Being an evangelist reminds us of five offices which Paul talks about in the book of Ephesians. It is an office or a gift that the LORD has given each and every one of us. It also is a picture of the 12 – yes 12 – Fruits of the Spirit, without one fruit you will not be filled with the desire of the LORD to partake from the tree of life which is the tree that yields to us the fruits we are to walk out. The office of the true church,
the five-fold ministry. We have been shown an example by JESUS himself of how to be the five-fold ministry just as HE was and is. There is a process to go through in
order to receive each gift and to walk each gift out in our daily life. Let us look at what Paul says about being the five-fold ministry:
Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Eph 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ,
Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Eph 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
Eph 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is
the head—Christ—
Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
These 5 gifts have been imparted into all of us and we have been awakened by the Apostolic word to walk out each office. The evangelist is the office of bringing the good news -the feast of meat to the nations- to those who have not been awakened to the gospel. Let us look at the Webster’s definition of evangelist: Evangelist (Webster’s) EVAN’GELIST, n. A writer of the history, or doctrines, precepts, actions, life and death of our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ; as the four
evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- A preacher or publisher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, licensed to preach, but
not having charge of a particular church.
Evangelist-(Easton bible dictionary)
A “publisher of glad tidings;” a missionary preacher of the gospel . This title is
applied to Philip , who appears to have gone from city to city preaching the word.
Judging from the case of Philip, evangelists had neither the authority of an apostle, nor the gift of prophecy, nor the responsibility of pastoral supervision over a portion of the flock. They were itinerant (passing or traveling about a country; wandering; not settled; as an itinerant preacher. One who travels from place to place) preachers, having it as their special function to carry the gospel to places where it was previously unknown. The writers of the four Gospels are known as the Evangelists.
We can see that the evangelist has a distinct purpose during the preparation of a five fold ministry in us, as we are walking out the apostolic lifestyle that many of the patriarchs in the bible lived. As we walk out the evangelist gift, we take on an important role to fulfill our destiny set forth by CHRIST as His body.
This is not considered a season of our walk, it is a lifestyle that is imparted into us and walked out daily in our lives wherever we go, and whomever we talk to. We have been chosen to walk this lifestyle out, to know what we are walking. Our actions will speak louder than words as we show the world what the LORD has put into us. Paul speaks to the Corinthians and tells them that they need to live the
gospel in 1 Corinthians 9;13,14,
1Co 9:13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of
the altar?
1Co 9:14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
As we walk out the gift of evangelist we can see below the impact that it is producing to the world:
Evangelism (websters) EVAN’GELISM, n. The promulgation of the gospel.
Promulgation (websters) PROMUL’GATION, n. The act of promulgating; publication; open declaration; as the promulgation of the law or of the gospel.
Evangelically (websters) EVANGEL’ICALLY, adv. In a manner according to the gospel.
As we investigate the early church fathers record of the gospel (JESUS) we see that on every occasion in their writings when they refer to an apostle they also refer to the apostles as an evangelist. let’s look at what JESUS says to the Evangelist, Apostle Matthew,
Why sayest thou, O Matthew? Understand and know that good discourse is better than a calf, and words of meekness better than every herb of the field, and a sweet saying as the perfume of love, and cheerfulness of countenance better that feeding, and a pleasant look is as the appearance of sweetness. Understand, Matthew, and know that I am paradise, that I am the comforter, I am the power of the powers above, I the strength of those that restrain themselves, I the crown of the virgins, I the self-control of the once married, I the boast of the widowed, I the defence of the infants, I the foundation of the Church, I the kingdom of the bishops, I the glory of the presbyters, I the praise of the deacons. Be a man, and be strong, Matthew, in, these words. And Matthew said: The sight of thee hast altogether delighted me, O child; moreover also, thy words are full of life.
8.05.24 ; Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew the Apostle.
As JESUS is describing himself He is releasing in a deeper, more confounded, statement of who He is and the role we are to play as the body. As JESUS came to earth to teach people the true understanding of who He is, we see the picture of an evangelist who does not hold back , an evangelist who tells the people what they need to hear, and He walks it out with every step He takes while here on earth.
Paul, again, to the Corinthians, explains how to meet all people where they are, to be able to share the gospel in a way that everyone can understand so that the
evangelistic lifestyle can live on.
1Co 9:19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
1Co 9:20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
1Co 9:21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without
law;
1Co 9:22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Take your gifts and edify your brothers and sisters, awaken the nations with the truth as the HOLY SPIRIT has taught and counseled you and shared what the LORD has done in your life.
As we close out, the gift of the evangelist is an important gift for each of us to learn and walk out as we mature into the perfect man, the five fold ministry. Everyone has been given the opportunity to choose this lifestyle, it is a matter of
walking it out. Let’s begin to take this season seriously as ALL of us are being transformed into the likeness of CHRIST.
Thank you and see you next month,
Blessing’s,
The Evangelistic Harvesters