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©2011BobWhiteselD.Min.Ph.D. Page1
CHAPTER5
Grow L.E.A.R.N.ers
WHY?
“YoumaybeaCOMMONCHURCHif…” (SELF-SCORING-Checkallthatapply)
qYourprimarygoalisbetterworshipservices.
qYourprimarygoalistosurviveasachurch.
qYourprimarygoalistobeachurchthatgoesoutintothecommunitytoserve.
qYourprimarygoalistobaptizenewconverts.
qYourprimarygoalistoturnaroundadecliningchurch.
qYourprimarygoalistobeaclose-knitcommunityofbelievers.
qYourprimarygoalishighqualityprogrammingandministry.
qYourprimarygoalistoimplementchurchchange.
qYourprimarygoalistopreserveachurch’slegacy.
qYourprimarygoalistobeknownasachurchwithexceptionalteaching.
WHATISTHEGOALOFACHURCH?
Ioftenaskmyclientchurchestohonestlytellmewhattheyperceiveastheirchurch’sprimarygoal.Thisisnotascientificpollbecausethesechurchesneedtogrowandtheyrealizethis(ortheywouldn’tbehiringachurchgrowthconsultant).But,theiranswersmaymirroryours.LookattheirresponsesinFigure5.1.
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Figure5.1QuestiontoClients:“Whathonestlydoyouperceiveasyourchurch’sprimarygoal?”
Ourprimarygoalistosurviveasachurch 38%Ourprimarygoalistoprovideawarmandcaringfellowship.
22%
OurprimarygoalistowinsoulstoChrist. 21%Ourprimarygoalistoinfluencecommunitymoralsforthebetter.
11%
Noneoftheabove 8%
AsyoucanseefromFigure5.1thecommonansweris“ourprimarygoalistosurviveasachurch.”Thisdesiretosurviveislaudableandsuchhonestyencouraging.Yet,withsurvivalasaprimarygoalachurchusuallywon’tcontinuetoexistmuchlonger.Thiscureforthecommonchurchismuchbigger,foritisachurch-widerefocusbacktoJesus’goalforhischurch.Jesus’GoalfortheChurch
TherightanswerforFigure5.1isactually“noneoftheabove”andcomesfromJesus’ownwords.That’sright,theprimarygoalofeverychurchisnottoinfluencethecommunityforthebetter,provideawarmplaceoffellowship,sponsorexcellentteachingoreventosurvive.ThechurchofGodhasahigher,moreencompassingcall(that,bytheway,includesthepreviousthreetasks).iTounderstandthis,let’slookatJesus’lastandmostpoignantinstructionstohisfollowers(Figure5.2whichhasbeencalledthe“GreatCommission”).Figure5.2Jesus’GreatCommission(Matt.29:18-20CEB)(commissioningverbsareunderlined)
Jesuscamenearandspoketothem, “I’vereceivedallauthorityinheavenandonearth.Therefore,goandmakedisciplesofallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFatherandoftheSonandoftheHolySpirit,teachingthemtoobeyeverythingthatI’vecommandedyou.Look,Imyselfwillbewithyoueverydayuntiltheendofthispresentage.”
WhatmakesthisaGreatCommissionii?
TheGreatCommissionisthelabelthathasbeengiventothesefinalandcentralinstructionsJesusgavehisfollowersinMatthew28:18-20.InthisphraseJesusisliterally“commissioning”or“recruiting”allfollowersdownthroughtheagesintohismission.Thiscommissioningisakintoan“officialdirective,”a“directorder”anda“command,”suchasamilitaryconscriptmightreceiveuponenteringservice.Infact,militarypersonnelreadingthiswillnodoubtremembertheirowncommissioningintothearmedforces.Veteranshavetoldmethiswasapowerful
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andmovingexperience,withoneveteranstating,“Youweren’tsupposedtohavetearsinyoureyeswhenyouwerecommissioned,butIdid.After9-11itwascleartomethatIwasnolongertalkingaboutservingmycountry,Iwasdoingit!Iwasreadytoputmylifeonthelineformycountry.”
Christians,too,arecalledtoputtheirlivesonthelineinJesus’greatcommissioning.Hereiswhatothershavesaidaboutthispassage(Figure5.3):Figure5.3CommentsAboutJesus’GreatCommission(Matt.29:18-20CEB)iii
Jesuscamenearandspoketothem, “I’vereceivedallauthorityinheavenandonearth.Therefore,goandmakedisciplesofallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFatherandoftheSonandoftheHolySpirit,teachingthemtoobeyeverythingthatI’vecommandedyou.Look,Imyselfwillbewithyoueverydayuntiltheendofthispresentage.”
TheFourVerbsofJesus’GreatCommission
BecausethisGreatCommissionissoimportant,itisnotsurprisingthateachword,eachphrasethatJesusutteredinMatthew28:19-20seemstohavebeenchosencarefullytoconveyhismessage.Jesusundoubtedlyknewthatbelieversdownthroughhistorywouldreturntothispassageastheycontemplatedthegoaloftheirspiritualcommunity.
And,inthiscommissionJesususedfourcommissioningverbs.BecausetheGreeklanguage(inwhichmuchoftheNewTestamentwaswritten)ismuchmoreprecisethantoday’sEnglish,Jesuswasabletouseaspecialwordingthatstressedoneverbastheprimaryverbovertheotherthree.InFigure5.4let’slookcloserattheverbsinhisGreatCommissionandseeifwecanlocatetheonethatJesusemphasizedasitscentralaim.
TheGreatCommissionisnotanoptiontobeconsidered;itisacommandtobeobeyed.”-HudsonTaylor,missionarytoChinawhowasrespectedaroundtheworldforhissensitivitytoChineseculture
IfJesusChristbeGodanddiedforme,thenno
sacrificecanbetoogreatformetomakeforHim."-C.T.Studdfamousathlete&
missionarytoChina
IsnotthecommissionofourLordstillbindinguponus?Canwenotdomorethannowwearedoing?"-pioneermissionarytoIndia,WilliamCarey
TheChurchexistsfornothingelsebuttodrawmenintoChrist,tomakethemlittleChrists.Iftheyarenotdoingthat,allthecathedrals,clergy,missions,sermons,eventheBibleitself,aresimplyawasteoftime.GodbecameManfornootherpurpose.–C.S.Lewis,novelistandChristianthinker
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Figure5.4TheFourCommissioningVerbsofJesus’GreatCommission
Jesuscamenearandspoketothem, “I’vereceivedallauthorityinheavenandonearth.Therefore,goandmakedisciplesofallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFatherandoftheSonandoftheHolySpirit,teachingthemtoobeyeverythingthatI’vecommandedyou.Look,Imyselfwillbewithyoueverydayuntiltheendofthispresentage.”
Findingthemainverb
IntheEnglish,thefourverbsseemequal.But,whenJesusspokethese
words,hepronouncedoneverbwithaspecialspelling,therebyindicatingthatthisverbwasthemainverbor“goal”ofthepassage.WhichverbwasJesuspointingtoasthegoalofhisGreatCommission?Youmustwaitafewparagraphstofindout.
Takeawaythethreehelpingverbstofindthemainverb
Now,youareprobablythinking,“Whataretheotherverbsthen?”Thethreeotherverbsarecalledparticiples,whichmeanstheyare“helpingverbs”thattell“how”themainverbwillbeaccomplished.ivJesuschosespecificspellingsoftheparticiplestoshowthatthreeverbsareparticiplestellingyou“how”toaccomplishthemainverb.v
So,whichthreeverbsareparticiples(tellingus“how”)andwhichoneverbisthemainverb(tellingusthe“goal”)?ThespellingoftheGreekverbsindicatesthefollowing:vi
Goisaparticiple,andittellsus“how”wefulfilltheGreatCommission,i.e.by“going”and“aswearegoing.”
MakedisciplesistheGreekwordmatheteusateandisthemainverb(weknowthisbytheGreekspelling).BecauseJesuspronouncedmakediscipleswithaspecialspellinghemadeitcleartohisGreekhearersthat,“Yourgoalistomakedisciples,andhowyoumakethemisbygoing,baptizingandteaching.”Nowthatwe’vediscoveredthemainverb,let’slookbrieflyatthetworemainingparticiples.
Go
makedisciples
baptizingteaching
Go
makedisciples
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Baptizingisanimportant“how”inmakingdisciples,foritremindsusthatbaptismisapersonal,publicand
supernaturalacknowledgmentofnewbirthinChrist.
Teachingremindsusthatakeyaspectofthe“how”ofdisciplemakingisteachingthemabouttheirlovingFather.SometimesIfindpeoplewhothinkteachingisthegoal,butteachingisreallyjusttheprocess.Weteachtomakelearners.
Therefore,theuncommonchurch’sgoalmustnotthe“going,”the“baptizing”oreventhe“teaching.”Thesearethe“hows.”InthewordsJesuschosehemadeclearthatfortheuncommonchurchhewasfounding,itwas“makingdisciples”thatwasthegoal.
WHATDODISCIPLESLOOKLIKE?
Asayoungjuniorhighstudent,Iheardapastorsayweareto“makedisciples.”Beinganinattentiveyouth,Ineverquitegraspedacorrectimageofwhatthislookedlike.FrommyrudimentaryknowledgeoftheBible,IpicturedJesus’disciplesandfiguredthechurchshouldmakemorelonghairedindividualswithbeards,robesandsandals.BecausetheonlyyouthfulimageIcouldconjureupwerethe“hippies”oftheera,Iwonderedinmynaïveté,“Wasthepreacherreallytellingforustogooutandproducemorehippies?”Nowthiswasnotwhatthepreacherintended.Buttheworddisciplehadbecomesoarchaicandtiedinmymindtofirstcenturyimagesthatamoderndepictionwasneeded.PicturingaDisciple
TopictureadisciplewebeginwiththeGreekwordmatheteusate,whichmeans“alearner,apupiloranapprentice.”viiItcarriestheimageofatraineeorastudentstillinschoolmorethanitdepictsanexpert.Christiscommandinghisfollowersnottoproduceexperts,butrathertofosteracommunityofauthenticlearners.FollowingJesusshouldfeellikeyouareenrolledinhisschooloflearning.Therefore,achurchisnotacadreofexperts,butacollageoffellowlearners.
Theologianshavesoughttoconveytherichandmultifacetedmeaningoftheverb:“makedisciples”inseveralways.
DonaldMcGavranviiisaid…... “Itmeansenrollinmy(Jesus’)school…”
EddieGibbsixstated…………“Itislearning,notsimplythroughbeinggiveninformation,butinlearninghowtouseit.Discipleshipisanapprenticeship
baptizing
teaching
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ratherthananacademicwayoflearning.Itislearningbydoing.”
JamesEngelxsummarized...“Inshort,discipleshiprequirescontinuedobedienceovertime….ThusbecomingadiscipleisaprocessbeginningwhenonereceivedChrist,continuingoveralifetimeasoneisconformedtoHisimage(Phil1:6),andculminatinginthegloryattheendoftheage.”
AnUp-to-dateImageofaDisciple
FromacloserlookatthewordsJesusused,weseethatthegoalofeverychurchistohelppeoplebecome“acommunityofactive,ongoinglearners.”xiItisnotjusttobaptizeortoteachaswearegoingout(thoughalloftheseare“hows”ofthedisciplemakingprocess).Thegoal,towardwhichachurchshouldfocusitsattentionanditsresourcesistoproducepeoplethatareactivelylearningabouttheirheavenlyFather.
Still,thisgoalincludesbindinguptheirwounds,meetingtheirneedsbeforetheyevenknowwhoChristis,standingupfortheirjusticeandrightingtheirwrongs.Butalloftheseworthyactionsiftheybecomethegoal,willmakeyourmissionmisdirected.God’sgoal,thepurposehehasforeverychurch,istoreconnecthiswaywardoffspringtohimself(theessenceofthemissioDei).And,thechurch’sgoal(Figure5.6)istofosterthisreunificationbyhelpingpeoplebecomelearnersaboutaloving,seekingFather.
THEGOALOFTHECHURCHDEFINED
Whilethecommonchurchhasmistakenmany“hows”forthe“goal,”Figure5.6isthegoalagainstwhichtheuncommonchurchwillbemeasured.Inourcommissioning,Jesushashandedusadifferentmeasuringstick.Figure5.6TheGoalofaChurch
Thegoalofachurchis…
Tomakeactive,ongoinglearners.
(i.e.learningaboutaheavenlyFatherwholovesthem,sacrificedhisSonforthemandwhowantstoreuniteandempowerthem.)
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Jesuswantstheuncommonchurchtofocusuponreunitinghiswaywardoffspringwithhimbymakingactive,ongoinglearnersabouthisgreatlove,sacrificeandfutureforthem.Andso,becarefulnottomakesomeofthefollowingcommonmissteps.
• Teachingwithoutlearning:Ifachurchisteachingmanypeople,butfewareactivelylearningoveralongperiodoftime,thechurchisnot“makingactive,ongoinglearners.”
• Havinglearnedonce,butnotlearningnow:Ifapersonhaslearnedonce,perhapsinthepastatschoolorasachildbutisnotlearningnow,thenthechurchisnot“makingactive,ongoinglearners.”
• Baptizingwithoutongoinglearning:And,ifthechurchisbaptizingmanysouls,butthereislittleongoingeducationaboutwhatitmeanstofollowChrist,thenthatchurchisnot“makingactive,ongoinglearners.”Inthenextchapterwewilllearn“HOW”tomakelearners.But,inthischapter
wehaveseenthe“WHY”isbecausenurturing“learners”isthegoaloftheGreatCommissionthatChristhasgivenus.
A
Endnotes:iIamnotsayingthatwinningsoulstoChristisnotimportantandcentraltoGod’smission,foritis.AsIhavestatedinthefirstchaptersofthisbook(andineveryoneofmypreviousninebooks)reunitingwaywardoffspringtotheirheavenlyFathersotheycanreceivesalvationfromtheirsin,gainnewpurposeandentereternallifeisthemissionofGod(i.e.missioDei)inwhichwearecalledtoparticipate(Matt.28:19-20).However,thepointIammakinghereisthat“winningsouls”isasupernaturalconnectionthatthoughwecanhelpfacilitate,issomethingonlyGodcanaccomplish(seeforinstanceActs2:47whereLukewrites,“TheLordaddeddailytothecommunitythosewhowerebeingsaved”).Jesus,intheGreatCommissionofMatthew28:19-20,giveshischurchnotthetaskofsoul-saving(hereservesthat
ForMoreInformationRead:• Appendix5.A:MoreAboutWhatTheGreekTellsUsAbout
‘MakingDisciples’Take a look …
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rightforhimself),butrathergivesthechurchthetaskof“makinglearnersabouthim.”IfachurchismakinglearnersaboutGod,thenhecansupernaturallyconnectwiththemthroughtheirgrowingknowledgeofhisloveandbringthemintoareconciledrelationshipwithhimself.Thus,inthischapterIwillshowthat“makinglearnersofChrist”isthetaskforwhichthechurchshouldaim,andwhenweconnectpeoplewiththeirlovingFatherthisway,hecanadd“dailytothecommunitythosewhowerebeingsaved.”iiDavidBoschhasrightlypointedoutthatyoucannotfullyunderstandtheGreatCommissionofMatthew28:19-20withoutanunderstandingofMatthew’sgospelasawhole.ThereaderwhowantsafullerappreciationforthepowerandinfluenceoftheGreatCommissionincontextshouldseeDavidJ.Bosch’schapter“Matthew:MissionasDisciples-Making”inTransformingMission:ParadigmShiftsinTheologyofMission,20thed.(Maryknoll,NY:OrbisBooks,2005),pp.56-83.iiiHudsonTaylorquotedbyStanToler,PracticalGuidetoSoloMinistry:HowYourChurchCanThriveWhenYouLeadAlone(Indianapolis:WesleyanPublishingHouse,2008),p.136;C.T.StuddquotedbyDavidl.Marshall,ToTimbuktuandBeyond:AMissionaryMemoir(NewYork:ThomasNelson,2010),p.87;WilliamCareyquotedbyA.ScottMoreau,GaryB.McGeeandGaryR.CorwininIntroducingWorldMissions:ABiblical,HistoricalandPracticalSurvey(GrandRapids,MI:BakerAcademic,2004),p.201;andC.S.Lewis,TheCompleteC.S.Lewis(NewYork:HarperOne,2002),p.96.ivDanielB.Wallace,TheBasisofNewTestamentSyntax(GrandRapids,MI:Zondervan,2000),pp.274-275.Agoodwaytothinkofthisisthattheparticiples(go,baptizing,teaching)tell“how”makingdisciplesisdone.Thus,tothequestion,“Howdoyoumakedisciples?”onecouldanswer“bygoing(means)andbaptizing(manner)andteaching”(manner).vTherelationshipbetweenthethreeparticiplesandtheimperative“makedisciples”hasbeendescribedbyRobertCulveras“thewordstranslated‘baptizing’and‘teaching’areparticiples.Whiletheseparticiplesareimmenselyimportanttheimperative‘makedisciples’isofsuperlativeimportance.”“WhatistheChurch’sCommission,”BibliothecaSacra(Dallas:DallasTheologicalSeminary,July1968),p.244.viDanielB.Wallace,TheBasisofNewTestamentSyntax(GrandRapids,MI:Zondervan,2000),pp.280states“agreateremphasisisplacedontheactionofthemainverbthanontheparticiple.Thatis,theparticipleissomethingofaprerequisitebeforetheactionofthemainverbcanoccur”(italicsWallace).Inotherwords,the“going,”“baptizing”and“teaching”areprerequisitesthatmustoccurbeforetheactionofthemainverb(“makingdisciples”)cantakeplace.viiWalterBauer,trans.WilliamF.ArndtandF.WilburGingrich,AGreek-EnglishLexiconoftheNewTestamentandOtherEarlyLiterature(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1957),pp.486-487.viiiDonaldMcGavran,EffectiveEvangelism:ATheologicalMandate(Phillipsburg,NJ:Presbyterian&ReformedPub.Co.,1988),p.17.
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ixEddieGibbs,BodyBuildingExercisesfortheLocalChurch(London:FalconPress,1979),p.74.xJamesF.Engel,ContemporaryChristianCommunications:ItsTheoryandPractice(NewYork:ThomasNelsonPublishers,1979),66.xiThe“ongoing”emphasisinmakingdisciplesiscreatedbyboththeprefaceofMatthew28:18-20(wherebyJesusdeclareshiscommandisaresultofnon-temporalauthority,v.18)andbytheaoristtenseofmakedisciples,whichcanconveythesenseofanactionthatshouldcommenceatonce.
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