February 2012 - Mark Conner

February 28, 2012April 30, 2020 Mark Conner Preaching

Some Tips for Preachers

It's Tuesday and Sunday's coming. For those of us who preach or teach at church on a regular basis, that can be a bit daunting. But it's encouraging to know that every message or sermon begins with a blank page. We all have to start somewhere.

Over the years, I have written a vareity of articles to encourage and assist those who communicate. You will find articles on everything from principles of effective communication, speaking without notes, and some recommended books to invest in.

Click here to begin …

Communicating God's Word in such as way as to encourage and motivate people to change and grow is one of the greatest privileges we can have. All of us can grow and learn to communicate more effectively each year, as we invest in our own development.

February 27, 2012 Mark Conner Personal

Mark Conner’s BLOG update

By the time you read this, I will have started my 12 week sabbatical.

During this time, I will be doing a bit of a technology detox – so no work email, Facebook, Twitter or BLOG activity. Yes, I'm expecting severe withdrawal pains!

During this time my BLOG will have a variety of posts which I have written ahead of time that will post every few days. However, the Comments section will be closed, as I won't be checking my BLOG. There will be plenty of content to enjoy.

Happy reading!

Mark Conner

February 26, 2012 Mark Conner Bible, Theology

The Jesus Story

Matthew’s begins his story about Jesus with a family tree that any first century Jew would have been pretty impressed with. It includes heroes such as Abraham and David, but also some surprise inclusions such as Boaz (son of Rahab the prostitute) and Solomon (born out of the adulterous relationship of David and Bathsheba), hinting at the unexpected ways God often works. Jesus (a popular boys name, similar to Joshua, which means “the Lord saves”) came to “save his people from their sins (Matt.1:21-23).” Jesus would rescue people not from slavery in Egypt (like Moses did) but from the slavery of sin.

John the Baptist then appears as the forerunner to Jesus, preaching a message of repentance (which literally means to “turn to God”) and the coming kingdom of God (Matt.3:1-3). When Jesus arrives on the scene, he turns out to be much different than expected, even surprising John by asking to be baptised and, in doing so, identifying with God’s people. Jesus then began his own ministry, preaching a similar message of repentance and the soon-arriving kingdom of God (Matt.4:17). Two themes emerge immediately as we read the Jesus story – salvation and kingdom.

Salvation – a Cross

Jesus came to save people from their sins. This mission fits within the larger story of history that includes creation, fall (sin) and redemption. The Jesus story climaxes with his death, burial and resurrection. Jesus is not just a teacher of ethics or a social reformer. Jesus understood that humans have a sickness of heart, which all attempts at improvement cannot fix (see Jer.17:9). That sickness had to be dealt with and Jesus came as a doctor with a cure for the deadly disease of sin. He came to offer us forgiveness and a way to become children of God. This is the good news (‘gospel’). However, saving us from our sins was designed to serve a larger purpose, the purpose of God’s kingdom.

Kingdom – a Throne

The ‘kingdom of God’ was central to everything Jesus was and did. This term is dynamic and refers to the activity or rule of God. For Jesus, the character of this kingdom was much different than most people expected. It was revolutionary but not in a violent military sense. It was a kingdom of peace, healing, and forgiveness. God’s reign looked very much like God himself.

Jesus didn’t see this kingdom coming all at once. From its small beginnings in Jesus’ own teaching and activity, the kingdom would ultimately blossom into a universal reality. In one of his parables, Jesus compared the kingdom to a mustard seed, which was known as the smallest of seeds. With his customary hyperbole, Jesus said that it eventually grows into the ‘greatest of all shrubs.’ In Jesus’ own ministry, insignificant though it might seem in the grand perspective of world history, God really was sowing the seed of his coming kingdom.

Salvation and kingdom must be kept closely together. To focus only on forgiveness and going to heaven in the afterlife can lead to escapism and a neglect of the work that God desires to do through us on earth right now. To focus only on the kingdom now can lead to utopianism, forgetting that the ultimate consummation of the kingdom will occur when Jesus returns for the second time. Today, we live between the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’ – what Jesus has already done and what he is yet to do. The kingdom comes in two stages, just as Jesus does. Jesus is already ruling the world but this does not mean that the world is already completely as Jesus intends it to be. We live between Election Day and Inauguration Day, between D-Day and V-Day. In the meantime, we are called to carry the kingdom project forward as God’s ambassadors.

Kingdom Stories

Jesus frequently used ‘parables’ in his teaching (Matt.13:1-3. Mark 4:33-34). A parable is not just an “earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” In fact, parables are more about life here and now than they are about heaven. Through parables, Jesus’ goal was to teach people what God and his kingdom are like, as well as what God intends for his people. Stories are interesting. They capture people’s attention and take them out of them own world, often causing them to see things with fresh eyes. Jesus’ intent was to motivate people to feel differently, think differently and then to live differently. He wanted them to stop, to reconsider their ways, and to change their behaviour. The question for each parable is: “How did Jesus seek to change attitudes and behaviours with this parable?” The material for Jesus’ parables came from everyday life in first-century Palestine, making them accessible and meaningful to ordinary people. Through his teaching, Jesus was preparing his people for life in his kingdom through the new life of God’s Spirit.

Our Response to the Jesus

Seeing our own sin and our need for forgiveness leads us to repent, which means turning to God with all of our hearts, not just feeling bad for ourselves. We move beyond excuses, comparisons and out of denial. We come to Jesus as our SAVIOUR, confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness. We also come to Jesus as LORD. He is the King and ruler of this world but also of our own hearts and lives. We allow him to be in charge of our lives. He becomes our leader and we follow him each day as his disciples.

Our Vocation: Kings and Priests

So what now? The Jesus story simply gets us back on track with the larger story of what God is doing in history. From the beginning, God created humans to be in relationship with him and to reign over His creation (Gen.1:26-28). In the end of time, we will worship God forever and reign over his universe (Rev.22:3-5). We will be kings and priests to our God, which has always been God’s intention for us right from the beginning (Exod.19:4-6. Is.61:6. 1 Pet.2:5,9. Rev.1:5-6; 3:21; 5:9-10; 20:4,6). This is our vocation.

Through Jesus Christ, the human project is back on track – right here, right now. As priests, we are to represent God to people, declaring his loving forgiveness towards them and represent people to God, praying for their ultimate good. As kings, we are to represent God’s nature and character to our world – displaying his love, peace, and justice through everything that we do. Jesus fulfilled the roles of King and Priest and he calls us into those vocations here on earth, modelling how we are to carry them out, in loving, sacrificial service for God and others. Right now, God has you training for reigning.

Sample Reflection Questions

Reflect on the first time you heard the Jesus story. What surprised you about Jesus?
Matthew begins with Jesus’ family tree (Matt.1). Why is this important? What insights are there?
Jesus was baptised and in doing so identified with us. Why is water baptism important for followers of Christ? What is its significance?
Discuss the two themes of Salvation (Cross) and Kingdom (throne). What are the dangers of focusing on one message while neglecting the other?
What is your favourite parable? How does it impact or inspire you? What does it tell you about God?
Discuss Jesus being SAVIOUR (forgiver) and LORD (leader). In what ways have we neglected the latter?
Jesus taught us to pray, “May Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” In what ways can we become the answer to this prayer?
Reflect on God’s intended vocation for us of being kings and priests. How does seeing ourselves in this way affect how we go about our daily lives?

February 25, 2012 Mark Conner Bible

Kingdom Stories

Jesus parables are among the best-known and most influential stories in the world. Even if people know nothing about Jesus, they either know about his stories or have encountered their impact in expressions like “prodigal” or “Good Samaritan.” The importance of the parables of Jesus cannot be over-estimated. Jesus was the master creator of story and nothing is so attractive and so compelling as a good story. Children (and adults) do not say, “Tell me some facts.” They want a story. Stories are inherently interesting. They entertain, involve, motivate and mirror our human existence.

Jesus was not the first or the only person to use parables. Parables are and virtually always have been a human means for persuading and enlightening. So Jesus’ parabolic teaching was not unique but we do not have any evidence that anyone prior to him used parables so frequently or forcefully as he did. He did not create the parabolic method; he honed and mastered it.

Parables make up about 35% of Jesus’ teaching in the Synoptic Gospels. There is little agreement on the number of parables, ranging from 37 to 65. Most of them are in Matthew and Luke, with only a few in Mark and none in John.

Stories enable us to see reality. They often force us to see from a new perspective. From this “other world” we are invited to understand, evaluate and hopefully, redirect our lives. Apart from personal experience, stories are one of the quickest ways of learning.

Jesus always had an agenda, an ‘intent,’ for every story he told. He used them to explain what God is like (who he is and how he acts), what the kingdom of God is like, and God’s intentions for humans (what they should and may become). This intent of Jesus (the teller or the author) must always be the goal as we seek to interpret any parable. We look to discover the intent of Jesus to his contemporaries – his disciples and his fellow Jews. The question for each parable is: “How did Jesus seek to change attitudes and behaviours with this parable?”

We must avoid allegorising the parables by turning them into something Jesus never intended for them to be, reading into a parable our own church’s theology. Parables are among the most abused and mistreated stories ever told. They have been twisted, subverted, realigned and psychologized for centuries by pastors and scholars alike, making them mirror theologies Jesus that never intended them to communicate.

Jesus parables have been described as works of art and as weapons of conflict with opponents. His teaching delighted and brought instruction to many while also causing offence to others.

Parables are more than stories. A common definition is that a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” Although there is some truth in this saying, parables are much more than illustrations and although some are concerned with future eschatology, they are not about heaven. They are directed to life on this earth.

Parables are expanded analogies using comparisons and contrasts with the intent of convincing and persuading. They create an imaginary world that reflects reality.

Parables are a form of indirect communication that give a person handles for understanding truth. Through their creativity, they engage our attention and interest then force us to think in fresh ways. Their ultimate aim is to awaken insight, stimulate the conscience (through reflection) and move to action. [A good parable creates distance, provokes and appeals. By creating distance it gives the hearer/reader space to reconsider] Jesus wanted people to stop, reconsider their ways, and change their behaviour. They seek to goad people into the action that the gospel deserves and the kingdom demands.

Examples:

Direct communication about the kingdom might say, “The kingdom is of supreme value and is worth everything you could give.” The Parable of the Treasure in the Field is double indirect communication in that it does not speak of the hearer/reader or the subject at hand. It uses another person (the one who finds) and another subject (the treasure) to address the hearer indirectly.

The story of the Prodigal and Elder Brother is double indirect communication. It is about a man and his sons, not the hearers/readers, but it uses other people and another subject (their relations) to speak of God, relation with God, and relations among humans. We see this indirection over and over.

Characteristics of Jesus’ Parables

There are many different types or forms of parables.
Most parables are brief and talk about anonymous people (except for Lazarus and Abraham).
Parables are marked by simplicity and symmetry. They tend to focus on two or three characters.
Most of Jesus’ parables focus on humans. They mirror human behaviour and by doing so see to change that behaviour and create disciples. Their main purpose is to goad people into response.
Parables are fictional descriptions taken from everyday life. Some are realistic; some are not. Some use hyperbole, elements of surprise and shock.
Parables are engaging. They were told to create interest and thereby draw the listeners in so they were compelled to deal with the issues being raised. They often started or ended with a question. Finding the implied question a parable addresses is key to its interpretation.
The intent of parables was to force thought, usually new and unexpected thought, so as to gain insight and bring about response. Jesus sought to move people past superficial thinking, to discern and to understand the impact of the parable.
Parables often contain elements of reversal, forcing unexpected decisions and associations. The tax collector is righteous, not the Pharisees; the Samaritan is the neighbour not the Jewish elite.
With their intent to bring about response and elements of reversal, the crucial matter of parables is usually at the end, which functions something like the punch line of a joke. Pay particular attention to the rule of “end stress.”
Most parables are context-specific and are effective because of their contexts. They are not all general stories with universal truths. They served a specific teaching purpose to bring about change in the people’s beliefs and actions. Parables regularly require interpretations and the focus should be on understanding the intent of the speaker and how the primary analogies work, rather than assigning direct correspondences to every detail in a parable.
Jesus’ parables are theo-centric. They seek to change behaviour and create disciples, but they do so by telling about God and his kingdom, the new reality God seeks to establish on earth.
We don’t have to say that a parable has only one point per main character (as Craig Blomberg does). Rather, each parable must be allowed to function as it will and to make as many points as it wishes in its own context. The key is knowing when to stop interpreting. Parable interpretation is about understanding the limits – and the significance – of the analogy.
Interpret what is given in the parable, not what is omitted. There are always gaps and information that we are not given. Don’t focus on these, as the interpretation does bot lie there.

Summarized from Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus by Klyne R. Snodgrass. In my opinion, this is the best book currently available on the understanding parables of Jesus.

For further reading, check out The Jesus Story, The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, and The Parable of the Vineyard Workers.

February 20, 2012 Mark Conner Current Affairs

2012 Global Atheist Convention

The 2012 Global Atheist Convention is back in Melbourne this year (April 13-15th). Some Christians become concerned and worked up about events such as this. Personally, I don't believe that people of faith have anything to fear about doubt or skepticism. No need to picket or boycott events. In fact, dialogue and discussion can be helpful in all areas of belief. Events such as this give us a terrific opportunity to talk about God and faith with those around about us. Let's pray and show the love of Christ.

One of the main speakers is Richard Dawkins, one of the world's most influential atheists. I have read his book The God Delusion and it only strengthened my faith. It is written in very emotional language and he makes sweeping generalisations about religion and faith that can't be validated. In no way did it shake my faith or give reasonable objections to the classic reasons for believing that there is a God (see my previous posts on this topic here).

For those interested in strengthening their own faith at a time such as this, here are some excellent books to consider reading:

There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind by Antony Flew

The Real Face fo Atheism by Ravi Zacharias

The Twilight of Atheism by Alistair McGrath

Atheism Remix by Albert Mohler

The New Atheism by John Dickson and John Lennox

The New Atheism: 10 Arguments that Don't Hold Water by Michael Poole

Against All Gods by Phillip E. Johnson

A Sceptics Guide to Atheism by Peter S. Williams

February 12, 2012 Mark Conner General Interest

Understanding WD40

A friend passed this on to me. Interesting reading …

Before you read to the end, do you know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?

Who knew? I had a neighbour who bought a new car. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of his car (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do…. probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbour came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job on the car. I'm impressed!

WD-40 who knew? 'Water Displacement #40'. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you… When you read the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stove top … Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

WD-40 uses:

Continue reading “Understanding WD40” →

February 7, 2012 Mark Conner Personal, Personal Development

My Upcoming Sabbatical

This year is my 28th year on staff at CityLife Church and my 18th as Senior Minister. It's been quite a journey and I am thankful for all that God has done during this time and for the support of our congregation and leadership team.

In discussion with the Elders and our senior staff, there was agreement that I would benefit from taking an extended sabbatical this year. A sabbatical isn't a holiday. It's a time of disengagement from the normal aspects and pressures of ministry life in order to spend time in replenishment, reflection and learning for the next stage of life and ministry. [Click here for more information about the concept of a sabbatical]

I will take a 12-week sabbatical from the beginning of March through to the middle of May (2 weeks of which will be annual leave for some holidays). During this time the church will be well looked after by our local leadership. Our teaching team will be speaking on the weekend, along with some excellent visiting ministry.

What will I do on my Sabbatical?

The outcomes I desire are a replenishment of my spiritual and emotional world and a sharpening of my vision for the church and my own calling to ministry. The first half of my sabbatical will focus on my personal and spiritual well-being. It will include a combination of prayer, extended times with God, reflection, spiritual retreats, and time with some of my mentors. The second half of my sabbatical will focus on my ministerial development. I will make use of a study plan focused on topics such as Jesus and his mission, the church, leadership, contemporary culture, and preaching, as well as more extended time in prayer and the Scriptures. [Of course, if God wants to have me only do the first half stuff the entire time, then that's fine with me!]

For this to be most effective, I will be fully disengaged from church life (weekend meetings, staff meetings and email). Weekends and evenings will be times for me to sow back into my own family as well as my friendships. I will also take up some more recreational pursuits during these times – things I have little or no time for at the moment with weekends always being so full.

What about the church? I have full confidence that the church will flourish during this time. In fact, it can be a maturing time for both the congregation and myself.

I would like to thank the Elders and senior staff for their kindness in releasing me for this time. Personally, I am really excited about this time and believe that it will be instrumental in ensuring that I continue to be full of God's vision and passion for our next season together. My desire is to return refreshed and with greater energy, with increased confidence, with deeper reservoirs from which to draw from, as well as an even greater sense of joy and delight in my calling.

February 7, 2012 Mark Conner Leadership, Personal Development

Ministerial Sabbaticals (Pt.2)

In the foreword to Clergy Renewal, Roy M. Oswald lists the following six reasons for a church to encourage a pastor to take regular sabbaticals.

1. The very nature of being a pastor involves continual spiritual growth. Spiritual depth does not happen by accident; it takes hard, intentional work. Basically, it is a lifelong process involving big chunks of time set aside for reading, prayer, solitude and reflection … A spiritual director can help a minister reflect on their own spiritual journey … If ministers are to deliver deep and challenging sermons regularly, congregations will need to provide opportunities for their pastors to get away for extended periods of time dedicated to spiritual development.

2. Church ministry is changing rapidly. Congregations will experience neither numerical growth nor growth in spiritual depth and service unless they move with the changing times and develop fresh ways to reach new and younger generations. Meeting this challenge means ministers must periodically retreat from the congregation to retool or refocus their ministry approaches … Visiting other congregations that are successfully reaching out to new people can help a pastor glean new insights to bring back to their own congregations.

3. Without such renewal leave, there is a stronger chance that ministers will, over time, demonstrate the key characteristics of burnout – namely, exhaustion, cynicism, disillusionment, and self-deprecation. Research proves that people in the helping professions tend to burn-out the fastest, in part because the constant intimate involvement with the emotional freight of other people's lives can be draining. Burned-out ministers are much more likely to leave church ministry and seek other employment … costing a congregation years of progress. Sabbatical leave helps avoid such situations.

4. Another lethal effect of burnout is that it makes a pastor dull, hollow, and uninteresting. Such people are not the best vehicle for bringing the good news to people. Ministerial vitality is the greatest asset in building up a congregation. When church members feel their pastor is exciting and spiritually alive, they can't wait to bring their friends to church … The paradox of congregational ministry is that pastors are constantly invited to overextend (there is always someone they should have called or something they should have given attention to) but doing so can torpedo the vitality that drives their ministry. Renewal leave can be a powerful antidote to this kind of debilitating burnout.

5. The pastoral role generally involves long, hard hours without weekends off, or even the occasional long weekend. Pastors are rarely afforded the luxury of having two consecutive days off every week that most people enjoy. Every weekend involves a major output of energy on Sunday. For many pastors, Friday and Saturday are often consumed by sermon preparation, wedding rehearsals and weddings, and so forth … Congregations too often assume that ministers can remain vital and healthy and maintain sound family life with only one day off per week.

6. We also need to examine the ways in which congregations can become overly dependent upon their ministers. Some feel they could never manage without their pastor for three months … but they can and they will grow and mature in the process.

In summary, everyone wins when ministers are granted periodic chunks of renewal leave. It is in everyone's long-term best interests. Pastors remain vital and healthy while congregations receive the benefits of engaged, long-term pastorates, new ministry skills, and exciting opportunities for mission.

Oswald suggests a three month sabbatical for every four years ministry, while other churches and denominations grant sabbaticals every seven years or after an even longer time.

P.S. To read about my upcoming sabbatical, click here.

Ministerial Sabbaticals (Pt.1)

Church work is not necessarily more difficult than other work, but it is hard. Staying fresh, alive and creative week after week, year after year, in the midst of the stress, emotion, study, as well as the people and leadership tasks that are required, can be quite a challenge. As a result, a minister's levels of passion, enthusiasm, excitement and vision for the future may not be where they would like them to be or where the church deserves them to be from someone in such an influential role.

Sometimes a tiredness and fatigue settles in that normal holidays don't fix. Pastors and church workers need to heed these kinds of warning signs. To ignore them can lead to burnout, which can be very hard to bounce back from. When you are running near empty and your reserves are low, that's the time to do something about it. One option to consider is a ministerial sabbatical.

What is a sabbatical?

A ministerial sabbatical is simply a period of rest. However, a sabbatical is much more than holiday. It is rest with a purpose. When people in ministry are depleted, a sabbatical time apart for recovery of spiritual and creative energies can be extremely helpful.

The idea of the Sabbath is rooted in the Old Testament – God resting on the seventh day after six days of work (Gen.2:1-3) and commanding his people to do the same (Ex.16:26. Lev.23:3. Deut.5:13), as well as the command to allow the land to rest every seventh year (Lev.25:1-5).

The sabbatical also has a history with the schools of higher education since the middle ages where an instructor may be granted a leave of absence every seven years so that they can renew their passion for their subject. It is within this context that the ministerial sabbatical was born. Click here to read an insightful article containing more detailed background to the concept of a sabbatical as well as the types of activities that can make up a sabbatical period.

Ministerial sabbaticals are designed to strengthen and develop the pastor’s ability to serve the church. A well-planned sabbatical has been proven to provide a pastor with spiritual renewal, new perspective, further education, as well as renewed passion and vision resulting in a return to ministry with a clearer sense of mission and the renewed energy to work toward accomplishing it.

For those interested in taking a sabbatical, the book Clergy Renewal by the Alban Institute has some very helpful suggestions for sabbatical planning. Also, click here to read an excellent sample Pastoral Sabbatical Program.

If you are a church worker or pastor, is it time for you to consider a sabbatical? Even people in the corporate world can do something similar (check out the book Reboot your Life: Energize Your Career and Life by Taking a Break which has a ton of great ideas).

Some other books I would highly recommend related to this topic are: Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic, Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion and Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul.

A sabbatical … it could save your life, your family, your ministry and your future impact!