What is the Church?

Too often we think of 'church' as a building, or a denomination, or an organisation. Even when we break out of the shackles of seeing the church as a place we go as opposed to something we're a part of, we still seem stuck on the idea of individual churches. We talk of 'my church' what arrogance! We talk of different churches and different denominations and different organisations or governing bodies, we hear people saying 'the church is the body of Christ' but what does that even mean?

In an era when many major denominations face turmoil, dissention and even potential splits are we getting tired of denominations? Seeing them as symbolic of the religious organisation which seems so often to have little to do with the life of Jesus?
I believe the post-modern world is moving away from the idea of denomination altogether. I believe we are moving towards a post-denominational Christianity and frankly I like that idea.

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul wrote:

"That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home." Ephesians 2:19-20 (The Message)

What an exciting scripture. As I read this I'm left in awe of God's plan for his church! That's a church I can get excited about. It's something organic, growing, changing, alive and vibrant. It began in the very beginning and it will keep growing and building right to the end. The foundations built in the likes of Abraham, Moses, David and Daniel, continued in people like Peter, Paul and John. Continued throughout the ages and right now, here today we are all part of that same project, new bricks, each with a specific shape and purpose, lovingly crafted and slotted into place by the master builder himself. It's 'a temple in which God is quite at home' Built by God for God, so it makes total sense to me that it stretches beyond our limited perception of a building or an organisation. God CANNOT be contained or described in anything we could make or build and his church is the same, bigger than any person, organisation or denomination, bigger than our understanding, it's all of us, from beginning to end, not bound by time or space from the moment he breathed life into Adam this church has been under construction. We are bricks, fitting in, each in his or her way in his or her time and it's all held together by Jesus, the cornerstone. I'm trying to write down stuff I can barely get my head around but I think in this scripture we have a glimpse of God and of what his church should be.
Like I said before, this is a church I am excited, awed, humbled and a little scared to be a part of!