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| Kudzu vine was planted until the feds realized it was a pest that could swallow up homes, telephone poles, anything. Thus Church Growth has devoured all the denominations, feeding itself and no others. Objective Justification is Calvinism, which always seeks to rule by the Law in the name of the Gospel. I remember the oleaginous Wally Oelhafen criticizing Calvinism while oozing Church Growth. |
Nothing says Church Growth like "making disciples." The most obvious symptom of Fuller attendance is raving about making disciples, how every parish must make disciples, how only the discipling church can grow - with cell groups. Those foolish congregations with the ESV, NIV, or Extra High Voltage paraphrase are conditioning members to reject the Means of Grace, the Real Presence, baptism regeneration, and the efficacy of the Word.
Matthew 28:18-20 English Standard Version (ESV)
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 New International Version (NIV)
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
18 Jesus approached and spoke to them saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you. And surely I am with you always until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 King James Version (KJV)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
teach all nations - μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη - The object of the imperative is not disciples, to make disciples, but
to teach all nations."
The verb says nothing about making anything. Greek has a verb for that, but that verb is not used here. Doubtless WELS will help that along in the future - what Jesus would have said after a colloquy with their sect.
