review]” →

Mark Conner Books

7 Habits of Highly Effective People [Book Review]

7_habuitsStephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has been on the best-seller list for many years now. Covey is the co-founder of the Franklin Covey company, dedicated to enabling greatness in people and organisations.

Think about this for starters …

Who am I?

I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half the things I do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed – you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great individuals and alas, of all failures, as well. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a human. You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin – it makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I AM HABIT

Yes, habits are very powerful forces in our lives. In Covey’s book, he presents seven habits of effectiveness.

Here they are:

Continue reading “7 Habits of Highly Effective People [Book Review]” →

Mark Conner Books

Follow Me [Book Review]

Follow_meThis week we will review a few books worth reading …

Jan Hettinga’s book Follow Me: Experience the Loving Leadership of Jesus is an excellent challenge to truly ‘follow’ Jesus, not just believe in him.

Here are a few of his insights, worth reflecting on …

  • The ultimate issue in the universe is leadership. Who you follow and what directs your life is the single most important thing about you.
  • There is a big difference between ‘believing’ in Jesus and ‘following’ Jesus. We have a major problem in the church today: ‘non-following believers’.
  • Find out who Jesus is and what his leadership is really like. Jesus is a leader we can trust. He is the only truly ‘safe’ leader. Yet there is often a reluctance to trust God’s leadership because of transference of our personal experiences on to God.
  • Think deeply about why we don’t truly follow Jesus. Diagnose your own areas of resistance. We are often threatened by Jesus because of our obsession with control. Ask yourself key questions such as: What do you expect from God? Does he seem intimidating? Is it possible that you have been keeping your distance from Christ even though you believe in him? If so, why? What keeps you from trusting him and following him? If you were to fully accept the authority and leadership of Jesus as a way of life, what would change? Do you enjoy God? Have you found him approachable, likable and lovable? From your perspective, is God a ‘giver’ or a ‘taker’?
  • Selfishness is so attractive. We insist on going our own way and doing our own thing. Yet we hurt ourselves and others in the process.
  • Surrender to the loving leadership of Jesus. Genuine repentance places Jesus as leader and you as follower. Invite Jesus into the ‘mission control centre’ of your life.
Mark Conner Web/Tech

Welcome to Recent Visitors

If you’ve just visited my blog for the first time in recent weeks, welcome!

Here are a FEW TIPS that you might find helpful …

  1. The 50 latest posts are in the centre of the blog. You can access them by simply scrolling down.
  2. To access earlier posts you can either click a Category (these are found on the upper right hand side of the blog home page) OR you can go to previous month’s Archives (these are found also on the right hand side of the blog, but a little lower down).
  3. Longer blog posts are divided into two sections. The second section can be viewed by clicking on ‘Continue reading …’ at the end of the first section.
  4. Blue text within a post indicates a link to further material – either a web site or a down-loadable file.
  5. Feel free to make a comment on any post. Simply click ‘Comments’ at the bottom of the post. You can also interact with other people’s comments too.

Also, here are the answers to some FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS …

Continue reading “Welcome to Recent Visitors” →

Mark Conner Contemporary Culture

Global Trends

TrendsThe last two days, we’ve had a look at a prophetic forecast for 2008 and some microtrends. While we’re speaking of trends, here are a number of resources that you might find helpful when thinking about and contemplating the future …

  1. The Barna Group, an organisation led by George Barna, dedicated to pulsing the culture from a Christian perspective and to spotting emerging trends affecting the Christian church.
  2. Christianfutures.com, a web site dedicated to helping communities of faith develop foresight.
  3. Christian futurist, Tom Sine’s, web site.
  4. Future.com, a web site dedicated to discussing issues related to the future.
  5. Post-Modern Pilgrims by Leonard Sweet. [This book summary is from www.christianbooksummaries.com an excellent web site with free summaries of influential Christian books] Sweet’s latest book is The Church of the Perfect Storm.
  6. Ten Major Trends by Howard Snyder. [Thanks to Steve Addison for a copy of this article]
  7. What’s Next: Top Trends, an interesting blog about trends.

As followers of Christ, we are the ultimate people of the future, yet living anchored to the firm foundations of our historic faith, and living with full engagement in our present time. We worship and serve the God "… who is, who was, and is to come."

Mark Conner Books

Microtrends

MicrotrendsMark J. Penn is one of the most respected and sought-after analysts in the world. He has spent over thirty years as an adviser and polling analyst to major corporations and heads of state. He has done research for people such as Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, and Tony Blair. His latest book Microtrends looks at what he believes are the small forces behind today’s big changes.

He believes that today’s biggest movements are small and that small is the new big. Even 1% can create a movement to change the world. We are seeing the ‘niching’ of the world – 100s of small directions all at once. In his book he takes a snapshot look at 75 groups who, according to his research, represent a portrait of our world (his research focuses primarily on America, but he does cover some international microtrends too).

Here are just a few of the interesting ‘microtrends’ Penn observes:

Continue reading “Microtrends” →

Mark Conner Books

Advance Australia Where?

Advance_australiaHugh Mackay is a highly respected Australian social researcher. His latest book Advance Australia Where? gives us some interesting insight into where Australia has come from over the last few decades and what some of the trends are for the future.

This book is very worthwhile reading for anyone interested in Australian society. For those of us who are Christians living in Australia, it is important that we understand our culture and the people we are seeking to reach out to with God’s love.

According to Mackay’s research, Australians are a little restless and a bit edgy due to the changes that have taken place over the last 30 years. There is a lack of connectedness, a growing materialism, as well as increasing selfishness. He evens predicts a new space for religion in the hearts of many Aussies.

Here are a few of his other quotes and insights, just in the area of relationships and family:

Continue reading “Advance Australia Where?” →

Mark Conner Theology

A Few New Year Tips – WORSHIP

" … a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." [John 4:22-24. NIV]

I often hear people say, "God created us to worship him." It sounds kind of spiritual but I don’t believe it is true. For God to create people for the purpose of worshipping him would be a selfish reason for creation – as if God has some deep inner need that he has created us to fill.

Imagine me choosing to marry my wife Nicole because I simply want a cook, a house-keeper, and a lover. Not the makings of a great marriage! No, I married Nicole because I truly love her and I wanted to spend my life with her as my best friend. The other things are benefits of the relationship – not goals.

Notice that Jesus does not tell us that the Father is looking for ‘worship’. He has worship all around him in heaven – with angels singing ‘holy, holy, holy’ on a continual basis. The Father is looking for ‘worshippers’. He is looking for people who he can have a loving relationship with.

I believe that God created us in order to give himself to us – in unselfish love. God has no need outside of himself that he is trying to fulfill through us. He is self-existent and self-reliant. He does not need anyone. However, because he is love – he chooses to create us, to love us, to seek our well-being, and to desire a relationship with us. Incredible.

Read this comment from Paul and think about it for a moment …

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." [Romans 5:6-9. NLT]

How do you respond to a God like that? Once you have a revelation of his incredible love for you, you want to love him in return (1 John 4:19). You want to worship. Worship is our response to God’s revelation of himself. When we see his magnificent creation and experience his incredible redemption, there’s nothing we want to do but worship.

‘Worship’ is giving worth and honour to God. It is much more than a song, or attending a church service on a weekend. It is living a life that brings pleasure to God. 

  • Live a life focused on fulfilling God’s purposes for the earth.
  • Obey God’s commands. Obedience is the ultimate act of worship.
  • Sing songs of praise and worship to God on a regular basis. God’s heart is moved when we worship him from our heart. We can do this along or with other followers of Christ.

May this be a year when we offer to God extravagant worship – at a level and with a depth of heart beyond where we have ever been before.

Mark Conner Relationships

A Few New Year Tips – HELP

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” [1 Peter 4:10-11. NLT]

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” [Ephesians 2:10. NLT]

There are so many opportunities all around us to help other people and to make this world a better place. God has given you unique talents, gifts and abilities. Use them.

Jesus said that there is more joy in giving than in receiving (Acts 20:35). Even psychologists have proven that there is a longer lasting sense of genuine happiness from engaging in one act of kindness than in any act of personal pleasure.

Who can you help today?

  • Help around the home. Don’t allow any task to be seen as too menial. The best families are where everyone pulls their weight to get done what needs to be done. Are you a helper around the home?
  • Help your neighbours. Lend a hand. Offer to help out.
  • Help your church. Each church has so many opportunities for people to contribute. Church leaders (and staff) don’t exist to do all the work of the ministry themselves, but to empower and encourage the whole church to contribute to kingdom purpose (see Ephesians 4:1-121).
  • Help your community. There are many significant causes and organisations that exist to help the poor and needy in each community. Volunteer your time or give a financial donation.
  • Help your employer. Every business exists to offer a service or product that aims at providing a benefit to the lives of people. Use your work or career as a means of helping others, in the love of Christ.
  • Help your world. I heard BONO from U2 say recently, “In a global village, who is our neighbour?” A thought-provoking question! Many of the world people live in dire poverty. The needs can seem overwhelming. It is easy to be paralysed by them. But we can do something to make a difference … today. Pray. Make a financial donation to an effective poverty relief organisation. Volunteer your time. Consider going on a short-term trip to help out practically.

Helping communicates love. It is love in action. Be a better helper this year – and be prepared to notice your increasing impact.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” [1 Corinthians 15:58. NLT]

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