"A recent New Zealand survey of 108 leavers from evangelical Pentecostal or charismatic churches found that the most common reason they left was because they found church irrelevant to faith and life. Going to church did not connect with their work family world concerns or their personal spiritual walk.(Findings by Alan Jamieson a New Zealand Baptist Pastor) What interests me is the perceived lack of connection between church and work. The average Christian spends less than two percent of their waking time at church. Yet the church puts most of its energy and resources into that two percent and very little into the world of daily work.( Alistair Mackenzie a New Zealand Baptist Pastor) Most of us are Christian and something else - retail worker homemaker mechanic - rather than an integrated whole. I have struggled for 15 years to incorporate my secular engineering work and Christianity into an integrated whole. Why is this?"

"Jesus didn't just say "Go and make disciples". He said 'Go and make disciples . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.'(Matt 28:18-20). This is a crucial difference. The first approach can lead to a Christianity focused primarily on the church. The second approach leads to a Christianity which is concerned with 'all of life' including the church. Jesus wants us to be 'salt and light' in all places at all times.(Matt 5:13-16)"

"How many sermons have you heard on work? The topic of work has not been high on the agenda of the various churches I have worshipped at over my 15 years as a Christian. This may be a natural consequence of most preachers being in full time Christian ministry rather than the secular work force. As a result sermons on the meaning value and ethical challenges of secular working life are not common. We need to create an environment in the church where we can gain a better understanding of each other's working world - and the culture stresses and challenges involved. Perhaps holding small discussion groups for a few weeks would create an opportunity for both 'paid professionals' and 'laity' to share their respective life experiences and views on the church. "

"Every Monday morning a great mission work force goes off to the secular workplace. Does the church need any more local mission strategy than this? If we support and nurture Christians in secular work - and they remain in the church - we will have local mission workers in full time Christian witness. 'The future of the church will not be decided by what a few people called missionaries and ministers do on behalf of the rest of the church but by the whole membership of the church living out the Gospel in the world every day.'(Alistair Mackenzie)"