When I became the Senior Minister of CityLife Church back in 1995, I invested extensive time in prayer, study, research and reflection about principles for building a healthy and effective church. As a result, I was prompted to lead our church through seven "strategic shifts" over the next few years. This has resulted in much positive … Continue reading Transforming Your Church
Mark and Nicole
Nicole and I celebrate our 30th wedding anniverary this June. Nicole is my best friend and my life's climbing companion. I can't wait to see the joy that is around the next corner for both of us. To keep track of our whereabouts, check out our web site, which has been recently updated. [Photo taken … Continue reading Mark and Nicole
Stages of the Life of Faith
God’s kingdom is often described in an organic way and is seen as growing larger and stronger (Mark 4:26-29. Luke 13:18-19). The church is also seen as growing and maturing (Ephesians 4:15-16). Individual followers of Christ are also called to grow in their relationship to God (Colossians 1:9-10; 2:6-7). Personal and spiritual growth occurs over a period of time and always … Continue reading Stages of the Life of Faith
The Value of Time
To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are … Continue reading The Value of Time
First Things First
Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you (Jesus). Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least. Good is the enemy of best. Establishing priorities is essential to life and ministry effectiveness. Not every task or project is created equal. The … Continue reading First Things First
Prison Break: Finding Personal Freedom
Quite a few years ago now, we conducted a survey in our church. One of the open-ended questions was: "I wish someone would preach about ..." We collated the answers and I have enough to preach on until Jesus comes back! Actually, what surprised me the most at the time was the fact that people … Continue reading Prison Break: Finding Personal Freedom
Books by Mark Conner
Prison Break - Finding Personal Freedom by Mark Conner Living in our broken world creates the possibility of becoming trapped by various negative emotions and habits that can easily become like a prison around us. In this helpful book, Mark Conner shares practical principles for finding freedom from common problems such as anger, fear, worry, rejection, … Continue reading Books by Mark Conner
Jesus and His Mother
As Jesus was dying on the cross, he was not completely alone. There were a small group of people who loved him dearly, right there until his last breath (John 19:25-27). They demonstrated great courage just to even be there. One of them was Mary - Jesus’ mother. I am sure Mary did not always … Continue reading Jesus and His Mother
Happy Mother’s Day (2016)
[Watch this message] It’s Mother’s Day: a century-old tradition of taking time to thank and honour our amazing mums. Mums are special people we owe so much to - in addition to our very existence! Most mums are faithful, loyal, hard-working, loving and caring people. We honour and applaud them today. Of course, Mother’s Day … Continue reading Happy Mother’s Day (2016)
Showdown in the Desert (pt.2)
Lessons from Jesus’ Temptation Yesterday, we looked at Jesus' showdown in the dessert. Today, let's glean a few lessons for our own lives from this story. 1. We are in a spiritual war. We live in a spiritual battle zone between God and Satan, the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. There … Continue reading Showdown in the Desert (pt.2)
Showdown in the Desert (Pt.1)
Jesus has prepared well for impacting his world through total surrender, a strong relationship with his Father and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The final aspect of his preparation is a showdown with the devil himself. Immediately after the “mountain-top” experience at his water baptism, Luke describes Jesus as “full of the Spirit”. The … Continue reading Showdown in the Desert (Pt.1)