October 2014 - Mark Conner

October 31, 2014 Mark Conner Current Issues, Special Events

Halloween – Trick or Treat?

I remember attending my first Halloween party as a kid (not long after our family moved to the USA back in the 1970s), with its eerily lit pumpkins, freaky dress-up costumes and the scary dark room we were all dared to navigate ourselves through, kind of like a pseudo-haunted house. It was a lot of fun. And it was hosted by our local church!

My, how times have changed. Christians today either continue to celebrate it as an innocent annual party or boycott it as evil and even demonic. Why the debate?

Halloween (literally "hallowed or holy evening") originated as a pagan festival that followers of Christ 'Christianised' (as an occasion to remember the saints, martyrs and all departed believers) that has become more pagan in our own times.

For two very different opinions about Halloween, read:

1. "Six Reasons Why We Should Celebrate Halloween" by Dr.Ciaran O-Keefe and

2. "Six Reasons Why I Believe Halloween is Far From Harmless" by Canon J John.

No doubt we need to talk about it as followers of Christ. I encourage you to read the article links above (and below) and discuss Halloween with your family and friends.

What will you do tonight? Kids will be dropping by your home with their "Trick or Treat" greetings. You could pull the shutters down and shoo them away with a bit of a relational Wall OR maybe you could become the best lolly house in your street and offer local community people a warm Welcome? Think of the bigger picture - Halloween will come and go but our neighbours will still be there tomorrow. Remember, our call is not only to stand for truth but to show grace and love to people. That's good news.

Proverbs 27

Here is some more wisdom from the book of Proverbs as we begin a new week:

Vs. 1. Don't brashly announce what you're going to do tomorrow; you don't know the first thing about tomorrow.

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come. Today is all we have. Live in the moment and live it to the full. Yes, deal with your past and yes, plan for the future, but not at the detriment of living fully present – right here, right now. God is the God who is (present), who was (past), and is to come (future). He is the eternal I AM.

Vs.2. Don't call attention to yourself; let others do that for you.

Allow God to run your public relations and marketing division. Don't enter into self-promotion. Let another praise you, not your own lips. Influence comes to those who develop their character and talents – when no one else is looking.

Vs.8. People who won't settle down, wandering hither and yon, are like restless birds, flitting to and fro.

Have an adventurous spirit but make sure you know where HOME is – your family, your friends and your faith community. The righteous are like a tree planted by rivers of water who bear fruit in and out of season. Are you planted?

Vs.9. Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. Vs.17. You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.

Who can measure the value of a true friend? Cultivate close friendships – people who you can be real and honest with. Open, genuine conversation is like a drink of fresh water.

Vs.12. A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.

Look ahead and around you. See what's coming. Don't be naive. Consider the consequences of today's choices and actions.

Vs.19. Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart.

What is your face saying about your inner world?

Vs.18. If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you'll be honored. Vs.23-24. Know your sheep by name; carefully attend to your flocks; Don't take them for granted; possessions don't last forever, you know.

Life involves sowing and reaping. What (or who) is your field? What has God given you responsibility over? Look after it well and with care and diligence. Wanting more without doing well with what we have is a mark of immaturity. God sees how we manage what is in our hand right now to see if we are ready for more.

October 23, 2014 Mark Conner Current Issues

I Will Take a Walk on Saturday … for Welcome to Australia

Australia is marked with the beauty of diversity. People from many backgrounds, ethnicities and beliefs call this land home. Over the last several years I have had reservations about the treatment of asylum seekers, especially children in detention. The current harsh treatment of destitute people, seeking safety on our shores for a variety of reasons, does not reflect the beauty and depth of a society that embraces and celebrates diversity. There have been many reports about the detrimental impact of detention on the welfare of children and asylum seekers. As a follower of Jesus, and as a minister who believes that the church is called to exist as a faithful witness in the world, the abuse of children and the suffering of the destitute is not something I can stand and watch with indifference.

So on Saturday, 25 October, I will Walk Together with many other Australians across the nation to present a picture to our leaders and media that a different Australia is possible. Walk Together is an initiative of Welcome to Australia, which began as a conversation between a number of individuals and not-for-profit organisations who believed there needed to be a positive voice in the public conversation around asylum seeking, refugees and multiculturalism that was not politically aligned or focused on policy – but rather invited Australians to join us in dreaming of the Australia that could be. Adelaide pastor Brad Chilcott began to coordinate regular meetings of around a dozen representatives of these organisations in Adelaide, South Australia which lead to the initial 'Welcome Party' campaign in June 2011.

If you, like me, are concerned about the treatment of asylum seekers and children in detention, then consider taking a walk this Saturday. Details are available on the Welcome to Australia website.

For Further Reading:

October 21, 2014 Mark Conner Spirituality

Re-Dig the Wells

In the introduction to our HOME series this last weekend, I shared with our church about an Old Testament story where Isaac had to re-dig the wells his father had initially opened up but that had been filled with debris by his enemies (Genesis 26:15-18). He also took time to dig new wells of fresh water.

I was encouraged to hear this same story referred to in our combined churches Church Unite prayer and worship event last Sunday and also hear of God speaking about this to other ministries in our city. That's the trouble having the same Holy Spirit! He seems to speak similar things at similar times to different groups and individuals. Of course, the confirmation emphasises the importance of the word.

Water speaks of the life of the Spirit. It's a called to increased spiritual vitality. For that to happen we each have to re-dig our wells and ensure nothing is blocking God’s life in us, lest we become spiritually dry and of no use to anyone. You are the keeper of your spring.

Some Reflection Questions

1. What could be blocking the life of the Spirit in your heart and life right now? Make a list. Maybe it's discouragement, apathy, disappointment, fear, or the distraction of other things.

2. What steps can you take to unblock these areas? Is there someone else who could help?

3. Can you think of a time when the work of the Holy Spirit was flowing strongly in your life? What the evidence (for example, the fruit or the gifts of the Spirit)? What were some of the contributing factors?

4. How can you position yourself for a greater flow of God's Spirit right now? What spiritual practices (such as prayer, Bible reading, meditation, praying in the Spirit, church involvement, service, etc) do you need to lean into at this time?

5. Spend some time praying for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit, that you will be anointed with 'fresh oil' (Psalm 92:10. NKJV) for this season of your life.

6. Become a well-digger for others. Who can you encourage today in their spiritual life? Be an influence for God – right where you are.

October 20, 2014 Mark Conner Bible

Proverbs 20

It's time for our weekly proverb again. Today we glean some wisdom from Proverbs 20.

Vs.2. Quick–tempered leaders are like mad dogs – cross them and they bite your head off. It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.

Wise people are slow to anger. Take a deep breath. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you patience and the ability to delay your reactions. You'll be glad you did. Anger always gets us in trouble. Of course, it is pride that keeps us there. Is there anyone you need to apologise to today?

Vs.4. A farmer too lazy to plant in the spring has nothing to harvest in the fall.

Life is a process of sowing and reaping. This is the law of the harvest. If we don't so, we won't reap. There is always a delay between sowing and reaping, We always reap more than we sow. What good seed are you sowing today that will bear fruit tomorrow?

Vs.5. Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within.

Counsel and wisdom take time to glean. They are often not on the surface of the situation or the conversation. Go deeper. Dig down. Draw out wise counsel – from the Spirit of God living within you and from good friends and advisers.

Vs.12. Ears that hear and eyes that see - we get our basic equipment from God!

Wisdom comes from listening (opening our ears) and observing (opening our eyes) what God is up to and what is taking place around us.

Vs.13. Don't be too fond of sleep; you'll end up in the poorhouse. Wake up and get up; then there'll be food on the table

Diligence is the key to progress and fruitfulness. Hard work never killed anyone but it sure pays off.

Vs. 15. Drinking from the beautiful chalice of knowledge is better than adorning oneself with gold and rare gems.

Wisdom (seeing life from God's perspective) is better than wealth. What are you pursuing more right now?

Vs. 24. The very steps we take come from God; otherwise how would we know where we're going. Vs.27. God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out.

We need a balanced view of divine sovereignty ("God is in control") and human responsibility ("I am responsible"). Underneath everything is God's hand of providence. He uses everything, even our mistakes and failures, for his ultimate purpose. I can trust God for that. That helps me sleep at night. He's God. I'm not. That's good news.

Vs.28. Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.

Here are some good leadership qualities to aspire to and develop today – love for people, truthfulness (honesty) and integrity (meaning there is an integration between what people see and who I really am).

October 18, 2014 Mark Conner Church

A Place Called HOME

Lost and Found

I heard an amazing story recently about a young boy in India who accidentally got separated from his brother and ended up lost. His name is Saroo Munshi Khan. He survived on the streets for weeks then was eventually taken into an orphanage where he was later adopted by an Australian family and grew up in Hobart, Tasmania. He was happy yet had this longing for home. Twenty-six years later, he found his way back to his hometown with the help of Google Earth where he was re-united with his family.

In many ways, we are all a bit like Saroo. We are lost people longing and searching for something, trying to find our way back HOME. Humans are restless. We have inner yearnings; cravings to belong, to connect, to find meaning and to contribute. For many people this leads them sooner or later to search for God. Saint Augustine once said, “You have made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you.” An ancient songwriter wrote, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1).” A notable sage observed that, “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is a God-shaped vacuum in the human heart that only He can fill. C.S. Lewis described it this way: “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” More recently, the band U2 expressed it in their classic song: “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”

Jesus came to call all those who are LOST (who have drifted from the Garden) to come HOME. The Cross is the place where the LOST can be FOUND and come HOME to the Father. The entire biblical and redemptive story is about God calling His people HOME. Then WE become his HOME … now and one day more fully (see Revelation 21:3). The apostle Paul puts it like this:

You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all – irrespective of how we got here – in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day – a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. (Ephesians 2:19-22. Message Bible)

Home Church

We find our home in God and then he makes his home in us, his people. The church is to be a home for those who have come to experience the Father’s love, sons and daughters of God. It is where we are to experience a spiritual family as God intended it.

We each have different things come to mind when we hear the word “home”. For some it is a physical place while for others it connects them more to an experience. We use phrases such as: “Home sweet home”, “A home away from home”, “Make yourself at home”, “Home-sick”, “No place like home” and “Homelessness”. Both positive and negative experiences can take place in what we call home.

We also have different things come to mind where you hear the word “church”. Like a family, no church is perfect. Each church has its own mix of healthy and dysfunctional aspects. Each of us has a range of both positive and possibly negative experiences with church. At CityLife, we want to be the very best church we can. Each church has its own unique personality and culture. During this series, we’ll be looking at some aspects of the kind of church we believe God wants us to be, including qualities such as welcome, love, community, contribution, mission, generosity and gratitude. We have a dream that is gradually becoming a reality. Of course, it requires us to stop just ‘going’ to church and start ‘being’ the church.

What about YOU?

As you think about today’s message, what is God saying to you?

1. Maybe you feel spiritually lost and sense that longing for home. God put that cry in your heart and he’s the one calling you to himself. Offer your life to him today. Come to the foot of the cross and lay your burden down. Start following Jesus today.

2. Maybe you do have a church home. You may have been there for years or maybe you are quite new. They say, “Home is where the heart is”. It’s easy to take for granted our home and what we have together. Ask God to give you a fresh heart of love for your church home. See it with new eyes. Commit yourself to work to make it the best home it can be. After all, we tend to get out of something what we put into it.

3. Maybe you’ve been treating your church more like a hotel than a home. It’s so easy to become a consumer of spiritual goods and services. We can come along to be served, critique the service then move on if we find something better up the road. That’s not what God intended. Jesus designed church to be a home – a family of people doing life together with God in the midst of them, not just a place we visit or an event we attend. Is it time to move from being an attender to becoming a member?

Two Challenges

While praying for our church recently, I sensed the Lord speak two challenges into my heart:

1. “Re-dig the wells!” There is a story in Genesis where Isaac had to re-dig the wells his father had initially opened up but that had been filled with debris by his enemies (Genesis 26:15-18). He also took time to dig new wells of fresh water. Water speaks of the life of the Spirit. To be the home God intends us to be requires an increase in spiritual vitality. For that to happen we each have to re-dig our wells and ensure nothing is blocking God’s life in us, lest we become spiritually dry and of no use to anyone. You are the keeper of your spring.

2. “Go fishing!” I‘ve been doing some very amateur fishing lately. I don’t know a lot yet but I do know that when the tide turns the fish move and that’s when you are most likely to get a catch. Spiritually, you can feel the tide turning in our society and people are most open to God during those times of transition and also pain. The church is not here for us; we are here for the world. Our purpose is not to be entertained or become more comfortable, but to engage together towards our vision of seeing over 10,000 stories of transformation over these next few years. To do that, we all need to go fishing. Who is God moving on nearby you at the moment? Who is God calling home, that you could help show the way?

Sample Reflection Questions

1. Reflect on your own experiences of HOME throughout the stages of your life.

2. Where do you feel most at home? What is your favourite place? Why?

3. What has been your experience of church? In what ways can it be like a “home”?

4. Read the church’s We Have a Dream statement. What part excites you the most? What part do you think needs the most attention right now?

5. Consider the three possible responses to this message. Which one may apply to you right now?

6. Mediate on the two prophetic words. Which one spoke to you the most? How can you respond to it personally?

7. Spend some time praying – for yourself, for family and friends, and your church.

October 17, 2014 Mark Conner Biographies

Finding our Way Back Home

I read an amazing story this week …

In 1986, five-year-old Saroo Munshi Khan and his 14-year-old brother were searching the streets for spare change in their home city of Berhanpur, India. Saroo's older brother Guddu wandered beyond the station and Saroo fell asleep waiting for his brother's return. A few hours later, Saroo woke up 1,500 kilometers away, in Calcutta, eons away from his home and family. He survived on the streets for weeks, was taken into an orphanage, and was adopted by an Australian family and grew up in Hobart, Tasmania.

Twenty-six years later, he found his way back to his hometown with the help of Google Earth. An article explained Saroo's journey back home:

In 2011, using vague memories and Google Earth imagery, Saroo identified his home town. Using the ruler feature in Google Earth, he mapped out a search radius by making an educated guess about how far he traveled by train. After countless hours of scouring this area of Google Earth imagery, he came upon a proverbial needle in a haystack. Saroo spotted one vague landmark that led him to the next, helping him unlock a five-year-old child's memories. He eventually spotted a neighborhood, street, and tin roof that looked familiar.

In Saroo's words, "It was just like being Superman. You are able to go over and take a photo mentally and ask, 'Does this match?' And when you say, 'No,' you keep on going and going and going.”

In 2012, Saroo embarked on a trip from Australia back to India. Once he arrived, he shared his story with locals, who helped him find his way back home to his mother and surviving brother and sister. Twenty-six years after accidentally leaving home, he finally found his way back.

In many ways, we are all a bit like Saroo. We are lost people longing for and looking for a place called HOME. The truth is, it doesn't matter where life has taken you, there's always a way back home. You may not know all the steps, but God is calling you and He will guide you.

Extras:

Watch Saroo tell part of his story.
Read the full story.
A similar story occured with a Chinese man finding his way home after being adbucted 23 years earlier.

October 16, 2014 Mark Conner Current Issues, Evangelism and Mission, Special Events

Indigenous Awareness Trip (October 2013)

In October 2013, my wife and I participated with a number of other church pastors in an Indigenous Awareness Trip, sponsored by the Concilia organisation.

We began by flying from Melbourne to Alice Springs. It was my first visit to this iconic Australian town. It was not as big as I thought it would be – only 28,000 people. It was 41 degrees when we arrived – a very warm welcome. We began by visiting a number of the 20 Aboriginal camps around the town. Aboriginal people make up about 20% of the local population. We also visited some of the work of Mission Australia. Needless to say, it was quite confronting to see the challenges being faced by Indigenous people in this area.

The next day, we took a 3 hour chartered flight north to a little town called Kalkarindji. Population - 450 people. Temperature – 43 degrees! We visited a Baptist church there led by Bill and Pauline. God has been at work in this small community. They had baptised 250 people a few months earlier.

After this, we spent some time in a number of other Aboriginal Christian churches and training centres in Brisbane, Logan City and Tweed Heads.

The entire trip was an educational and moving experience. I realised how ignorant I was and how little I knew about my own country's history. Many stereotypes had been shattered. The needs are huge … and they are right on our doorstep. It's hard work. These are very hot and isolated communities. The cultural differences are huge. There needs to be a lot of listening and learning.

The United Nations estimates that there are around 300 million indigenous people around the world today. They have a disturbingly similar experience of being swept aside by immigrant majorities, primarily through Western colonisation. Their close relationship to the land has been misunderstood, they have experienced the gradual dispossession of their land (through trickery, broken treaties, and violence), their culture has been decimated resulting in general despair and an ongoing struggle for identity in the midst of an overwhelming immigrant culture. As a result, Indigenous people are often the most socially disadvantaged (when it comes to unemployment, alcoholism, violence and abuse) and marginalised people in their own country. All of this is true in regards to Indigenous Australians.

Should this matter to us? Should we be concerned?

I believe it should!

When speaking to the religious leaders of his day (the Pharisees), Jesus commended them for their pedantic tithing (they even gave a tenth of their spices!) but challenged them not to neglect the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, faith-fulness (Matthew 23:23). This was nothing new. Jesus was affirming the age-old prophetic tradition that called God's people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God (Micah 6:8).

For Jesus, the 'good news of the kingdom' was not merely about individual salvation (going to heaven when you die) but about the coming of God's rule right here right now. It was and is about God setting things 'right'. His followers, the church, are to be the visible demonstration of God's Kingdom on earth. That means we are to be instruments of justice and mercy. Justice trumps spice!

Moving beyond good intentions requires us to practice justice. This begins with awareness – having our eyes and ears open to the cries of our world. Being 'salt and light' in our world requires a proactive stance. The opposite of good is not always evil; often it is indifference. Jesus saw the multitudes then acted on the compassion he felt. The next step is to allow what we see to influence the choices we make. Knowledge doesn't change the world; action does. It's a call to pray, give, get involved, and lobby. Social action (providing help for those who have fallen off the cliff) and social justice (challenging structures and systems by building fences at the top of the cliff) are both important.

Over the last few years at CityLife Church, we have lifted our focus on justice through addressing current issues such as human trafficking, poverty, and consumerism. This year, we are looking at issues facing indigenous Australians.

Please check out Australians Together.

Let's embrace a deep respect for all people made in the image of God.

Let's value building relationships over solutions by well-meaning white people

Let's increase our awareness and understanding.

Let's be compassionate.

[Picture: cooking up some kangaroo tail for dinner in Alice Springs]

October 13, 2014 Mark Conner Bible

Proverbs 13

As we continue our reflections on the book of Proverbs, let's look at five proverbs from Proverbs 13 today (from the Message Bible):

Vs.3. Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything.

Our words are very powerful. We need to engage our brain before opening our mouth. Thinking before we speak preserves us from the consequences of words spoken too hastily or without prior thought. Listen more today. Pause before speaking. Let your words be few … and full of life to the hearers.

Vs.7. A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.

Not all that glitters is gold. Bright lights can be seductive yet deceiving. Many things in life offer far more than they can ever deliver. Could less be more? What does the 'simple life' look like for you? What do you need to offload? Let go of? Stop pursuing?

Vs.10. Arrogant know–it–alls stir up discord, but wise men and women listen to each other's counsel.

Who speaks into your life? Who do you listen to when it comes to receiving counsel for important decisions? Be open to feedback and different perspectives today. None of us see everything nor do we know all that could be known about a subject or issue. Listen … and learn.

Vs. 14. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, so, no more drinking from death–tainted wells.

What are you feeding on? What is going IN to your heart and soul? Garbage IN = garbage OUT. Is it time for a change of diet? What you feed on grows and produces fruit in your life.

Vs.20. Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

Who is the greatest influence on you? Who is your model? Your hero? Do you want to be like those you hang around? Be a positive influence on others but follow those whose lives are worth imitating.

October 7, 2014 Mark Conner Evangelism and Mission, General Interest

Max Conlon – Aboriginal Artist

Last weekend, as part of our Australians Together focus, we were privileged to host Max and Tracey Conlon at CityLife Church. They are indigenous Australian church leaders who founded Walkabout Ministry. They travel and minister to many of the isolated indigenous communities across our nation.

Max was raised amongst 14 siblings in the Cherbourg Aboriginal settlement in south east Queensland and is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi/Kullali tribes. Max is an established artist and has been painting for 35 years. He has travelled extensively with exhibitions of his work in Dubai, Japan, Korea and a number of European cities. He has also exhibited extensively throughout the east coast of Australia, collaborating with his brother Robin (Goma) on murals and art projects with cultural community outcomes. His family traditions have inspired a unique body of work which utilises traditional and contemporary symbols to communicate stories of life experiences.

Max is also an award winning artist. Check out the firsthings gallery to see some of his work.

Proverbs 6

It's time for some more insight from the book of Proverbs as we look at chapter 6 today (from the Message Bible translation):

A Lesson from the Ant

Vs.6-11. You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy––do you know what comes next? Just this:You can look forward to a dirt–poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest.

Pause and reflect on this insight from one of God's little creatures – the ant. What is God saying to you today about diligence and preparation?

Seven Things God Hates

Vs.16-19. Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.

God has feelings – passion! What does this list tell us about what God is like as person? If you were to write a list of seven things that God loves, what would be on it? Seek to both know and please God today.

Vs.32. Adultery is a brainless act, soul–destroying, self–destructive.

Adultery, like all sexual sin, is never a fall, it's always a slide. What early indicators or warning signs do you need to be aware of and respond to today? God's ways are always for our good. What are the benefits of sexual purity? Make a choice today to honour God with your sexuality.

October 1, 2014 Mark Conner Current Issues

Australians Together

Australians Together is taking a fresh approach to building relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Their web site has some inspiring stories and helpful articles. Check it out.

This coming weekend at CityLife Church, I will be sharing some of our experiences on an indigenous awareness trip we did with some Australian pastors last year, sponsored by Concilia.

We will also be running the entire course on Saturday, 18th October. The course promotes the value of listening to Indigenous people and learning about our shared story so that we can live in respectful peer relationship with each other. In these sessions we will be watching ‘Sharing Our Story’, a 4 episode DVD series that explores how the events of our past continue to affect Indigenous people today. We're inviting you to join us on this journey to discover how we, as God’s people in Australia, can be part of writing a new chapter in this story; Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians together. Visit our church web site for more details and to register.

Let's continue to work together to bring justice and hope for all people across our great nation.