THE CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT: A LUTHERAN ANALYSIS by: Steve O. Scheiderer, M-Div. A Research Report Submitted in Partial Fulfill~ent of the Requirements £or the Sacred Theology Master Degree RES 799, Research Hours Professor Kurt Marquart, Advisor 11{}150 Concordia Theological, Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana January, 1985 CONCORDIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY . LIBRARY FORT WAYNE, INDIANA DEDICATION This paper is dedicated to Lynn, my "thesis widow," and to The Rev. Paul O. Rosnau and Mr. Robert E. Smith Jr. who gave much of their time in helping to improve several key aspects of the paper. COPYRIGHT 1985 STEVE O. SCHEIDERER TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS • • . • • . • • • • • p. viii. INTRODUCTION ••••• • • • • p. 1 PART I: THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS CHAPTER ONE: CHURCH GROWTH'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONVERSION OF MAN Discussion Points p. 17 The Doctrine 0£ Man ••••• p. 17 The Harvest Principle •••. p. 18 The Great Commission ••. p. 20 The "Means" and "End" Distinction •••• p. 21 Diagnosing the Receptivity 0£ Man • p. 22 The Quest for a Relevant Gospel •••••• p. 23 The Hoaogeneous Unit Principle •••••• p. 26 The Analysis •••.•••••.•••••• p. 29 The Doctrine 0£ Man •••••••••• p. 29 The Harvest Principle ••••••••• p. 32 The Great Commission •••••••• p. 38 The "Means" and "End" Distinction p. 40 Diagnosing the Receptivity 0£ Man ••••• p. 44 The Quest for a Relevant Gospel . p. 48 The Homogeneous Unit Principle ••.••• p. 59 Endnotes p. 68 CHAPTER TWO: CHURCH GROWTH'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHURCH'S MINISTRY Discussion Points. p. 79 The Church Growth Understanding 0£ the Nature and Purpose 0£ the Church ••••••••••••• p. 80 The Nature of the Church •••••• p. 80 The "Celebration ... Congregation+ Cell= Church" Concept •••• p. 80 The Purpose of the Church: Health and Growth •••• p. 83 The Nature of the Christian and His Role in Evangelism • • • • • • • p. 85 Motivation for Evangelism Through Obedience to Christ? .•.••••••• p. 86 Church Growth Consultants: God's Gift to the Church? p. 87 The Interpretation 0£ Ephesians Four: The "Gift 0£ Evangelist" and The Priesthood 0£ all Believers. p. 88 The Analysis p. 89 The Church Growth Understanding of the Nature and Purpose of the Church •••.•••••• p. 91 The Nature of the Church ••• p. 91 The "Celebration+ Congregation+ Cell = Church" Concept • • • • • • p. 94 The Purpose of the Church: Health and Growth •••• p. 104 The Nature of the Christian and His Role in Evangelism ••••.•••• p. 114 Motivation £or Evangelism Through Obedience to Christ: .The Need for the Distinction Between Law and Gospel .............. p. 117 Church Growth Consultants: God's Gift to the Church? • p •. 123 The Interpretation of Ephesians Four: The "Gift of Evangelist" and The Priesthood of ALL Believers. p. 131 Endnotes p. 141 PART II: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS CHAPTER THREE: THE CONTEXT SURROUNDING THE CHURCH GROWTH MOVEMENT: SOLID GROUND OR SANDY SOIL? Discussion Points •••• p. 156 A Response to Modernism. p. 157 A Pragmatic Reformation . p. 161 The Analysis p. 162. A Response to Modernism. p. 162 A Pragmatic Reformation •••••••• p. 168 Aaerican Pragaatisa •••• p. 170 A True Reformation: The Sixteenth Century Relormation ••••• p. 176 Reviewing the Parable. • • • ••• p. 179 Endnotes . p. 180 .·. -·- ;•,. CHAPTER FOUR: THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHURCH GROWTH Discussion Points •••••• . p • 184 Church Growth as a Science . p • 185 The Theology 0£ Growth .•• . p • 186 The Analysis . p • 187 Church Growth aa a Science p. 189 Positivisa and Utilitarianism: Important In£luences on the Church Growth Science •• : •• p. 192 Scripture: The Source 0£ Doctrine; not Science ••••• p. 198 The Theology 0£ Growth .•. p. 199 The Internal Weaknesses 0£ the Theology 0£ Growth •••••• p. 199 The Roots 0£ the Theologi 0£ Growth • • • . • • • • _ • • • . • • • p. 200 Concluding Thoughts on i the Theology 0£ Growth •••••. p. 209 t Reviewing the Parable • p. 211 Endnotes p. 212 Ir CHAPTER FIVE: THE FRAMEWORK OF CHURCH GROWTH Discussion Points p. 217 i ~. The Description of Church ' Growth Principles ••••••• . •. p. 217 The Effectiveness 0£ Church Growth Principles ••••• P• 219 The Analysis . ·- . p. 221 The Description 0£ Church Growth Principles ••• p. 221 The E££ectiveness 0£ Church Growth Principles ••••••• P.• 227 The Proper Place 0£ the Two Kingdoms •••••••••• p. 234 Reviewing the Parable •••• p. 237 Endnotes . p. 239 PART III: A RESPONSE TO CHURCH GROWTH AS A LUTHERAN ALTERNATIVE CHAPTER SIX: A RESPONSE TO THE LUTHERAN DEFENSE OF CHURCH GROWTH Discussion Pointe ••• p. 244 Recognition 0£ Church Growth Doctrinal Weaknesses p. 244 The Perceived Strengths 0£ Church Growth •••••.•• p. 245 Church Growth as a Friend 0£ the Missouri Synod p. 246 Church Growth as an Ally Against Modernism .••• p. 246 The Analysis p. 247 Recognition 0£ Church Growth Doctrinal Weaknesses p. 247 The Perceived Strengths 0£ Church Growth •••••••• p. 249 Church Growth as a Friend 0£ the Missouri Synod p. 257 Church Growth as an Ally Against Modernism. p. 261 Endnotes p. 263 CHAPTER SEVEN: A RESPONSE TO THE LUTHERAN ACCEPTANCE OF CHURCH GROWTH Discussion Points ••• P• 268 The Lutheran Record 0£ Evangelism: De£iciency or Faith£ulness? ••• P• 268 The Need £or Lutherans: Pragmatism Or Continued Practical Theology? P· 271 Theology: A Growth Hinderance Or the Proper Starting Point? .••• P• 272 The Analysis p. 274 The Lutheran Record 0£ Evangelism: Deficiency or Faithfulness? •••• p. 274 The Need £or Lutherans: Pragamtism Or Continued Practical Theology? p. 287 Theology: A Growth Hinderance Or the Proper Starting Point? • p. 292 Endnotes P• 307 CONCLUSION •••••• p. 318 APPENDIX A: ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR THE THEOLOGY OF HARVEST • . P• 323 APPENDIX B: "POSSIBILITY THINKING" AND OTHER EMPHASES OF DR. ROBERT SCHULLER . P• 330 APPENDIX C: A CHURCH GROWTH BIBLE STUDY OF THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH . P• 332 APPENDIX D: THE SO-CALLED "VITAL SIGNS" OF A HEALTHY CHURCH •••••.•.• . p • 337 APPENDIX E: A CONTINUED COMPARISON OF THE CHURCH GROWTH VIEW OF THE MINISTRY WITH THE BIBLICAL VIEW •••••. p. 339 APPENDIX F: A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE SO-CALLED GIFTS OF "APOSTLE," "PASTOR" AND "TEACHER" •••••• p. 342 APPENDIX G: A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF SEEKING SPIRITUAL GIFTS: THE CORRECT INTER­ PRETATION OF 1 CORINTHIANS 12:31 ••• p. 346 APPENDIX H: SPIRITUAL-GIFT INVENTORIES: A REFLECTION ON THE THEOLOGY OF GLORY p. 348 APPENDIX I: REFERENCES TO A SAMPLING OF CHURCH GROWTH BENEFITS •••••• p. 357 APPENDIX J: AN ANALYSIS OF A POPULAR REFORMED CONVERSION MODEL . p • 359 APPENDIX K: UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLICAL CONCEPT OF CONFESSION . P• 362 APPENDIX L: THE APOSTLES' CREED AND SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES . p • 366 BIBLIOGRAPHY . p • 368 ..._-.· TABLE OF ILLUSTRATIONS CHAPTER ONE Figure 1.1 p. 50 Figure 1.2 . ' . p • 55 Figure 1.3 p. 55 CHAPTER TWO Figure 2.1 p. 81 Figure 2.2 p. 113 Figure 2.3 p. 126 Figure 2.4 p. 128 Figure 2.5 p. 129 Figure 2.6 . p • 136 CHAPTER THREE Figure 3.1 p. 160 Figure 3.2 p. 172 Figure 3.3 p. 173 Figure 3.4 p. 174 CHAPTER FOUR ~ Figure 4.1 p. 186 Figure 4.2 p. 199 Figure 4.3 p. 204 Figure 4.4 p. 204 Figure 4.5 P• 205 Figure 4.6 p. 207 Figure 4.7 p. 208 Figure 4.8 p. 208 CHAPTER FIVE Figure 5.1 p. 221 Figure 5.2 p. 234 Figure 5.3 p. 234 Figure 5.4 p. 235 a· Figure 5.5 p. 235 Figure 5.6 p. 237 Figure 5.7 P• 238 viii. CHAPTER SIX• CHAPTER SEVEN•• Figure 7.1 . p • 269 ·Figure 7.2 . P• 270 Figure 7.3 . p • 275 Figure 7.4 . P• 278 Figure 7.5 . p • 301 Figure 7.6 . p • 306 APPENDIX A Figure A.1 . p • 323 Figure A.2 . p • 324 Figure A.3 . p • 328 APPENDIX E Figure E.1 • .•••• p. 340 Figure E.2. • • p. 341 Figure E.3. • ••••• p. 341 APPENDIX J Figure J.1 . p • 359 Figure J.2 . p • 360 APPENDIX K Figure K.1 . p • 363 Figure K.2 . p • 363 Figure K.3 . P• 364 Figure K.4 . p • 365 <• See endnote #54, p. 266.) <•• See also statistical listings, pp. 283 and 285.) ix. INTRODUCTION !i·. INTRODUCTION The Challenge Of all the movements today which are promoting the Great Commission of Jesus Christ, the "church growth movement" is one of the most influential. One leading church growth proponent notes: Evangelicals from all points on the ecclesiological continuum agree: the church growth movement is 'hot,' the t, -.­ debate it has stirred is getting hotter, and evangelicals ',· around the world--not Just those in the U.S.--are going to have to_deal with it. 1 The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod - which is a part of this "ecclesiological continuum" - will have to deal with the t church growth movement. 2 Since there are those in the Lutheran l ,-J 1.. Church--Missouri Synod (hereafter, LC--MS> who are very active f t. in this primarily Reformed movement,3 there is a need for careful t•,. !. scrutiny on the part 0£ Confessional Lutherans. Therefore, the t :rI r purpose of this paper is to examine the church growth movement i j I t to see whether it is consistent with, and applicable within, i !. I 4 1-• .the context of Confessional Lutheranism. I E I - Lr­ r Background Infor~ation l~ f One of the most difficult tasks in analyzing the church I- F growth movement is finding and formulating its definition. ffl One leading proponent defines the term "church growth" as follows: 2 The term "church growth" is a McGavranism •.• Cusedl to describe ••• what he ••• articulate Cal ••• Actually "church growth" Jaeans all that is involved in bringing_ men and women who do not have a personal relationship to Jesus Christ into fellowship with Him and into responsible membership. 5 The church growth movement's understanding of the "church" and "growth" are expanded in Chapter Two. (For the examiniation of the "church" see "The