Mark Conner Church, Leadership, Spirituality

The Prophetic Ministry

ProphgThe ministry of prophecy is to be an important part of the local church and the development of every church leader. This is a biblical concept and was used often in the appointment of leaders to various roles and ministries in the early church (see Acts 13:1-3. 1 Timothy 1:18-19; 4:14).

The Prophetic Ministry

A prophet is someone through whom God speaks His heart, mind and will.

The Old Testament concept of a prophet is “one called (by God) to speak for God”. God spoke to and through prophets. A prophet was not independent. They spoke God's message, not their own. Prophets were referred to as: God's mouthpiece (Jeremiah 1:9), God's messenger, God's representative or God's interpreter. Their primary function was to speak the heart and mind of God to their contemporaries, not just to predict the future. They were to be judged by their fruit, their godliness, their obedience to the commands of God, the accuracy of their prophetic word and whether their word was fulfilled or not.

In the New Testament, the prophetic ministry continues as an important part of God’s plan. All believers can prophesy at times under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17; 19:6). Some within the church have the “gift of prophecy” that enables them to move in prophetic ministry on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 12:10). A few are called to be prophets, a ministry given by Jesus to equip the believers for the work of the ministry so the church may grow (Ephesians 4:11-16. 1 Corinthians 12:29).

The Prophetic Process

How does a prophet receive a message from God?

God reveals His mind, heart and will through different methods of communication. These include visions, dreams, an audible voice, riddles ("dark sayings"), angelic messengers, or the word of the Lord (see Numbers 12:1-10). This may be in the form of a prompting or an impression. All revelation comes by the Spirit and involves "hearing" or "seeing" things from God. A prophetic ministry must first "hear" or "see" what God is saying or doing.

How does a prophet share a message from God?

A prophetic message is usually spoken (through prophecy or preaching) but may be written down, demonstrated or illustrated. The message declares God's heart and mind to His people. The people’s response determines the consequences.

The Purpose of the Prophetic Ministry

God has given the prophetic ministry for the benefit of believers and the ongoing ministry of the church. Here are a number of things that the prophetic ministry can do:

1. Strengthening (1 Corinthians 14:3). The prophetic ministry can build up, edify and promote the spiritual growth or progress of people. It strengthens their spiritual life. See also Romans 14:19; 15:2. 1 Corinthians 14:3, 5, 12, 26. 2 Corinthians 10:8; 12:19; 13:10. Ephesians 4:12, 16, 29.

2. Encouragement (1 Corinthians 14:3). The prophetic ministry can bring personal encouragement to people from the Lord. It can stir up and challenge in order to bring about growth and progress.. See also Romans 12:8; 15:4, 5. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. 2 Thessalonians 2:16. 1 Timothy 4:13. Hebrews 6:18; 12:5; 13:22.

3. Comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3, 31). The prophetic ministry can bring comfort and healing to a person. God ministers his love, compassion and grace to those who are in need. See also John 11:19, 31. 1 Thessalonians 2:11; 5:14. 

4. Insight (1 Corinthians 14:31). The prophetic ministry can bring knowledge, revelation, instruction and teaching to a person to help them in their spiritual life and ministry. It is a “discipling” ministry used by the Lord to instruct. See also Matthew 11:29. 2 Timothy 3:14.

5. Equipping (Ephesians 4:11-12). The prophetic ministry can equip people for ministry. This concept has the idea of: fitting and preparing fully for effective service; adjusting into proper order and arrangement; to prepare for a purpose. See also Matthew 4:21 (“mending nets”) and Galatians 6:1 (“restore”). Prophetic ministries are also called to teach people to hear God's voice for themselves.

6. Impartation (Romans 1:11). The prophetic ministry can impart spiritual gifts to a person. A “gift” is: a gift of grace; a favour which one receives without any goodness of their own; God’s enablement by the operation of the Holy Spirit; extraordinary power and ability. See also 1 Timothy 4:14. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 9, 28, 31. 2 Timothy 1:6. 1 Peter 4:10.

7. Vision (Acts 2:17). The prophetic ministry can bring a revelation of God and his purposes. It can give direction and purpose through understanding and knowing the plans of God. It comes to stir, challenge, create faith and a sense of urgency about the things of God. It arouses us from complacency and apathy and motivates us to action and fervency. See also Amos 3:7-8. Ephesians 1:17-18. Proverbs 29:18 where "no vision (revelation, prophetic insight, knowledge of God) causes people to perish (dwell carelessly, be apathetic, lack motivation)." Prophecy communicates God’s intentions (Acts 21:10; 11:27. Revelations 22:6. 1 Chronicles 28:12, 19. Acts 11:28; 21:10-11).  

What a wonderful gift of the Spirit prophecy can be when it is used for these purposes.

Of course, responding to the prophetic word appropriately is vital …

Mark Conner Personal Development, Spirituality

Knowing God’s Will for Your Life


ProphgKnowing God's Will for Your Life

God communicates to us in many ways, but all through the Spirit. These include: 

1. Prayer. God wants to speak to you in your personal time with him. Take time to listen (tune in) to his voice. What are the desires of your heart and the gifts he has given you? There is a lot of freedom in God's will and knowing his will for our life.

2. The Scriptures. The Bible contains God's will for you and the principles and keys to success and fulfilment. These are outlined and illustrated for your instruction. It tells us to love, serve, work hard, witness, fellowship, worship, pray and many other things. It warns us against lust, love of riches, anger, hatred, unforgiveness and many other things too. Read it and obey it. It is Gods’ word and will for you.

3. The Preaching and Teaching of God's Word. Every time someone preaches or teaches God’s word, they are to speak as the "mouthpiece of God" (1 Peter 4:11) and we are to receive the message as the "words of God" (1 Thessalonians 2:13). God speaks to us through other ministries. When we listen and respond with a correct attitude, God is pleased and we grow spiritually.

4. God-Ordained Authority. The authorities in your life are “ministers (servants) of God” (see Romans 13). They are God's delegated representatives. These include: 

  • Parents (Colossians 3:20. Ephesians 6:1. Proverbs 6:20; 15:5).
  • Teachers or employers (Colossians 3:22-25. 1 Timothy. 6:1-2. 1 Peter 2:18).
  • Police, government and law officers (Romans 13:1-7. 1 Peter 2:13-17).
  • Church leaders (Hebrews 13:17. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14. 1 Timothy 5:17. 1 Peter 5:1-3).

We are to obey and honour them as God’s representatives. They are God's tool to work in our lives (character, wisdom, protection and covering, guidance and direction). If asked to do something wrong we should appeal for an alternative. If this is not possible, we should obey God rather than people while maintaining an attitude of respect (see Daniel 1. Acts 5:28-29). God will often speak to you and guide you through the authorities over your life.

5. Prophecy. God also speaks to us and shows us his will through prophetic ministry. Usually this is to be a confirmation of what God has already spoken to us or is doing in our lives. Occasionally, new revelation may be given. God can speak to us through a personal prophecy, through a prophecy given to the whole church or even through a prophetic word given to someone else. Responding to the prophetic word appropriately is very important.

6. The Supernatural. God may also speak through prophetic dreams, visions or angels. 

God is speaking to you all the time and wants you to know and do his will. Often we don't hear God's voice because we don't recognise the different ways he communicates to us. Learn to know (see, perceive, be aware of) God's voice by His Spirit within you through the various means of communication He uses. Take time to read 1 Corinthians 2.

Hindrances
to hearing from God include disobedience or sin (Psalms 66:18.
Deuteronomy 28:23), not obeying the last word spoken to you
by God through neglect (Mark 4:24), distractions – other things taking our
time, energy and attention, quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and closed ears not wanting to hear
(Jerermiah 6:10, 35:15. Matthew 13:14-15).

Be committed to the purposes of God in your life. Give diligent attention to your calling. Respond with preparation accompanied by patient endurance for God's timing. Without this, no dream, vision or call will be achieved. However, with a responsive and obedient heart, we will see God’s will done in our life and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Mark Conner Personal Development, Spirituality

Responding to the Prophetic Word

ProphgLast week we had prayer and prophetic ministry over 430 of our church leaders. It was a terrific time of encouragement, challenge and ministry. This was the culmination of a season of prayer and fasting in our church. 

For those who received a prophetic words, here are some suggested steps for following that up:

Responding to the Prophetic Ministry

It is important that we respond properly to the prophetic word. Paul was intent on seeing the church have a proper attitude and a mature response to prophetic ministry.  Two extremes must be avoided – unbelief or rejection of prophetic ministry and blind acceptance of prophecy without proper testing.

The Bible says, “Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-24. NIV)

Hear are some important steps in responding to the prophetic word correctly.

1. Hearing

We must be sure of exactly what was said. This involves listening carefully to ensure full understanding of the message (see Revelation 2:7). To help you do this, we provide a recording of each prophetic word. Listen through the mp3 and write out fully what was said. Often we have selective memory and can miss the overall intention or message of the word given.

2. Testing

Every prophetic word is to be “tested” or “judged”. The prophetic ministry must be accountable. Is this a word from God? Is it in line with the Scriptures. Is there the “witness of the spirit”? Does it create faith or fear? Was it fulfilled?

See 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 and 1 Corinthians 14:29. "Prove" is the Greek word “dokimazo” which means to discern, examine, test, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not) as in metals. "Judge" means to weigh carefully, test, decide and distinguish.

It should be noted that we select proven prophetic ministries and we have great confidence in their prophetic ministry. Nevertheless, all prophecy must be judged. Wrong "prophetic words", not tested, can cause incredible damage to people's lives.

Meet with one of your ministry leaders and discuss the prophetic word. Share whether you received the word as accurate and relevant. If not, discuss the reasons why. The apostle Paul teaches us to not treat prophecies lightly, to test all things (examine and scrutinize), to hold on to the good, and to not worry about the rest (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

3. Receiving

The prophetic word must be received with faith. We need to say in our spirit, "Yes, Lord" and "I receive Your word." We must "hold fast" the word of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Unless we mix the word with faith, it will not benefit our lives.

The Old Testament nation of Israel received many words from God through Moses but the words "did not profit them" (was of no use, help, advantage, assistance or effect) because of their unbelief (Hebrews 4:2). Mary’s response to the message through God’s angel was, "Be it unto me according to Your word" (Luke 1:38). Have an expectant and responsive heart to God’s word to you.

4. Understanding

We must ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding so we may interpret correctly the word given. The word may be an accurate message from God, but if it is misunderstood or interpreted wrongly, it will not benefit the believer. Sometimes the message may be more understood over time.

Paul (in 1 Corinthians 13:9) says we prophesy in part (fragments or incomplete knowledge). He prays for the Ephesian believers that the "eyes of your understanding be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling" (Ephesians 1:18). We need the Spirit’s illumination in our mind bringing clarity. 

Understanding can be gained through prayer, meditation and godly counsel. Until the message is interpreted and understood correctly, proper application (practical steps) can’t be taken. As you review the prophecies, note any ministry areas or giftings. Also look for: confirmations of what God has already been talking to you about, areas of encouragement, new directions, exhortations, warnings, or any reference to character areas that need developing.

5. Obedience

The prophetic word must be obeyed. Prophecy does not automatically come to pass in our lives. Prophecy reveals God’s intentions for our life. However, we are responsible to obey and apply God’s word, otherwise it may not come to pass. Most prophecy is conditional or dependent on our response.

Don't neglect (through laziness or wrong priorities) the word. Give it careful attention (Hebrews 2:1-4). "Take heed" means “to turn your mind and attention to it”. Be diligent in following up what God has said to you (1 Timothy 4:14-16). James says to be "doers, not just hearers, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). God responds to us. What we are to Him, He will be to us (Jeremiah 18:7-10).

Consider what steps you could take to follow up on the word: areas of ministry to focus on, attitudes to develop or further training and mentoring.

6. Spiritual Warfare

The devil wants to do everything he can to steal, kill and destroy our lives. He wants to ruin our potential and hinder us from knowing then fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives (John 10:10). We must aggressively battle against him and pray for God’s word to be fulfilled over our lives.

Paul told Timothy to wage a good warfare over the prophecies given to him (1 Timothy 1:18-19). We are in a spiritual war. We are to fight the good fight of faith. This implies that there will be opposition, struggle, delay and testing.

Be inspired and strengthened by the prophetic word (1 Timothy 6:12. 2 Timothy 4:7. 1 Corinthians 9:26). In God’s time he will bring His will to pass in your life (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Never give up.

Pray that God will help you to fulfil your calling, using your prophecies as an encouragement and promise from God about his intentions for your life and ministry (1 Timothy 1:18). 

Conclusion

Prophetic ministry is only one way to have God’s will confirmed in your life. God communicates to us in many ways, but all through the Spirit. See next post on "Knowing God's Will for Your Life". 

Mark Conner Church, Family

For Parents with Young Children in Church

KidsA friend pointed me to a very good article recently in the Huffington Post religion section by Jamie Bruesehoof to parents with young children in church (especially relevant when kid's church is having a break during the school holidays!). Here is it:  

You are doing something really, really important. I know it's not easy. I see you with your arms overflowing, and I know you came to church already tired. Parenting is tiring. Really tiring.

I watch you bounce and sway trying to keep the baby quiet, juggling the infant car seat and the diaper bag ('nappy bag' for the Aussies) as you find a seat. I see you wince as your child cries. I see you anxiously pull things out of your bag of tricks to try to quiet them.

And I see you with your toddler and your preschooler. I watch you cringe when your little girl asks an innocent question in a voice that might not be an inside voice let alone a church whisper. I hear the exasperation in your voice as you beg your child to just sit, to be quiet as you feel everyone's eyes on you. Not everyone is looking, but I know it feels that way.

I know you're wondering, is this worth it? Why do I bother? I know you often leave church more exhausted than fulfilled. But what you are doing is so important.

When you are here, the church is filled with a joyful noise. When you are here, the body of Christ is more fully present. When you are here, we are reminded that this worship thing we do isn't about Bible study or personal, quiet contemplation but coming together to worship as a community where all are welcome, where we share in the Word and Sacrament together. When you are here, I have hope that these pews won't be empty in 10 years when your kids are old enough to sit quietly and behave in worship. I know that they are learning how and why we worship now, before it's too late. They are learning that worship is important.

I see them learning. In the midst of the cries, whines, and giggles, in the midst of the crinkling of pretzel bags and the growing pile of crumbs, I see a little girl who insists on going two pews up to share peace with someone she's never met. I hear a little boy slurping (quite loudly) every last drop of his communion wine out of the cup, determined not to miss a drop of Jesus. I watch a child excitedly color a cross and point to the one in the front of the sanctuary. I hear the echos of "Amens" just a few seconds after the rest of the community says it together. I watch a boy just learning to read try to sound out the words in the worship book or count his way to Hymn 672. Even on weeks when I can't see my own children learning because, well, it's one of those mornings, I can see your children learning.

I know how hard it is to do what you're doing, but I want you to know it matters. It matters to me. It matters to my children to not be alone in the pew. It matters to the congregation to know that families care about faith, to see young people… and even on those weeks when you can't see the little moments, it matters to your children.

It matters that they learn that worship is what we do as a community of faith, that everyone is welcome, that their worship matters. When we teach children that their worship matters, we teach them that they are enough right here and right now as members of the church community. They don't need to wait until they can believe, pray or worship a certain way to be welcome here, and I know adults who are still looking to be shown that. It matters that children learn that they are an integral part of this church, that their prayers, their songs, and even their badly (or perfectly-timed, depending on who you ask) cries and whines are a joyful noise because it means they are present.

I know it's hard, but thank you for what you do when you bring your children to church. Please know that your family — with all of its noise, struggle, commotion, and joy — are not simply tolerated, you are a vital part of the community gathered in worship.

[Source]

Mark Conner Church, Contemporary Culture, Family

Reaching Millennials

Gen yResearch in America shows that 59% of millennials (also known as Gen Y) drop out of church after attending regularly as a teenager. For the past decade, Barna Group has been working to understand this important age group. After interviewing more than 27,000 millennials and conducting 206 studies of this group, they have amassed a significant body of knowledge on millennials. Now they are sharing that knowledge via a special section of their web site that contains research, articles and carefully curated information on this elusive and often confusing age groups. Check it out at barna.org/millennials.

In many ways, Australia is a unique environment that has major differences to the American context, but there is much we can learn from this research as the church continues to seek to pass on faith to the next generation and reach out to young people with no Christian background. Of course, we are very thankful for the many churches and youth groups that are doing well in reaching young people today. May their tribe increase!

Mark Conner Personal Development, Relationships

Quiet: The Power of Introverts

IntrovertThere has been an interesting amount of discussion recently around the differences between extrovert and introvert personalities.

Susan Cain's best-selling book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking kick-started the topic quite considerably back in 2009. This was given further momentum in 2012 when her TED talk on "The Power of Introverts" was released. Have a listen. It is a real conversation starter.

Could it be that we have  replaced a character ethic for a personality ethic, especially in leadership selection? Adam McHugh explores this and more in his book Introverts in the Church: Finding our Place in an Extroverted Culture. 

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Take a free test and find out. 

Or maybe you are an ambivert?

What about your friends and family members?

Check out 23 Signs You're Secretly an Introvert.

Without doubt, we are all unique. The more we can understand ourselves and others, appreciating the differences, the richer our relationships and life experience will be.

Mark Conner Personal Development

How to Find Time for that Important Project [by Michael Hyatt]

MhHere is a very helpful recent post on productivity by popular BLOGGER Michael Hyatt …

Almost everyone has some important project they can’t seem to get to. Maybe it’s starting a blog, writing a book, or launching a new business initiative. You just can’t seem to find the time to tackle it.

Whenever I speak on the topic of Platform, the first question I always get in the Q&A is this: “How do I make time for building a platform? I am so busy; I don’t know how I could possibly add one more thing to my schedule.”

I totally get it. My calendar is jam-packed too. But this belief—and that’s what it is, a belief—also keeps us from making the progress we’d like to see.

Here are seven steps for getting unstuck and finding time for those important projects:

1. Accept reality. You only have 168 hours a week—the same as everyone else, including presidents, captains of industry, and the homeless man you passed on the way to work. Time is finite. You can’t borrow, beg, or steal more of it.

Starting and finishing that important project is not about time management as much as it is about priority management. It’s not so much about efficiency as it is about courage.

The question is this: How important is this project compared to everything else in your life?

2. Get off your but. No, not your butt, your but—that excuse that keeps you mired in the status quo.

  • “I could do it, BUT I just started a new job."
  • “I could do it, BUT I just don’t have the energy.”
  • “I could do it, BUT I have small children.”

In order to move forward, you have to accept responsibility for where you arenow. Your current situation is the result of choices you have made—not all bad, by the way, but yours nonetheless.

The question is this: Are you ready to make new choices? Yes or no. (It’s okay to choose No. Just be intentional.)

3. Set a clear goal. The momentum begins to shift when you chose a different destination. The way to turn a dream into a goal is to put a due date on it. This one act will often create the urgency you need to get going.

And while you are at it, make the goal S.M.A.R.T. You can read more about that, in “The Beginner’s Guide to Goal-Setting.”

The question is this: What do you want? Can you clearly articulate it? Can you see it?

4. Understand what’s at stake. The is perhaps the most important ingredient in finding the time for that important project. You have to connect why your why.

 The way to overcome inertia (or keep going when you want to quit) is to understand clearly what you gain if you do your project and what you lose if you don’t.

The question is this: Why is this important to you? Write down your reasons as a series of bullets. Keep them handy—you’re going to need them.

5. Schedule time on your calendar. This is where the rubber meets the road. What gets scheduled gets done. You literally have to block out time on your calendar to focus on your project. It won’t happen otherwise.

I literally set these up as appointments with myself. If anyone else looks on my calendar, they see that I am busy—and I am busy. I have set aside this time to work on my project.

The question is this: When will you set aside time to begin? Or re-start? Or finish?

6. Keep your commitments. Too often, we sacrifice the important on the altar of the urgent. We can always do it later, right? Wrong. The key is to honor your commitment to your project as though it were an uber-important meeting with an uber-important person.

I just faced this again today. Someone wanted to book an appointment with me when I had scheduled time to work on my pet project. I said, “No, I’m sorry. I can’t meet then. I already have a commitment.” I didn’t provide any detail. My response was enough. And guess what? We found another time.

The question is this: Do you really want to get this project done or not? Are you brave enough to say No to other demands, so you can say Yes to this?

7. Make time to celebrate. Honestly, I am not very good at this. I’m better than I used to be, but no where near where I want to be. As a recovering Type-A personality, as soon as I check something off, I refocus on the next objective. Ultimately doesn’t serve me or the people I work with well.

It’s important not only to acknowledge what you have accomplished but thank the people who helped you. Otherwise, you wear out your team and eventually yourself. (Don’t ask me how I know this.)

Yes, it really is possible to find time for those important projects you want to accomplish. You just have to be intentional and use the right strategy.

[Source - Michael Hyatt]

Mark Conner Food and Drink

Sugar – Why We Can’t Resist It

SugarA recent National Geographic article by Rich Cohen entitled Sugar Love – a Not So Sweet Story reveals that the average can of soda (everything from cola to ginger ale) contains around 10 teaspoons of sugar. Not only that, the average American eats around 22.7 teaspoons of sugar a day – without even dipping into the sugar bowl, due to the amount of sugar in processed foods.

Excessive sugar isn't just extra calories, it's toxic. The article goes on to say that most Westerners are fat because they eat too much and exercise too little. But they eat too much and exercise too little because they are addicted to sugar, which not only makes them fatter but, after the initial sugar rush, also saps their energy, beaching them on the couch. The reason most people watch TV is not because TV is so good but because we have no energy to exercise, because we are eating too much sugar.

An injection of sugar into the bloodstream stimulates the same pleasure centers of the brain that respond to heroin and cocaine. In this sense, sugar is literally an addictive drug.

Ouch!

A good reason to fast … and pray.

Mark Conner Leadership

The Lonely Pastor (by Thom S. Rainer)

LonelyHere is a thought-provoking article on The Lonely Pastor: Nine Observations by Thom S. Rainer …

The conversation took place just yesterday. A young man told me his dad, a pastor, recently committed suicide. He talked about the pain his father experienced in ministry as well as the intense loneliness.

Though suicide is not an inevitable outcome, I do know the number of pastors experiencing loneliness is high—very high. I hurt for these pastors, and I want to help in any way I can. Perhaps my nine observations can be a starting point for a healthy discussion on this important matter.

Three Causes . . .

The three most common causes of loneliness shared with me by pastors are insightful:

1. Church members do not want to get too close to a pastor. Actually it works both ways. The pastor is seen as the spiritual leader of the church. For many, it’s hard to get close to someone who holds a perceived lofty position.
 

2. The pastor is accustomed to giving instead of receiving. In healthy relationships, both parties give and sacrifice. The pastor is accustomed to giving and ministering. Sometimes it’s hard to be on the receiving end.

3. The pastor is in a defensive mode. Many pastors have been burned and hurt by church members. As a consequence they are always “on guard,” rarely able to lower their defensive shields to be in a healthy relationship.

Three Dangers . . .

Here are the three most common negative consequences of loneliness straight from the mouths of pastors:

4. Burnout. Healthy relationships energize people. Loneliness depletes people of energy. The lonely pastor is more likely to experience burnout than those pastors who have developed mutually healthy relationships.

5. Moral failure. Unfortunately some pastors seek to fill the voids created by loneliness by entering into inappropriate relationships. Ministries are destroyed and families are torn apart.

6. Depression. Some level of depression is inevitable with the lonely pastor. Some of it can be very serious.

Three Solutions . . .

I plead with pastors who are experiencing loneliness to take one or all of the following steps:

7. Find a confidant. Be intentional about developing a healthy relationship with someone. That person may be a pastor in another town, but don’t stop until you have found such a person,

8. Involve your spouse. Many pastors are reluctant to involve their spouses in the messy details of church life. I would hope that you view your spouse as your best friend with whom you can share the good, the bad, and the ugly.

9. Get professional help. Pastors are among the last to seek professional help. Unfortunately, their loneliness can degenerate into depression causing them to leave the ministry and even have suicidal thoughts. Please get help before it’s too late.

[Source]

Mark Conner Special Events, Trivia

World Beard Day

William MichaelDid you hear? Yesterday was World Beard Day! Yes, the first Saturday of September is the official day to celebrate great facial hair. This is timely for me, as I returned from my recent holiday sporting a beard that ties me to my Scottish roots (see picture to the right of my great, great grandfather William Michael, born in Ullapool, Scotland in 1828).

Here are some unusual World Beard Day facts:

* In southern Spain, many townships gather to witness a boxing match between a bearded man a beardless boy. The bearded man, normally armed with a sharp pike, is typically the victor.

* In the Swedish village of Dönskborg, anyone without a beard is banished from the town and forced to spend twenty-four hours in a nearby forest. Back in the town, the hirsute burn effigies of their clean-chinned loved ones.

* The exact origins of World Beard Day are unknown, but there is some evidence to suggest that Danish Vikings had a special day dedicated to the glorification of beards as far back as 800 AD. The event was not held on a fixed date, and was often celebrated hundreds of times each year. This early incarnation of what would one day become World Beard Day typically involved the ransacking of neighbouring towns, villages and countries by large groups of heavily-armed bearded men.

* Throughout the world, bearded communities are encouraged to acknowledge this sacred day by organising and staging their own public or private World Beard Day celebrations. These can consist of anything from a relaxing family lunch to a lavish, tax payer-funded street parade.

* Shaving on World Beard Day is universally considered to be highly disrespectful.

Of course, in the Christian church there has been plenty of controversy over beards throughout the centuries. According to Christianity Today's recent article, you're more likely to see a beard in the pulpit today than at any time since the 1800s. But beards—especially among clergy—were once serious, symbolic matters. They separated East from West during the Great Schism, priests from laity during the Middle Ages, and Protestants from Catholics during the Reformation. Some church leaders required them; others banned them. To medieval theologians, they represented both holiness and sin. But historian Giles Constable says that rules on beards sound more forceful than they really were. Clergy (especially powerful ones) were likely to follow fashion in their day, too.

On July 21, 2013, Saddleback Church hosted a contest for "Most Magnificent Beard and Most Pathetic Beard".

Let's hear it for the beard!

Mark Conner Current Issues

A New Australian Prime Minister: Mr Tony Abbott

TonyCongratulations to Mr Tony Abbott who was elected today as the next prime Minister of Australia. He succeeded Mr Kevin Rudd, who will not contest the leadership of the Labor Party. This election campaign has been somewhat of a circus, but in the end the Australian population voted, and the Coalition has taken government, with a strong swign in their favour. Results for the Senate are yet to be finalised.

Regardless of how you voted and who you voted for, now is the time to get behind our new Prime Minister and his elected government, as we move forward as a nation. Those of us who are Christians should pray earnestly and consistently for whoever is in government, regardless of our like or dislike for them or their policies. God commands us to pray for those in leadership, because of the influence they have over our world (1 Tim.2:1-6).

As a follower of Christ, I believe that God is in control. He is sovereign over all matters on earth. Ultimately, his purpose will be accomplished. He puts one leader up and takes another down. He can put it into the hearts of people to do his will. We must trust him and honor him as the God over all the earth. Our lives are not subject to luck, fate or chance. We are in the providential hands of a loving, yet holy God.

A final thought … now that we have voted, our job is not over. There's a joke that goes like this: "What takes 2 minutes and last 3-4 years? Your vote!" That's very true. However, we need to do more than just cast our vote and then forget about it until the next election. A democracy is designed to be much more than just voting people into office and paying your taxes. We need to be actively participating with our politicians (whoever they may be) as key issues arise – and voice our opinions on important matters. After all, each politician is appointed to serve the people of our nation – which includes you and me.

"When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan." [Proverbs 29:2. NLT]

Mark Conner Current Issues

Religion and Politics is like Ice-Cream and Manure: They Don’t Mix (Jarrod McKenna)

JarrodHere is a very thought-provoking article about tomorrow's election, by my good friend, Jarrod McKenna.

"Mixing religion and politics is like mixing ice cream and manure. It doesn't do much to the manure but it sure does ruin the ice cream", my friend Tony Campolo likes to say.

Yet this election, like many before, there is an unpleasantly nutty taste and many politicians have their finger on the blender.

Don't get me wrong – as a Christian leader who has studied the Bible since I came to faith, it's clear that central to the Christian tradition is a story of how well faith leaders and politicians work together.

But what's strangely forgotten around election time is the important detail that faith leaders and politicians worked well together to organise the killing of Jesus.

Um, as you can imagine, no small concern for those of us who love Jesus.

In the election season many pollies are out on street corners showing off their "Christian" credentials. Yet I can think of a number of reasons why most pollies would want nothing to do with Jesus as he is described in the Bible.

1. No one would vote for Jesus.

Seriously. Firstly He's one of those boat people. Well, at least one of those "donkey people".

According to the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel his family were refugees who in the middle of the night had to flee and seek asylum.

He's also a Middle Eastern man. Oh, and he's not Christian. (Yep, he's Jewish) He was involved in repeated seditious civil-disobedience and the religious right of his day repeatedly accused him of partying too hard and with all the wrong people.

Politicians and religious leaders today still find it convenient to scapegoat, alienate and demonise all the people Jesus loved hanging out with.

He was so poor he was sometimes homeless, with no place to lay his head.

Given this, it's more than likely not only would we not vote for Jesus, both major parties would send him to Nauru or Papua New Guinea.

2. No one would vote for Christ's election platform.

So what were the policies Jesus and his party ran on, all the way to… uh, the cross?

Can you imagine a foreign policy based on "love your enemies"? A foreign aid budget based on "love your neighbour as yourself"?

What would happen to our military spending with Jesus' policy of "do not violently resist an evil person"?  

What if real action on our unprecedented and irreversible ecological crisis was animated by "God so loved the world…"?

Or an asylum seeker policy based on Jesus' words "Whatever you did to the least of these you did to me"? Talk about a bleeding heart! Jesus' teachings and his example would have many saying he's more out there than the Greens.

No wonder pollies and religious leaders were keen to knock him off.

Some (many of them Christian), will be quick to retort, "but Jarrod, we admire how you try to take Jesus seriously, but Christ taught a spiritual Gospel."

No doubt.

But the spirituality of the early church put Christ's "policies of love" into practice. Central to the early Christians living of Jesus' politics of grace was the belief that it had to be voluntary.

Receiving and living God's love could never be enforced on others because it would then cease being Jesus-like. Why? Well, surprisingly comedian Bill Maher sums it up well:

"Non violence was kinda Jesus' trademark. Kinda his big thing. To not follow that part of it is like joining Greenpeace and hating whales."

After the resurrection the early Christians organised their communities around the nonviolent-love seen at Calvary that they believed conquered death. Think that's ridiculous?

You're not alone. Many, Christians throughout history would agree with you. You don't have to be a church historian or know the names of Constantine, or Charlemagne, to know that much of Christian history looks nothing like Christ.

It might shock some to find out that in the first century the pagan emperor Caligula was getting it on with his horse, who incidentally he wanted to be part of the senate.

Yet the early Christians didn't form "The Palestinian Christian Lobby Against Equine Senators and Bestiality". They just rolled up their sleeves and got busy living God's love in the power of Spirit, especially amongst the poor.

What does all this mean for me, engaging in a democratic system in 2013?

Well, I'm not looking for salvation from getting in a cardboard box and ticking boxes once every three years or so.

This is not just a horrible understanding of faith, it's an anaemic way of deepening democracy. Voting is not my voice – letting my life speak is my voice.

Voting is just saying one thing in one place on one day. If that's democracy, we are all stuffed. So have your say, but don't silence yourself by outsourcing your power to politicians.

Regardless of the result come Sunday, I'm still going to daily seek to live the politics of God's love, especially for "the least of these".

So maybe some helpful things to remind Christian friends who are voting (instead of being fined):

1. Don't vote for yourself.

Use your vote for the poor, the vulnerable, the marginalised and the common good.

2. "Christian" doesn't equal "Christ-like".

Don't think voting for a party or politician calling themselves "Christian" equals "Christ-like". The KKK claim to be a Christian organisation. Awkward.

An easy question is: Who are seeking the common good, especially for "the least of these" in a way that looks like an approximation of love? (Yep, it's hard.)

3. This isn't America (know our preferential voting system).

Understand Australia's Westminster-federalist-preferential-voting-hybrid system enough to know you don't waste your vote when voting for a minor party. This short video is a helpful two minute run down.

4. Don't vote for parties or personalities – vote for policies.

This isn't football. Don't just choose a team. This isn't Australian Idol.

Don't just choose personalities. Find out about real polices that will help build the common good for the least fortunate. ABC's Vote Compass is the best tool I've seen to work out who best represents you on issues you care about. (You can even just click "neutral" on issues you don't care about and forward to ones you do).

5. Pray.

There's nothing like prayer to bring us to a humble place of clarity that sometimes the best we can do is "love our crooked neighbour with our crooked selves" as Dr. Cornel West likes to say. And talking humility…

6. Don't be a jerk.

Sunday, this is all over. You have mates and family who even when prioritising the common good, will think there's a different way to do it than you. So don't be a jerk. We need to work together and demonising those you disagree with isn't a sign you are right, it's just a sign you are being a jerk.

So may our ice-cream be sweet, and please God, let us grow something good for the most vulnerable out of this stinking manure.

[Source]

Jarrod McKenna is a teaching pastor at Westcity Church, a national advisor for World Vision Australia, and lives at First Home Project with his wife Teresa, son Tyson and 14 refugees modelling welcome as an alternative to detention. This year alone his peace award winning social change work has engaged over 10,000 young people on 4 continents in 9 countries.  You’ll often hear him on the ABC’s Sunday Nights around Australia.

Mark Conner Contemporary Culture

Engaging Culture

When it comes to culture, including media (TV, movies, etc) and politics, there are three different approaches that Christians tend to take:

1. Reject Culture. Some Christians see the world as ‘evil’ (and at times, rightly so) and therefore all culture is to be rejected. Christians are called to be ‘holy’ which means to be ‘separate’ from the world. Christians end up living in their own sub-culture – with Christian communities, Christian bookshops, Christian TV, and even Christian jewelry! The danger with this approach is that Christians end up very ‘different’ from the world but because of their isolation they have ‘no audience’ and therefore no positive ‘influence’ on the world.

2. Embrace Culture. Other Christians go the other way – they fully embrace culture in response to Jesus command to live ‘in’ the world. The danger with this approach is that if we uncritically embrace everything in our culture, we can end up no different than the world we live in. As a result, we have no message to offer them, despite the fact that we have relationships with them. We aren’t isolated, as in the first approach, but we are so immersed in the culture that we lose our distinctiveness.

 

3. Engage Culture. A more balanced approach, modelled exceptionally well by Jesus, is for us to ‘engage’ with our culture. We are to be ‘in’ the world, but we are also called to be ‘not of’ the world. Jesus’ used metaphors for this – ‘salt’ and ‘light’. Both of these things make an impact but only when there is proximity. Salt in the salt shaker has no affect and light only helps if it is shining in the darkness.

 

The first two approaches are easy – they are 'black' and 'white'. The third approach is much more difficult – even risky. It's 'grey' … but it's well worth the effort.

Jesus spent a lot of time with people far from God and, amazingly, he never got angry or aggressive with them (‘sinners’). The only people he did get angry with were extremely religious people, especially the Pharisees who were very legalistic.

Which way do you lean? Do you tend to reject culture too easily? Do you tend to embrace culture too much? How could you engage with culture more effectively this week?

Mark Conner Family, Special Events

Happy Father’s Day!

IMG_0466_1024Today is Father's Day, a time to honour all of our dads. I am thankful for my own father and the positive role model he has been for me, despite that fact that he was an orphan and never had either a father or a mother his entire life (see his biography This is my Story for more). He has done his best to be the kind of father to my sister and me that he never had. 

I would also like to thank our three amazing kids – Josiah (and daughter-in-law, Shelley), Ashley (and daughter-in-law Malisa, if there is such a thing!) and Natasha – for making being a dad such an enjoyable experience. I am so proud of each one of them and who they are becoming.

Let's take time to honour our dad's, as imperfect as they have been. If you never had a dad or had one who was absent or abusive, I pray for a fresh understanding and experience of our heavenly Father's love for you today. 

Read and reflect on the following truths …

John 1:10-13. [Jesus] came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Galatians 4:6-7. Because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

Ephesians 3:14-19. When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

1 John 3:1-3. See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

For some more thoughts about fatherhood, check out: