Are We Evangelists?
This discussion of evangelists began with the statement that I do not
have the gift of evangelism. I had to ask myself, Why not? As I thought
about it, I came to the conclusion that there is the gift of
evangelism,
the office of evangelist and the responsibility to evangelize. None on
this list actually say that they are an evangelist but it was mentioned
that we could, had, and should fulfill the role. From the responses, we
know that we have learned from evangelists, we are around people that
need to be evangelized and we minister to them, we need the evangelists
to go and preach and that evangelism is on the rise. These things are
all great, but what of our own responsibility to evangelize?
When we think of evangelists, the mind conjures up the kind of person
that preach to thousands of people at once like in a tent revival or a
traveling evangelist in the churches. We think of Billy Graham and Oral
Roberts or ones that have a big TV or radio ministry or missionaries
sent to evangelize other parts of the world. Jesus has told us to go
out
into the world and preach the gospel. The word gospel comes from the
word evangel - the good news. That means to bring the gospel to others
is to evangelize. All of us should be bringing the gospel to the
nations, especially our own. We are to start in our Jerusalem which is
in our own neighborhood and our own city, then unto Samaria, which is
the other side of wherever we are at, even if it is those people that
we
naturally look down on, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth.
That is our responsibility as Christians - to evangelize. This is what
has been commissioned to us.
If Jesus has told us to go - and He has - then it is our responsibility
to go. We may or may not have that ministry office of evangelist but if
we are told to go out and evangelize, then we should at least be asking
for the spiritual power to carry that about. This is perhaps the
hardest
thing for many of us to do but the time to speak salvation has always
been now.
In my own life, I have seen so much hypocrisy in the church, so much
backbiting and division, so much hatred and condemnation masquerading
as
spiritual authority that I can really see what others see as well. I
must be able to look into the inner depths of my own soul to be able to
recognize what my own problems are before I can come to the point that
spiritual boldness takes over what previously can only be described as
fear. Others have seen the hypocrisy in the church, they have seen the
preachers and evangelists trying to part them from their money, they
have seen the church used as a tool of self-righteousness bigotry,
prejudice and persecution. My problem is the fear of rejection; I do
not
want others to see me in the light of what Christianity is perceived to
be. I would rather just live out my Christianity and let me see my love
for them instead of bringing them the gospel of Jesus Christ and trying
to get them saved. I would be hypocritical myself if I would not do
what
I can to GO before I ask you to. Nevertheless, I would be amiss if I
did
ask you to do the things that I see is necessary for us to evangelize
the world. Go into every part of wherever you are and preach to all
people. Go into the world and show them the love of Jesus not only by
your actions but also by your words of the testimony of Jesus. There,
it
is said. I must do what I can to fulfill my part and ask you to do what
you can to fulfill yours.
Lord Jesus, give us that gift of evangelism, give us that boldness to
approach others with your word and with your love. Give us the
opportunities to share our testimony and give us the strength and power
to make our own opportunities. Make us vessels of your honor and give
us
the wisdom and knowledge to spread your message in spirit and in truth.
What is that gift of evangelism? I see it listed as one of the
five-fold
ministries, but not as a gift. Maybe there is not really a gift of
evangelism but all the spiritual gifts support this one function in all
of us. What do you think? Let's discuss evangelism some more. We are
not
all prophets or apostles or have the gift of tongues or interpretation
but maybe we should all be evangelists. Get back to me on this. Is the
church fulfilling its rightful role in the world? Or are we all just
praising the Lord that we are saved and then keeping it to ourselves?
Jay
Hi Jay,
The role of the Evangelist is special, important and downright
necessary.
The role of the Evangelist goes beyond the message being imparted, the
role
also calls for a humble presentation of dynamic personal proportions.
But
it also calls for humility, the ability to suffer (as Christ did), and
the
need to enlighten, encourage and edify. Few Evangelists do this today.
We
don't need our hands slapped because of the things we do which keep us
away
from our God. We need the comforting touch of the Master. We need to
be
told that the Bible is the only "Teaching Tool" that we need in order
to
fulfill our lives. We need to be shown that praying and worshipping
within
the confines of bricks and mortar do not a Christian make - that the
Spirit
and the Kingdom of God is inside of us, and that it is beneath every
stone
or behind every tree. In essence, we need for the Evangelist to be the
one
who lives like a prophet but has the goal of John the Baptist.
Unfortunately, the ways of the world will not allow such a thing.
Bill Caraway
Glory to the name of the Lord. We've heard the terms Teachers ground,
Evangelists gather. Without Evangelists to gather, there would be no
one
to
ground. Amen! I, myself do not have this gift, but I am a teacher and a
pastor by giftings and have operated in both as well as prophecy at
times. We
need the evangelists to go and preach to the ends of the earth, to
carry
the
message. They sound the trumpet of the Gospel and prepare the people,
to
gather, to revive, to lift up, to unify, to encourage and make a people
ready
for HIm.
It is not always the calling of the Apostle do this, although we see in
Paul,
that it was. What I notice about certain "denominations" is that almost
always, women get called to be evangelists, but you hardly see a man.
Is
it
me, or is that stereo-typing? It seems to me that "they" make it a
woman's
job to evangelize while the men get the "manly" giftings. God forbid.
What is
going on? The Church certainly is in dire need of more evangelists, yet
God
is not a respecter of persons, just like the other gifts!
Comments welcome. Love in Jesus, Joseph
Dear Jay, Thanks for extending this forum to anyone in the Body of
Christ.
It gives all of us a broader perspective. I have never thought of
myself as
an evangelist, but one who helps others grow in their walk in Christ.
Here
lately, there has been a real thrust on evangelizing the lost outside
the
church doors. In these last days, the Lord is pouring out a
supernatural
anointing to evangelize. For instance, the Lord has used several
people by
giving them a very unusual sign and wonder that helps get people saved.
It
is the sign and wonder of the gold dust. The Lord sprinkles gold dust
on
Bob
Shattles, a Spirit filled, Baptist preacher and it makes people ask...
what
is that? In one and half years, he has won over 150,000 people to the
Lord.
Fragrant oil pours out of his hands and red cross appears in his hands.
Feathers and lightening have appeared in his meetings to make people
realize
that God is real. Not just someone that people talk about. They are
seeing
tangible evidence of the reality of God.
It reminds me of Jesus when He said, then would not believe Me for
My
word's sake, so I had to do miracles. People are being saved, healed,
delivered, and called into the ministry when we get into the awesome
presence of the Lord. Many creative miracles are happening. Bob
Shattles is
just one among many that God is using in this unusual way. David Piper
is
product of this ministry. A young man who sought God with all his heart
at a
camp meeting in Ashland, VA last summer is having the same miracles. I
am
not putting these people up above others. God is the only One who is
being
lifted up in these last days. As He manifests these miracles , God in
Christ
is being glorified. Praise the Lord. What I wanted to say, God is
giving a
super natural anointing to evangelize. It is working in a mighty way
and
we
give God all the Glory. Sue
July 19, 2000
The subject of Evangelism is dear to me because the seeds being born
upon
the works of these people are the very ones which can sprout up and
intensify the Word of God. Jesus gives them their charge, and they
obligingly bring the Word to those of us who are hungry for the Word.
I
have enjoyed many of the messages the Evangelists bring forth. I have
learned so much from them. It was the Evangelists who kept me on fire
for
the Lord and increased my understanding of how we must apply the Word
of
God, the ways of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to our every
day
existence. I thank God for them!
As time went by I began to notice some things, though. Suddenly, the
messages from the Evangelists began to differ widely. Some of them
called
their ministries, "television ministries", while others began to bring
their
self-imposed interpretations of fellowship, identity of God, and how
God
wants us to live, to all of their gatherings. Many of them are highly
prosperous. Many of them are in great demand at churches across the
world.
And many of them come with their own line of products. "Teaching
tools"
they call them, and they come in the form of videos, cassette tapes,
and
books. The titles range from, "How to Get God to Answer Your Prayers"
to
"Finding Your Soul Mate". Their interpretations of the scriptures
range
from prophesying the end times (as if Jesus did not say no man knows
the
day
or hour) to explaining why our blessings are being blocked because
we're
not
tithing - to them.
There are a few out there who are very consistent with their message,
but
the ratio of those who are using the Word of God for their own
materialistic
fulfillment to those who are only seeking to please God, is
astoundingly
in
favor of the former. One television Evangelist has a great message to
depart with viewers every week, then once you give what you can to the
ministry, you are flooded with requests to help in buying new
broadcasting
equipment, or some other kind of financial disbursement - on a weekly
basis!
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