John Gunson has reflected over many years on the nature of the Church. In the light of the very latest contemporary historical and biblical scholarship he has redrafted and augmented his earlier writing; the result is now available as an e-book titled God, Ethics and the Secular Society: Does the Church Have a Future?.
It’s available on several platforms: for Kindle, for Android, for iPad and for Kobo. Worth a look for anyone who’s serious about Church in an increasingly secular age.
There are already hundreds of social-justice, environmental and other ethical action-groups in our Australian society, which are in effect doing ‘God’s-work’. These are today’s secular ‘churches’. All we need do is join them.
Those aiming at the ‘Jesus-way’ by doing their God’s work via a secular action-group, can seek out their fellow believers (if any) within the group and, hopefully, lead by example.
However, John Gunson has informed me that I am missing his point. It is not so much an action-group doing God’s work that he is requiring, but an ‘ethical community’ – a grouping based on mutual love and respect.