You can tell a culture by its heroes. And you can tell a culture by the stories it chooses to tell.

What are the stories we tell in the contemporary church? And who are our heroes?

Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, John Stott, Jonathan Edwards, J John, Jackie Pullinger, Desmond Tutu, Graham Kendrick, Matt Redman?

Mainly white, mainly male, mainly preachers, teachers and missionaries, mainly church paid.

Who are the heroes in your local church? The pastor? The elders? The people who lead the Alpha course? The missionary to Uganda?

Our heroes are all of those.

But our heroes are also the woman who took a cake into her office on a Friday because she wanted to change the culture of her office and the relationships in it. Our heroes are the managing director who didn't fire an employee who'd stolen £10,000 worth of goods from him but sat him down, discovered he'd become addicted to gambling and then, in consultation with the employee's wife, sent him to Gambler's Anonymous and got him to pay back the money he'd made on selling the goods - just £1,500 - over three years. Our heroes are the woman who yearned for a husband for thirty years, and still does, but still knows that God is good and that she is precious to Him.

Our heroes are the tube driver who's in his late forties and doesn't like his job and can't find an alternative but does it with good grace and a smile and essential contentment in Christ. Our heroes are the pastor who's been in a church for five years with 35 people in it who don't want to change, and won't change, but who is still there because Christ wants him to serve them whatever. Our heroes are the woman who's a single mother, who works four days a week as a corporate strategist and executive coach and uses the fifth day every week to help poor, young, behaviourally challenged, teenage boys try to make something of their lives.

Our heroes are the nine year old boy who sat at dinner while one of his friends mocked him for having read his Bible on a summer camp and he didn't retaliate. Our heroes are the woman who, amongst many other things, has been re-using Christmas paper for years and tying up presents with elastic bands so she can maximise the amount she gives to the poor.

Our heroes are people who are trying to follow Christ, wherever they are, whoever they're with, whatever their job, whatever their age.

You can tell a church by its heroes. You can tell a church by the stories it tells. And you will be able to tell a whole-life disciple-making church by the stories it tells about how a glorious relationship with the crucified and risen Christ is transforming their everyday, ordinary existence into extraordinary apprenticeships that carry the scent of heaven and enable them to live, apply and share this great news of their Master with the people of our thirsty nation.

May it be so.

(This article was first published in the magazine Let My People Grow, click here to purchase a copy)