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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.


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


andmovingexperience,withoneveteranstating,“Youweren’tsupposedtohavetearsinyoureyeswhenyouwerecommissioned,butIdid.After9-11itwascleartomethatIwasnolongertalkingaboutservingmycountry,Iwasdoingit!Iwasreadytoputmylifeonthelineformycountry.”

Christians,too,arecalledtoputtheirlivesonthelineinJesus’greatcommissioning.Hereiswhatothershavesaidaboutthispassage(Figure5.3):Figure5.3CommentsAboutJesus’GreatCommission(Matt.29:18-20CEB)iii


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


Figure5.4TheFourCommissioningVerbsofJesus’GreatCommission


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


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


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.)


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 …


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.


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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