The Greek verb auxano means to grow, to increase, or to cause to grow. It is used both transitively (God causes growth) and intransitively (something grows). Paul's theology of church growth is anchored in this word: 'I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow (auxano)' (1 Corinthians 3:6).
The decisive theological move in 1 Corinthians 3 is the subject of auxano: it is God who makes the church grow, not human skill or strategy. This does not eliminate human responsibility (planting and watering are real work) but locates ultimate causation in divine sovereignty. Jesus' parables of the Kingdom consistently employ organic growth imagery — seeds, leaven, mustard plants — where growth is hidden, gradual, and divinely driven. The Kingdom does not grow by human force but by the transforming power of the Word and Spirit.