But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).

There is hymn that begins with: "The church is not a building; the church is not a steeple; the church is not a resting place; the church is a people." And the refrain: "I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we're the church together!"

Intuitively, many Christians recognize that these lyrics are true. But we struggle with putting them into practice. Let's reflect on this challenge from the perspective of God's mission of reconciling the world to himself.

Let's first think about the people who carry out God's mission. I suspect that at least a few listeners will immediately think of pastors and missionaries as the agents of this mission. After all, these are the folks the church has set aside for God's work. We send missionaries to the mission filed and appoint pastors to lead congregations. Its as if these people are the most important in the work of God. But this does not do justice to the Biblical story of God's mission.

We need to change are understanding. Anne Rowthron wrote, "Through its laity the church is present in every area of human activity. It is in offices, in schools and universities, in hospitals, in stores, in factories and hotels" (The Liberation of the Laity).

We are all part of the priesthood of all believers. As such we have all been set apart, called by God and given a priestly authority to intercede on behalf of others and the world before him. Faithful people are living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God. Our skillful and worn hands praise God. Our priestly bodies, both in the sanctuary and on the factory floor, glorify God.

We can be involved in God's mission when we speak up and advocate for truth and justice in our daily work. As people reconciled to Christ we can work towards reconciliation in our spheres of influence. This usually begins with prayers of intercession.

Our churches are often pastor centric, program centric, and building centric. This gives the impression that the focus of God's work is in the building we label a church. Somehow, we need to broaden our perception of the church and God's mission to include every Christian wherever they are. Not pastors, but the laity, are the primary agents of a church's mission in the community.

In Leviticus, God is described as breathing in the aromas of the sacrifices Israel offered (2:9; 3:5,16). God is still hovering over his priests breathing into his nostrils the pleasing aroma of their worshipful work. God does not simply mandate human work; God delights in human work. God accepts it with joy, not as mere obedience but as worship.

The spaces which Christians spend their time are the primary spaces of a church's mission. Where you spend your week is the mission field of God.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Wherever God takes you today, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.