"Church" As a Rigorous Biblical and Moral Training Ground

Carleton, MI

I'm preaching this coming Sunday (8/19/12) from Colossians 1:11, as situated in vv. 9-14. I'm studying NT theologian David Garland's Colossians commentary and read this:

"For Christians to grow in the knowledge of God [see Col. 1:9], the church needs to be a rigorous biblical and moral training ground. The need for moral discernment derived from biblical Christianity could not be greater."

I agree. And am confirmed in my and Redeemer's emphasis on the biblical text. And we are rigorous and intentional and scholarly and experiential and crazy about this!

Preach the text. Explain it. Saturate in it. Be connected to Jesus, by the Spirit. There, receive your orders. Obey.