A congregation is first and foremost a worshiping community that in turn has been called into service in the world, into mission, as a sign of and embodiment of the kingdom of God. I say that the church is not a school because of the critical priority of worship and the ongoing commitment to mission. And yet the church cannot fulfill the call to worship and service unless the good work of worship and the engagement in mission are grounded in and animated by study—the genuine learning that leads to the renewal of the mind.
