Personal Update from Mark Conner

FullSizeRenderIt is hard to believe that it has been 6 months today since I finished up as Senior Minister of CityLife Church. The month of February this year was such as special time as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of CityLife, had my farewell, and inducted Andrew Hill as the next Senior Minister. These important events all went so well and I look back with gratitude for that. Nicole and I are particularly thankful for the many 'thank you' notes and video messages we received from people both inside and outside of CityLife, as well as the generous gifts from the church.

These last few months of ‘sabbatical’ have been a time of rest, relaxation, refuelling and recalibration for us. We really love living in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, where we have relocated to, although we obviously miss our family and friends in Melbourne. No doubt, as hard as it has been, moving away was a good way to establish a clear transition from a long season at ministry at CityLife to our next season of life and ministry, as well as give the new Senior Minister the space that he needs to establish his own leadership.

Over the next few months I will begin to re-engage in a variety of ministry opportunities that are coming my way, including speaking at various churches and pastor’s conferences, coaching some pastors and church leaders, and doing some consulting work. I’m really excited about this next season.

Thanks for your support and prayers during my recent transition time. I really appreciate it.

All the best.

Mark

The Beauty of Sleep

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I’m on holidays and I’m loving every minute! My time off started just over 3 weeks ago. The difference in this break is that it began with me finishing employment at the same place for over 32 years. Needless to say, I have been gradually starting to relax and unwind, although it has taken discipline to not focus on what I have ‘done’ at the end of any particular day. My productivity bias is very strong!

One thing I have noticed is how long and how deeply I have been sleeping. I guess you don’t really know how tired you are until you slow down or stop for a while. I said to Nicole one morning this week that it felt like I had slept at a much deeper level than I had ever experienced in my life before. Like peeling an onion, another layer of tiredness seems to be lifting off me.

When I was younger, I envied people who could survive on only a few hours of sleep a night (or who could work right through the night without a hitch!). I tried to do the same, with initial excitement about all those extra hours I’d be able to free up for work and accomplishing the many projects I was interested in. Well, it didn’t last very long. I soon learned that sleep is like a bank account and you can’t keep making withdrawals without it eventually bouncing through lack of deposits!

I discovered that like most people I need about 8 hours of sleep a night to function best during the day. Yes, I can survive an occasional late night or early morning here or there, but regularly deviating from this daily rhythm doesn’t work for me in the long run. I need a good night’s sleep – every day. And that’s okay.

How have been sleeping lately?

A good night’s sleep is a beautiful thing, renewing our entire being – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It’s amazing how even challenges or problems look at little different in the morning after a quality sleep. It’s a bit like a mental reset, a fuel tank refill, a windscreen wiper clean, or a computer reboot.

Here are a few tips I’ve found helpful for having a good sleep:

  1. Make sure your bedroom is as dark as it can be, with no light creeping in.
  2. A room that is quiet is also important.
  3. Getting to bed a few hours before midnight seems to help a lot.
  4. Don’t eat late at night or too soon before going to sleep. Your stomach will be digesting all night … and oh that breath in the morning!
  5. Don’t drink too much late at night. I try not to drink anything after 8.00 pm. It reduces trips to the toilet during the night.
  6. Avoid engaging in highly mentally stimulating activities just before bed. Do something more relaxing.
  7. If you are having trouble sleeping, chat to your doctor.

Good night 🙂

P.S. For 32 more tips, check out the Start Sleeping helpful web site.

My Farewell Address: The Meaning of Life

What does one say in a farewell address?

In biblical times, we have a record of parting words from people such as Jacob (Genesis 49:1-33), Joseph (Genesis 50:24-26), Moses (Deuteronomy 31:1 – 32:47), Joshua (Joshua 24:22-28), David (1Chronicles 29:10-20), Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20 and John 13-17) and Paul (Acts 20:18-25).

In modern times, we can consider the farewell speeches of kings, presidents and prime ministers, as well as sports personalities, actors and entertainers. Whether it’s Michael Scott saying ‘goodbye’ on the TV series The Office, Truman exiting The Truman Show (“In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night!”) or Bilbo Baggins’s speech in Lord of the Rings at his 111th birthday party (“I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve!”), we all seek to say something meaningful in significant moments such as this.

I am 55 years of age and I see and feel things very differently than when I was younger. Life goes way too fast, kids grow up far too quickly, and as a result you start to ask questions about what it all means and what really matters.

People have grappled with the question of the meaning of life since time began – whether it be Solomon, the ancient philosophers, or Victor Frankl and his associates in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust wondering what they would live for … if they survived.

For me, there are three pursuits worth giving my life for:

1. Love God.

CSEach human being is born with longings and cravings for something or Someone beyond themsevles – for transcendence. C.S. Lewis once said,  “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.”

God is personal and if we seek him with all our heart we will find him. I first heard God speaking to me when I was 19 years of age as I meditated on the story of a young boy named Samuel in 1 Samuel chapter 3 of the Old Testament. It’s one thing to know about God or even to study God but it is another thing to have a relationship with him. Some people find God within the walls of a church. Others find him outside of the halls of religion. After all, the whole world is a Temple where God dwells. We are each invited into the life of God who is Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit. Some days God is silent …. but God is always there.

Jesus himself said that the most important commandment was to ” love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” (Matthew 22:37-38).

2. Love People.

Jesus went on to say, “A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:39-40). Jesus summarised over 600 Jewish laws into two simple practices: love God and love people.

Elsewhere, Jesus gave us some good advice as to how to truly love people:

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12. NLT

We call it the Golden Rule: think about how you want to be treated, then grab the initiative and treat people that way, especially those who are different than you. If you are white, what would it like to be black? If you are straight, what would it be like to be gay? If you are an Australian citizen, what would it be like to be a refugee? If you are a Christian, what would it be like for a Muslim or a Hindu to move into the neighborhood? If you are healthy, what would life be like in a wheel chair?

Sadly, in many parts of our world, Christianity has degenerated into primarily a ‘system of beliefs’ rather than a ‘way of life’ characterised by love. Jesus did not say, “The world will know that you are my disciples by your statement of faith”. In fact, the Bible isn’t a theology book… it is a grand redemptive narrative – a love story of God at work in our world throughout history. People write theology – some of it is good and some of it isn’t (because it doesn’t reflect God accurately). Even our creeds are inadequate. The famous Apostle’s Creed, often used as the marker of orthodox Christianity, doesn’t even mention love or justice, two topics Jesus constantly talked about. It also has no reference to mission, something Jesus was passioante about in his farewell address (Matthew 28:18-20)!

So let’s hold our beliefs, statements of faith, and creeds lightly. Don’t be too quick to push people away who see or believe differently. Try saying something like, “Help me understand.” But let’s hold love very firmly. It is the mark of a true follower of Jesus.

3. Serve the World.

BoothIt is said that the Founder of The Salvation Army, General William Booth, once sent a telegram to officers around the world to remind them of the main focus of their work. The telegram contained only one word – “others.” That single word captured the foundation for the entire organisation.

In the same way, God desires each one of us to discover, develop and deploy our gifts and talents for the benefit of others. The apostle Peter put it this way:

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

Life is not about YOU. Don’t end your life only to look back and find it was a SELFIE video!

When we look at all of the problems in the world today, it is easy to ask why God doesn’t do something. But the prophet Isaiah tells us that God is actually waiting for us to act!

Isaiah 59:16. “God was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed.” NLT

As they say in chess, “It’s your move!”

Chess

P.S. Visit more media links regarding Mark’s transition.

See also Time to Say Goodbye

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What’s Next?

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After you say goodbye, what's next?

What’s Next for Me
I’ve been on church staff for the last 32 years and led the worship ministry as a volunteer for 5 years before that … so that's 37 years of continuous leadership responsibility. You can’t question my commitment 🙂

Now that I am finished with my Senior Minister staff role, I will take a few months off – a rest, a 'drinks break', a sabbath.

On top of the full array of regular Sunday church services over the last 30-40 years, I've been involved in Saturday night church services for 18 years now and double services for about 8 years. That's some crazy busy weekends. And a lot happens between weekends. Just like chefs know that a meal is gobbled up much quicker than the time it took to prepare it, so ministry preparation takes much more time than the actual ministry moments of meetings led, sermons preached, or people interacted with. My last sermon as Senior Minister only lasted a little over 30 minutes … but it took 55 years to prepare. 

I am not retiring. Once our rest time is over, we will be open to any new assignments that God may bring our way. 

What's Next for CityLife

CityLife is Jesus' church. I didn't start it. It was already 28 years old when I became its leader and I've done my best to lead it over the last 22 years. A new season is about to begin.

Change is not always easy. There will be some grief and some loss. But endings make way for new beginnings. Yes, things will be different but the church’s mission remains the same.

I've encouraged the church to give the next Senior Minister, Andrew Hill, and his wife Leanne, their full support, encouragement, and prayer. After all, church ministry can be quite stressful (see my next post: The Stresses of Church Work).

Jesus said to his disciples that it would be good that he left because then he would send the Holy Spirit. I'm not suggesting I'm Jesus (!) nor is Andrew the Holy Spirit but change can be a good thing. I’ve given 22 years of my life to this role and I believe I have brought the church as far as I can. CityLife will benefit from new leadership with abundant energy and fresh vision for its next chapter.

Coming Up: My Farewell Address

Time to Say Goodbye

Fare

Last weekend was my final weekend speaking at CityLife Church as it's Senior Minister. It was a very emotional time for both Nicole and myself, but with a real sense of celebration of all that God has done. We are deeply grateful for the many words of encouragement, 'thank you' notes, gifts (I felt like a Christmas tree!), and the parting love offering from the congregation. Thanks to Peter Sheahan and the Board of Elders, as well as Peter Leigh and Daljit Gill for arranging all of this. We felt very honoured. 

It has been an honour and a privilege to be the Senior Minister at CityLife for the last 22 years. Nicole and I are very grateful for the opportunity we have had to serve this amazing group of people over so many years. I’ve grown, I’ve changed, I've learnt a lot (often through my mistakes!) and I’ve had many wonderful opportunities to use my gifts, build relationships, create meaningful experiences, and see God work in and through our church.

I am very proud of who CityLife has become – particularly the culture of welcome, generosity and outreach that pervades the church. The Church has grown in size and quality, men and women serve and lead alongside each other (some of our best leaders, pastors and speakers are women), there has been no scandal, and we have had healthy leadership transitions. Of course, my greatest joy has been intersecting with God's work in individual people's lives. I only wish I had had more time to slow down and speak to each person, hearing more of their story and getting to know them better. That's hard with around 10,000 people who now call CityLife their church home.

As I reflect on the last 32 years of being on church staff, it is very clear to me that, “No one achieves anything alone!” At this time, I want to give thanks to:

  • Our founding pastor, Richard Holland, for believing in me as as 20Something and encouraging me into church ministry.
  • My parents, Kevin and Joyce Conner, for all they have sown into my life since I was a child.
  • The church leadership team of elders, staff, ministry leaders, and volunteers who I have served alongside over the years. Special thanks to my personal assistant Sue Veal and to Peter Leigh and Daljit Gill, my two associates for over 20 years. I couldn't have done it without you!
  • Our faithful prayer partners: Gurmit Gill, Stan and Coral Leigh, Miva, Anthony Storey, Linda Leigh, Anne Otyek and Ray Henderson.
  • Finally, thanks to my family – our three amazing kids, Josiah, Ashley and Natasha (who have sacrificed a lot and have been my best fans … and critics!), and to Nicole – still my best friend after 30 years of marriage. My most enjoyable and effective years were when we were leading side by side. I look forward to our future together.
  • And most of all to God … without him I could be or have done nothing. I am indebted to his daily grace, wisdom, courage, strength and faithfulness over so many years now.

Many of you know my story, but let me recap … 

I'm a PK, a "Preacher's Kid", or a TO as my dad used to call me – a "Theological Offspring". When I was younger, my dad used to say to me, "If you can get out of church miniustry, son, get out of it! But if God has called you, you won't escape it." Well, that "call" did come, and quite early – at the age of 10. I wasn't sure how it would unfold, but it did. First through worship ministry, then youth ministry, and eventually as as Senior Minister. 

In many ways, I consider myself a “reluctant leader”. Not that I don't enjoy leading but I’ve been thrown into the deep end many times with new responsibilities. Over time I have learnt a lot and eventually I have really enjoyed everything I have done … but before long, another door seems to open. In many ways, my journey has been very much about responding to opportunities that have come my way, to new open doors, and to other people's encouragement.

Why change now?

This is not a sudden or reactionary move. I considered another 5 years or 10 years but "sooner rather than later” seemed to be the best decision for me and the church. I remember praying one morning and asking God, “Would you be okay if I finished up as Senior Minister?" I sensed a warm smile and a softly spoken ,"Of course." A calling is never meant to be linked or bound to a particular role or expression of ministry. We must follow our curiosity and not allow a calling to ever become a sense of duty or obligation. Nicole once asked me, "Would you apply for your job today, if you didn't have it?" That's a good question. I enjoy a lot of what I do but CityLife has become a very large organisation, the Senior Minister role is a big responsibility, and it is a burden that never goes away. I'm at a stage in life where I'd like a smaller world not a bigger one, a slower pace not a faster one, a simpler life not a more complex one. So here we are …

How do I feel?

Check out my recent poem: The Finish Line.

Coming Up: What's Next? 

In the mean time, you might want to check out Home – Seasons, for some insights on the apostle Paul's departure from 3 years of significant ministry in the city of Ephesus. There are some excellent lessons we can glean from this story about endings and new beginnings. 

The Finish Line

Finishline

Today was my last official day of work for 2016. I spoke at all 5 of our church's Christmas carols presentations this weekend. It was a lot of fun and it was great to see so many people there, especially so many visitors.

It's now 2 months and 8 days till I finish up in my role as Senior Minister of our church. That's 70 days all up but once you take out holidays and some days off, I only have 31 days of actual work left. That's hard to believe! Especially after being employed for 32 years at the same place. 

Early this morning, I was thinking about and reflecting on the idea of a 'finish line' and wrote this poem. Wherever you are in your race, may you be encouraged today.

Ah, I can actually see it now
The finish line
An end to this race
It's not far away

Hard to explain the feeling
To lay down a burden
To let it all go
To actually be done

Surreal but exhilarating
Grief for sure
But more so relief
A fitting conclusion

It's been a long race
Many twists and turns
Hills and valleys
Seemingly unending stretches

Sunshine and rain
Joy and pain
Good friendships
Yet times of feeling alone

Bursts of great speed
Times of catching my breath
Seasons of clarity
Other times only a mist

At times it felt like forever
A race with no end
Caught in a calling
Be faithful to the end

Drinks break ahead
Refresh and refuel
Celebrate the day
Hear the 'well done'

Then what?
Who knows
Another race?
Time will tell

Enjoy the finish line …

The Great Unknown

Sometimes in life we experience 'more of the same' as we deal with the familiarity of routine. At other times, there is the adventure of new things and of entering uncharted waters. That's my life right now.

I am in the process of transitioning out of a staff role at CityLife Church where I have served in various roles for almost 32 years, and for 22 years as the Senior Minister. I'll take 6 months off when I finish at the end of February 2017 then see what new opportunities may present themselves. 

I am also living between our new home in the Sunshine Coast and my continuing ministry work in Melbourne. Talk about liminal spaces. It's a bit like walking back and forth through the wardrobe door into Narnia. "Yes, I remember you!" Exciting but scary. 

During times like this, I find my times of prayer, solitude and reflection even more valuable. My journal is my listening book, enabling me to share my heart and see what God might say to me. I also dabble in a little amateur poetry.

Here is something I wrote a few weeks back that will give you a window into my soul right now. Maybe some of you can identity with it, especially if you are in a season of change right now. It's called "The Great Unknown".

Unknown

About to jump …
Into the great unknown
No guarantees
No promises

A blank page
A new start
Time to reboot
Owner's reset

Start again
Completely new
Identity search
Who am I?

Lay it all down …
Achievements and trophies
Titles and positions
Applause and fame

Into the unknown
Stripped bare
Naked yet free
Having nothing yet everything I need

Into the cocoon
Dark and cold
Unsure and unclear
Ready to die

Yet there will be a light
At the crack of dawn
Resurrection
New life

Caterpillar to butterfly
Metamorphosis
Deep change
Transformation

Time to really live
Spirit breath
Life source
Soul force

Across the threshold
What will I see?
Leave the past behind
Time to be me

Discover, discern
Destiny, design
Holy whispers
Divine fingerprints

Into the great unknown …

[Photo by Thomas Frost Jensen taken in Trolltunga, Norway]

[Read more of Mark's poetry]

 

Update on Mark and Nicole Conner

Change
 
At a Special General Meeting on 6th October, the CityLife members confirmed by an overwhelming majority the unanimous nomination by the Board of Elders of Andrew Hill as the next Senior Minister of CityLife Church (read my initial announcement about leadership transition back in February 2016, in case you missed that).
 
I congratulate Andrew on this appointment and look forward to working with him over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition for him and the church. Good days are ahead. 

February 2017 will be a big month for our church as we celebrate our 50th anniversary (11-12th Feb), have my farewell (18-19th Feb), and have Andrew's official induction as the new Senior Minister (25-26th Feb).

What's next for me? Once I finish in my current role at the end of February 2017, I will take 6 months off then most likely move into a montage of contributions, including some more writing, mentoring/coaching of leaders, and speaking/travel. Of course, Nicole and I are open to anything God may bring our way in terms of a new assignment. We have decided to relocate to the Sunshine Coast, Queensland as our base for this next season of life and ministry.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support during this significant period of change for us and CityLife Church.
 

Confessions: A 3 Month License Suspension

Ticket
 
Confession time …
 
Right now I am in the middle of serving a 3 month driving license suspension.
 
Where I live in Australia, there is a demerit point system for driving offences such as speeding, driving through a red light, etc. If you accumulate 12 points or more in a 3 year period of time you lose your license for 3 months. 
 
I have been on 9 demerit points for a few years now and I have been driving exceptionally carefully, usually right on the speed limit using cruise control pretty much all of that time. Unfortunately, I received a red light ticket coming home from speaking to our Manningham congregation late December 2015 (doing the work of the Lord!). [To me a yellow light means “Hurry up, you still have time!” but obviously the traffic gods have a different definition] I even ordered the photo but sadly, the camera never lies (see above). That put me at 12 points. I could have taken a ‘grace period’ extension of 12 months but if I received only 1 demerit point in that period of time I would receive a 6 month license suspension. Too risky, from my perspective. 
 
So, I am arranging the help of some friends to drive me to and from work at the church office, as well as weekend church meetings. Once this 3 month period is over, I go back to 0 demerit points. All my driving sins will be washed away. Yay! 
 
I shared this story with the church in this year’s Mother’s Day message. As I mentioned at the time, no doubt some people are shocked to hear this, as they expected me to be more angelic in my behaviour. A pastor should be an exemplary driver! Other people have showed more empathy, many of whom have their own accumulated demerit points 🙂 
 
Life provides us with many lessons, from both our successes and failures.
 
No doubt, I need to learn to SLOW down. This is not easy … especially for busy, adrenaline-addicted junkies.
 
I am more dependent on others now but I am enjoying spending some extra time with family and friends, who are helping me by driving me around. 
 
Also, I am not in control now. As a leader, this is not easy, because I am used to influencing things all the time. Right now, I am out of the driver’s seat and into the passenger seat. In my Bible reading the other day I read this in Luke 9:23 in the Message Bible: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat — I am.” That’s me. I have to trust and be a patient passenger. Someone else (God in his providence) is driving and leading the way in my life. This is a vital lesson for me, especially at this time in my life with some big decisions and changes ahead.
 
Thanks for your prayers.
 
James 5:16. Confess your sins (faults, mistakes) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. NLT

Our 30th Wedding Anniversary

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30 years ago today, Nicole and I were married. She was 20 and I was 24. You never know where the road of life may lead but I couldn't imagine a better traveling companion. Nicole is a person of deep compassion, courage and conviction. She is also heap of fun to do life together with and she is the best mother in the world to our amazing family. Most of all, Nicole is my best and dearest friend. 

As we come to the last chapter of this first book of our life, I am truly grateful to God and his grace.

Now, I can't wait for the sequel.

Here's to the next 30 years of life … together.

Mark and Nicole

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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 while we were in Moscow last year where I was speaking at a pastor's conference for church leaders from all over Russia, hosted by the Word of Life Church, Moscow]

Happy Birthday, Nicole

Nicole girlOnce upon a time there was this cute girl named Nicole. She launched out on this adventure called life and our paths intersected 30 years ago. She is now my best friend and my climbing companion.

I can’t wait to see the joy that is just around the next corner for both of us.

Happy birthday, my love!

Announcement about Mark Conner’s Future

Mark Conner (sunglasses)This weekend, I made the following announcement to my church family – CityLife Church. Obviously, it was a surprise to many, while not to others. There is a degree of sadness with any change like this but I am also encouraged by the amount of support I have received. [Watch on You Tube]

I have given the matter of our church’s future, as well my own future, much prayer and reflection over the last eight months. As a result, I believe that it is time to start thinking about a successor – who will be the next Senior Minister of CityLife Church.

I have been on church staff for 31 years now, 21 years as the Senior Minister, and I believe that the time has come when CityLife would benefit from new leadership with energy and fresh vision for its next chapter.

As a result of this, I and the CityLife Board of Elders are now prayerfully beginning to consider who could be the next Senior Minister – whether that person be from inside or outside the church. I am committed to working with the Elders (as the Senior Minister is one of the Elders) to ensure that the best person is chosen to lead CityLife into its next season. Once that happens, I will give my full focus and energies to contributing to a really good transition to that person, just like in a relay race. I am confident that once a suitable successor is selected, we will be able to navigate a very successful transition together. I have been up 'close and personal' to two leadership transitions in CityLife and I’ve been on the receiving end of the last one. I believe we know what it takes to do this well.

[I should note at this stage that a new Senior Minister is first selected and nominated by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Elders and then confirmed by a two-thirds majority of church partners (members) at a subsequent Annual or Special General Meeting. This might be a good time to become a partner, if you aren’t one already, so you have the opportunity to be involved in this important decision about our church’s future leadership!]

Transitions are always vulnerable times. Please pray. Pray for me and the Elders, as well as for this important time of change coming up. CityLife is Jesus' church. I didn't start it. I have never seen myself as an 'owner' of the church but rather as merely a 'steward'. CityLife was already 28 years old when I became its leader and I've done my best to lead it over the last 21 years. It's now time to get ready for a new season.

Change is not always easy. There will be some grief and some loss. But endings make way for new beginnings. Yes, things will be different but our mission remains the same. Let’s stay close together at this time.

I am sure, for many of you, this may come as a surprise and you may have a lot of questions. Let me anticipate a few of them:

  1. “When will all this happen?” We don't have any fixed dates as of yet. All those details will unfold once a successor is decided upon. Right now, I am going to be continue to lead the church as the Senior Minister and I’ll be giving it my very best. I and the Elders will be keeping you up-to-date with the progress of this transition. Today’s announcement is simply to let you know that we are now talking about succession planning.
  2. “What does Nicole think about this?” Nicole told me that if I wanted to lead for another 10 years, I would have her full support. This has been my decision and I think it’s time to get ready for change. I am very thankful for the support of Nicole and my entire family.
  3. “Will my son Josiah be my successor?” Josiah has just turned 27 years of age and he is doing a great job leading the youth ministry, along with our staff and volunteer team. He has told me that a role like Senior Minister is not something he would even consider at this time in his life nor is he ready for. So please don't ask him, “Are you the One?”
  4. “What about the building projects we are currently undertaking?” The Story Building Projects are not my projects or about me as Senior Minister. They are for the direct benefit of our Knox and Casey congregations. So these projects will continue as we seek to create environments that will serve our mission for many years to come. Like most of you, I will be making a pledge next weekend. For Knox, our plan is to complete the new community centre this year. Leading up to the completion of this first stage, you will hear more information about the remaining stages.
  5. “Is Mark burnt out?” I don't think I am. However, during these last few years I have felt more tired mentally and emotionally than at other times, despite my sabbatical in 2012. I started leading at CityLife Church at the age of 18 as a volunteer and came on staff 5 years later, so I have been leading ministries with constantly increasing responsibility for 36 straight years now. At age 54, I am at a time in life when I'd like a smaller world not a bigger one, a slower pace not a faster one, and a simpler life not a more complex one. Could I lead for another 5 years? Yes, but I don't think I have the spark and the energy that I think this job requires and deserves going forward.
  6. “What does my dad, Kevin Conner, think about this?” Feel free to ask him. My dad is 89 years of age now, and when I met with him and Rene a few weeks back to inform them of my decision, my dad responded by saying, “I don't know how you do what you do. I couldn't do it.” So I am thankful for their understanding and support. [Our founding pastor, Richard Holland passed away back in 2008. When he was around he used to say, “I was good, Kevin was better but Mark is the best!” I have never claimed to be the best but I have tried to do my best. Richard led the church for 20 years, my dad for 8 years, and by the end of this year I will have completed 22 years, so Richard would at least be pleased that I was in this Senior Minister role longer than he was!]
  7. “What's next for me?” I am not leaving to go to another job. I haven’t been ‘head-hunted’ from somewhere else. It is simply a time for me to consider finishing in my role as Senior Minister and see what the future holds. After I finish, I'll take some extended time off then see what opens up (I’m not ‘retiring’ and I do need to work). I believe I have much to offer the wider church from my years of church leadership experience and so I will prayerfully explore a variety of options in which I can add value to other churches and leaders. Nicole and I are excited about doing some new things together in the next season of our life and ministry.
  8. “What is really going on?” There is no ‘back story’ to all of this. I have decided that it’s time to think about my successor. It's a simple as that – nothing more, nothing less.
  9. “How do I feel about all of this?” It’s all a bit surreal at the moment. I am sure there will be some ‘lows’ ahead, as I face the grief of letting go of a role that has been so a part of me for many years, as well as some ‘highs’, as I experience the relief of no longer having to carry this level of responsibility.

God has led CityLife for almost 50 years now and we have navigated transitions like this well before. I believe great days are ahead for the church and we can trust God to lead us through this next transition into an even more fruitful future.

This is not ‘goodbye’ or farewell. There will be time for that later. I am simply being open about a process that is beginning right now, so that you are fully aware and can pray and journey with us at this important time in the history of our church.

Thank you for your prayer and support during this season of my life and ministry. I really appreciate it and I love you very much.

Reflections from my Sabbatical (Part 4)

SabbathSo what now? That’s another good question.

1. Personally, I need to re-engage with church life and ministry. I need to get back in harness and up to speed with what God is now doing. I’ll gradually ease back in over the next few weeks.

2. We want to keep the current spiritual momentum going. God’s Spirit is at work. We’re not going to press rewind and play. The church has moved on. I have moved on. I have changed and grown. Other people have too. It’s time to keep moving forward. The Lord said to Moses, “Get up and resume the journey, and lead the people to the land I swore to give to their ancestors, so they may take possession of it (Deut.10:11).” There is a time to stop and reflect on past and present issues, dealing with them appropriately and learning the lessons we need to. Then there is a time to get up and resume the journey – to move forward from where you are.

3. Finally, I need to give more attention to my leadership of the church, considering my role and the best contribution that I can make for everyone. That will be a major part of my focus over the next few months as I seek to provide better clarity of our future vision, which includes who God wants us to be as a church, what he wants us to do, and where he wants us to go.

In conclusion, I am extremely grateful for this sabbatical period. I feel really well – refreshed, rested, rejuvenated and ready for this next season. I know that I am called to lead this church. I feel content and at peace. I am really excited about your future and the opportunities God is placing in front of us (e.g. the recent purchase of the 4 acres of Eastlink land in Knox is just one example). Our best days are truly ahead of us!

Thank you for your support and encouragement. I really appreciate it.

Reflections from my Sabbatical (Part 3)

SabbathWhat did I learn during my sabbatical?

In many ways, I see this moment and season as a significant crossroads for my life and ministry. The Lord once said to Jeremiah, “Stand (stop) at the crossroads and look around; ask for the ancient paths (the old, godly path), ask where the good way is, and walk in it (travel its path), and you will find rest for your souls (Jer.6:16)." In many ways, I have tried to do just that – stop, look around, ask and then walk.

I have had numerous thoughts about my life and ministry. Here are just a few of them:

1. I need to slow down the pace of my life. I need more stillness and time waiting on God. I need to learn from the eagle who is never flustered or frantically flapping its wings. Rather it leans into the power of the wind and learns to flow with it (see Isaiah 40:31). I need a better and more enjoyable life rhythm, one that honours God and my family. I need to do a better job of embedding the principle of Sabbath into my life. Don't worry, I will continue to work hard and have a passion for fruitfulness in ministry but I must not allow productivity to become an idol that controls my life.

2. I need to look after myself better, in every dimension – physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and socially. I want to enjoy life more and not feel so stressed and stretched all the time. This will require me to stop allowing my work to fill my entire week. I need to switch off more in the evenings, when possible, and on my Day Off (including not checking email). Eliminating (turning off or at least turning down) some of the things that I have allowed to become distractions will help too. Jesus calls us to a burden that is 'easy and light' and one that enables our soul to experience rest (Matthew 11:28-30). The best gift I can give those who I influence is me being a healthy leader – in every way.

3. I need to focus more on being (relationships) than doing (tasks). I need to learn to be and not just do. For me, it's much easier to be a Martha than it is a Mary. This is not just personal but affects my leadership of the church too. Most churches need their leaders to clearly define what they believe God wants them to be (values, culture, DNA), not just where they need to go (vision and goals) or what they needs to do (ministries, activities and programs). This is the focus of Jesus, Paul, and the other New Testament church leaders - being the church of Jesus Christ in the world. It’s about identity and a direction more than a destination.

4. The inflow of God's Word and God's Spirit into my life has to increase significantly. I lead, speak and minister much better out of overflow. Quality time in prayer and the Word was the focus of the early church leaders (see Acts 6) and they refused to allow other things to cause them to neglect these God-given priorities.

5. I am very aware that there is an enemy persistently at work, subtly seeking to undermine God’s work in my life. There is a strong spiritual warfare dimension to our lives that we need to be much more aware of. 

6. I believe that I am called to lead our church at this time and for this next season, but maybe in different ways. I need to focus more on what God wants me to do for the church. What is his call and priorities for me as a senior church leader? What does he expect from me? Moses’ example (Deut.1) is key here, as are the apostles (Acts 6). I need to focus on my best contribution to the church, delegating the rest, and saying ‘no’ to opportunities outside of that (which means less travel).

Click here for Part 4.