What is evanglism?

[Henry]

04/16/06

Evangelists, for the Church or the Lost?

by Ed Waken

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers…†Ephesians 4:11

At the mention of the word, Evangelist, our minds immediately picture large crowds in packed stadiums where people are streaming forward to receive Jesus Christ. People like Billy Graham, Luis Palau and Greg Laurie come to mind as some of today’s best evangelists in our land today. With these ideas flowing through our minds, we would naturally think that the Evangelist is given by God to reach the lost, right? Wrong!

If we continue on to Ephesians 4:12 we find these words, “…and some as evangelists…for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…â€Â. The Evangelist is given to the church, not the lost! The Evangelist is given to the church to equip believers to carry out the work of evangelism. In other words, the Evangelist’s job is to teach believers how God has equipped them to be successful evangelizers for His kingdom. He is to encourage and guide the church in the ministry of sharing the truths of Christ with the world.

The Evangelist is most effective when helping the church to multiply communicators of the gospel, not multiplying listeners to hear their messages. He or she should be mobilizing all Christians to do uncommon things in expanding the Kingdom of God.

Evangelism crusades are wonderful tools that have been used by God for generations to see people ushered in to the Kingdom. I applaud their role. However, I also believe that if we are going to see a tsunami of souls, multiplying listeners will ever be enough. We must have more communicators of the Gospel. We must have more evangelizers. The Evangelist’s role is to teach the church and release the church for this purpose.

As we rethink the role of the evangelist, as we empower all believers to engage in conversations, we will finally be able to see just how white the fields are.

http://www.eastvalleyhousechurch.org/ar ... 041606.htm

 

[Sothenes]

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers…†Ephesians 4:11

At the mention of the word, Evangelist, our minds immediately picture large crowds in packed stadiums where people are streaming forward to receive Jesus Christ. People like Billy Graham, Luis Palau and Greg Laurie come to mind as some of today’s best evangelists in our land today. With these ideas flowing through our minds, we would naturally think that the Evangelist is given by God to reach the lost, right? Wrong!

If we continue on to Ephesians 4:12 we find these words, “…and some as evangelists…for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ…â€Â. The Evangelist is given to the church, not the lost! The Evangelist is given to the church to equip believers to carry out the work of evangelism. In other words, the Evangelist’s job is to teach believers how God has equipped them to be successful evangelizers for His kingdom. He is to encourage and guide the church in the ministry of sharing the truths of Christ with the world.

The Evangelist is most effective when helping the church to multiply communicators of the gospel, not multiplying listeners to hear their messages. He or she should be mobilizing all Christians to do uncommon things in expanding the Kingdom of God.

I've been trying to interpret this verse for a few years and I am still not finished trying to figure it out. I've emailed a few people including a scholar and I'm still not convinced as to what it means.

I don't think that Evangelists are solely for the Church because then Christians would never be allowed to leave the Church and tell anyone about Jesus Christ. I do think that the Church has it backwards where they expect the pastor to do the Evangelism and the average church goer thinks that they don't have to do a lot of evangelism at the same time because that is what the pastor is being paid for. If you are a Christian, you are in the priesthood of all believers and healthy sheep beget sheep.

 

[Henry]

I've been trying to interpret this verse for a few years

Too often our modern scholars have the habit of reading back into the text our modern practices. This verse is used to justify the pastorate, and it has to be used because it is the only one they have.

Never the less no where in this verse or in the bible do we find a modern day pastor office. So that makes it very hard to interpret this verse, without first clearing your mind of Institutional thinking and do your best not to read back into the text in any way. Hard to do I know …

I don't think that Evangelists are solely for the Church because then Christians would never be allowed to leave the Church and tell anyone about Jesus Christ.

Here is an example of reading back, you speak of evangelism in the modern manner of preaching the gospel to the lost. Our evangelist in the modern day are man or woman who preach and get people saved, note that is modern day.

What Ed is saying is that in those days the evangelist was not doing that, rather he encouraged and taught the church to be witnesses. A good evangelist shows the average Christian how to share his faith effectively. It is the work of EVERY Christian, not a few.

I do think that the Church has it backwards where they expect the pastor to do the Evangelism and the average church goer thinks that they don't have to do a lot of evangelism at the same time because that is what the pastor is being paid for.

Yes they expect the pastor to do it all, and they pay him for that. The problem is that the bible does not in any ways support this kind of thing. There should be no such thing as the church goer, church should be a way of living. Not a place or a thing or a service and so on.

If you are a Christian, you are in the priesthood of all believers and healthy sheep beget sheep.

Amen and Amen


You are on the right tract my friend.

 

[Henry]

I've been trying to interpret this verse for a few years

Too often our modern scholars have the habit of reading back into the text our modern practices. This verse is used to justify the pastorate, and it has to be used because it is the only one they have.

Never the less no where in this verse or in the bible do we find a modern day pastor office. So that makes it very hard to interpret this verse, without first clearing your mind of Institutional thinking and do your best not to read back into the text in any way. Hard to do I know …

I don't think that Evangelists are solely for the Church because then Christians would never be allowed to leave the Church and tell anyone about Jesus Christ.

Here is an example of reading back, you speak of evangelism in the modern manner of preaching the gospel to the lost. Our evangelist in the modern day are man or woman who preach and get people saved, note that is modern day.

What Ed is saying is that in those days the evangelist was not doing that, rather he encouraged and taught the church to be witnesses. A good evangelist shows the average Christian how to share his faith effectively. It is the work of EVERY Christian, not a few.

I do think that the Church has it backwards where they expect the pastor to do the Evangelism and the average church goer thinks that they don't have to do a lot of evangelism at the same time because that is what the pastor is being paid for.

Yes they expect the pastor to do it all, and they pay him for that. The problem is that the bible does not in any ways support this kind of thing. There should be no such thing as the church goer, church should be a way of living. Not a place or a thing or a service and so on.

If you are a Christian, you are in the priesthood of all believers and healthy sheep beget sheep.

Amen and Amen

 

[Sothenes]

I've been trying to interpret this verse for a few years

Too often our modern scholars have the habit of reading back into the text our modern practices. This verse is used to justify the pastorate, and it has to be used because it is the only one they have.

Never the less no where in this verse or in the bible do we find a modern day pastor office. So that makes it very hard to interpret this verse, without first clearing your mind of Institutional thinking and do your best not to read back into the text in any way. Hard to do I know …

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."-Isaiah 55:8

You're trying to understand the mind of God when you read and understanding comes from revelation, illumination and inspiration. Without much learning the Holy Spirit has less to bring to our memory because if you don't study then the Holy Spirit can't make you remember something:

John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

[Henry]

I don't understand what you are saying?