Not long after I came to Christ I began to ask the question, well where is it - this miraculous family of God, the church? Surely it's not those buildings that sit on street corners, with a sign saying here is church such and such. Not those cold looking and somewhat uninviting places with crosses on them - surely not? Is that where it all happens where the kingdom comes breaking in, in ever surprising ways: where the Holy Spirit works out the purposes of God in the affairs of mankind? Is that the stage on which all this happens?

You see, I had no Christian background and my conversion was an amazing darkness to light experience all on one incredible Monday night in May 1973, the day after Mothers' Day. I might share about this stunning night some other time. For now, let me go back to what began to form in the heart of me, someone who had no biblical knowledge at all, but who had caught something of the matchless beauty of Christ and His earthly Bride. I had this idea of the body of Christ alive and well, like Jesus had said, being ‘salt and light', in the everyday affairs of mankind; so I went looking for this kingdom thing so that I could give my life to its goals and purpose. However what I discovered instead was a very fragmented and disjointed rendition of church - in fact many different varieties of it really, all appearing to me to be in some race or competition and not really willing or desiring to work together.

To a young mechanical engineer this was not a good working model to build this kingdom thing on - far from it, as it would not work in engineering terms. That posed a real conundrum for me, as I had begun to build relationships with a number of leaders across the body of Christ in my city, but found that they did not necessarily work with or want to partner with each other for the good of their city - they were more focused on their own ‘patch.' There began my journey in seeking to discover this kingdom Jesus had inaugurated, seeking to find His church - this movement that had begun in the life of this amazing man from Galilee.

Now jump 26 years, to 1999 and I'm in the early stages of working this out via my training seminar, Vocations 4 Life. You see, what I had done over the years was reconnect the heavens of God with the earth, and as I did I began to see the church, not as an institution that directs our passage to heaven, but as this amazing body of people standing in society and creation; its mission, to realise the kingdom of God in the earth. Just as Jesus had in His life and ministry and in so doing left us with this incredible adventure of discovering God in our everyday life.

I also discovered that in line with their divine Hebrew heritage, the New Testament writers spoke of a church that exists in every sphere of creation, which includes - marriage (Eph. 5:23ff), family (6:1ff), work (6:5ff), tribe (the gathering/household) (1Tim.3: 15) and as a holy nation (1Pet. 2:9) under God. 

In Eph. 1: 23, Paul declares that the purpose of this creational church is to become "the fullness of him who fills all in all". This key phrase is an all of life description. It does not just refer to our growth in spiritual, moral or doctrinal facets of our character. Rather, it refers us back to the creational mandate given to the human race from the beginning - to fill the earth and to rule over all that God has made (Gen. 1:28). The Gospel of the kingdom was always meant to be good news to all of creation (Mark 16:15).

From the beginning God intended that we would grow to maturity by engaging society and all of creation, which includes the physical, relational and moral facets of life. Only in this way can we come to rule over the works of God's hands (Ps. 8:6). Paul refers to this in Ephesians 4:15, when he says that "we are to grow up in all things into Him, who is the head, even Christ".

In the creational church - not one just centred in a religious gathering, the works of the saints occupy a crucial place. You can read all about this wonderful church and your place in it, in my groundbreaking book, ‘Heaven's Answer to Earth's Dilemma'. But for now, let's consider Jesus' key statement concerning how we can impact the world around us: embracing His kingdom and collaborating with it in all that we do in life. You will know it well; but understood from a creational perspective it takes on a new strategic importance. Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt 5:16). Our good works (all that we do) are of such a nature that they are able to light up the darkness over the earth; giving people an opportunity to see the very character, power and person of God himself. That's the mission of the church! A church unlimited - a movement that was birthed in a person not an institution.

As we ‘good work' the earth, we draw out this "fullness" that God has placed within every created thing and every sphere of creation. In doing this we reveal to the world how His creation is meant to work. The light from our good work, as we live as His image-bearers in all of life, demonstrates the "manifold wisdoms of God to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places" (Eph. 3:10) - both human and angelic.

It is my understanding that this is how we come to answer the cry of a ‘waiting creation,' wanting "be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21); set free to the extent that "all things work together for good" (8:28).

Friends, the church is you! Did you get that? It's not the institution, organisation or network that you may or may not belong to.

This church born out of the life of Jesus of Nazareth living and working in society and all of creation. Your life, work and worship are key - can I say, they are vitally important to the divine strategy of God. It matters to God, it matters to creation and it must matter to you.