The Evangelist of the Bible

THE EVANGELIST OF THE BIBLE

     The Evangelist's ministry as recorded in the Bible is somewhat different than the Evangelist's ministry of today. Philip, the only man in the Bible called an Evangelist, provides us with the Biblical principles and pattern for the modern-day Evangelist's ministry. His three-fold ministry of Preaching the Saviour, Personal Soul-winning, and Perfecting the Saints is found in Acts 8 and Ephesians 4.

  I. PREACHING THE SAVIOR (Acts 8:4-7, 12, 40)

          A. Philip's Proclamation v.5

          B. Philip's Results v.6-13

 II. PERSONAL SOULWINNING (Acts 8:26-40)

          A. Philip's Availability v.26

          B. Philip's Obedience v.27

          C. Philip is Spirit-led v.29

          D. Philip uses Tact/Common Sense v.30

          E. Philip uses Appropriate Question v.30

          F. Philip uses Scripture Memory v.35

          G. Philip preaches Jesus v.35

          H. Philip gives Bible invitation v.37

          I. Philip baptizes new believer v.38

III. PERFECTING THE SAINTS (Ephesians 4:11, 12)

          A. For the work of the ministry

          B. For the edifying of the Body of Christ

     Although the Bible clearly teaches the Evangelist must be Spirit-led in his ministry as it concerns when and where he ministers, the modern-day Evangelist is found traveling about the countryside in short term predetermined meetings, for the most part, by the pastors and people, not always the direct leading and working of the Holy Spirit.

     Philip left his preaching ministry in Samaria, led by the Holy Spirit, to go into the barren desert for an appointment arranged by the Lord, to personally win one soul to Christ. His willingness to be available and Spirit-led resulted in the first soul won living on the African continent!

     Another vital principle demonstrated by Philip was his emphasis on a local/regional ministry in the area where his own home was located. He is seen moving about Samaria and Judea in his initial preaching tour, and it is likely he continued preaching in this region for at least the next twenty years. Acts 21 tells of Paul's visit to his home in Caesarea two decades after Acts chapter eight.

     This local ministry would have given him the advantage of knowing intimately the needs and situations of the pastor/people of the churches. He would have had opportunity for open effective fellowship continuing with those in his area of ministry responsibility giving him a vital bond not usually found with the modern-day evangelist.

     The Evangelist of the Bible is assigned a specific ministry of "perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." This is his primary responsibility when ministering in the local church: perfecting the saints, not just preaching specific salvation messages to the lost, but preaching to the saints, so that they can do the work of the ministry which is primarily edifying the body of Christ and witnessing and winning the lost to Christ. When God’s army is mobilized the work of the ministry is multiplied when the saints operate in the spirit of revival.

     Evangelists of the nineteenth and early twentieth century held extended weeks of meetings, preaching to the saints until "the Holy Spirit broke through the hardened hearts of the saints" bringing revival to the church with the result of Spirit-filled evangelism by the saints reaching the community. This type of revival was the result of the Evangelist's Spirit-led preaching, "perfecting the saints,"

applying the same three principles that Philip utilized.

   1. Spirit-led Preaching

   2. Local Ministry

   3. Emphasis on the saints in preaching ministry.

     However, as the past century is reviewed, real effective revival has been missing from the Church due to modern tactics and the lack of accurate prophetic teaching. The Evangelist's success is most necessary to the Spiritual success of the local church. The Biblical exercising of the Evangelist's gift, in harmony with the Pastor's ministry, will definitely bring God's blessings to the local church. Therefore, since God gave the church the gift of the Evangelist for the purpose of "Perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man. unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"(Ephesians 4:12) the Pastor and people must provide the Evangelist with the liberty to perform his ministry according to Biblical principles. If not, the church must expect the negative results that will accompany the absence of this most valuable gift: The Evangelist of the Bible.