"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Ephesians 1:22-23)

We as the church are the fullness of Christ. As part of a new creation, a new species, we are called to express the life of Christ in everything we do. We are inseparable from Christ - He is the Head, we are the body; He is the vine, we are the branches - organically connected, we share the same life "...so that in everything he might have the supremacy." (Colossians 1:18)

As individuals we can only express a part of Christ, but corporately the fullness of Christ is gloriously expressed and displayed. The call to be salt and light, to pursue justice, to bring about restoration and healing are most beautifully exhibited in Christ-centred community.

As Frank Viola writes in From Eternity To Here "We are a colony together. Thus the great need is for Christians to begin learning how to gather together and embody Christ in a shared-life community where we live. The Christian life is not about you or me. It's about us.

By Luke Petrusma