The Gift of being an evangelist is the spirit of trail Blazing. Going where the gospel is not. Here are some thoughts. Can an Evangelist Have a Church
- Gift of Evangelism – is teaching people about Jesus
- Evangelist Travel and Go to Mission Fields. Local and abroad
- Their gift is very strong and makes where they are living, and making $, secondary
- When you stay put and Lead a Church – you move from establishment phase to helping the newborns to grow
- Other gifts needed to Stay and lead a church – Teaching, Caring, leadership, Organization, Singing, Ministry,
- Evangelist might be torn between staying and leading a church – starting new.
Peter said it this way. Acts 6: 1-2, In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said,
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2020 List of Unreached People Today – Here – Joshua.net
“It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
Should an Evangelist Lead a Church? Can an Evangelist Have a Church
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers
Ephesians 4:11(NIV)
You may be wondering and asking yourself this question can an evangelist lead a church? It could be that you are an evangelist, but you have an interest in leading a church. Maybe your friend, who is an evangelist, asked you this question. Or maybe you have heard someone say that they are an evangelist and a pastor and it left you confused.
While it is great to serve God in different capacities, we must remain within the confines of what God called us to do. It is good for an evangelist to have the desire to lead the church, but it should be for the right reasons. One should not be motivated by greed or motivation.
Before we look into this question, let us first understand who an evangelist is to tackle this topic the right way.
What is the Biblical Definition of an Evangelist?
An evangelist is dedicated to the ministry of preaching and teaching the gospel to lost souls in the world. While we are all expected to evangelize as Jesus gave us the great commission of preaching the gospel to the world, people with the spiritual gift of evangelism have the extra grace of going into the world and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Great Commission
Matthew 28:16-20, Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Evangelists can handle rejection from the world in a better way than people who do not have this gift. It’s not that they do not feel bad when they get rejected. It is just that they’re able to overcome feelings of rejection faster than other Christians. They have a heart for seeing people giving their lives to Christ and will always go out of their way to bring a lost soul to Christ.
Duties of an Evangelist
Preaching the Gospel
The major work of an evangelist is to spread the gospel to lost souls. Evangelists will go out of their way to tell unbelievers about Jesus Christ. They have an extra grace to go into the world and tell others about God’s love for humanity.
I Corinthians 9:16, “For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. “
An evangelist is not ashamed to share the gospel of the cross to people in different parts of the world. Their heart is to see people living in the truth and having an intimate relationship with God.
Studying the Word
Evangelists take time to study the word diligently. In 2Timothy 2:15, we see Paul encouraging Timothy, who was an evangelist, to study the word diligently. See, it is through studying the word that they are able to correct false doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2).
Traveling
Since evangelists have to get the message of the cross out there to the world, they tend to travel a lot. They spread the gospel to their communities and other areas. Others travel abroad to countries where the gospel has not been spread while others speak in churches and conferences.
They Work with Local Churches
Evangelists are part of a local church. They don’t use their gifts independently. They update members and leaders about their ministries because most of them are supported by the local church. Others work for national and international organizations but still, they are attached to a local church.
To be completely honest, I believe that it will be very challenging for an evangelist to lead a church, and here is why:
Why Evangelists Shouldn’t Lead a Church
Leading a Church means being concerned with the entire process of Christian growth
The truth is an evangelist is passionate about certain aspects of the commission. Evangelists go into the world to find lost souls and bring them to church. For someone to lead a church, they need to be concerned about the entire process of Christian growth. They will not only focus on planting the seeds, but they also focus on watering, removing weeds, and guiding the person so that they can become spiritually mature.
Leading a Church Means Being Planted in One Location
Leading a church will hold an evangelist back because most lost souls are out there and not in a church building
(Mark16:15-16). “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Yes, some of the people who come to church are not saved, but the great harvest is out there, and people in the world need to hear about Jesus. If you are to lead a church, you need to be planted in one location so that you can perform all the duties that are expected of you. That is why it is important for people with the gift of pastoring to lead a local church because they have the gift of administration and leadership.
Leading the Church is the Primary Role of a Pastor
Now let’s be honest; leading the church is a primary role of a pastor, not an evangelist. Pastors don’t lead the church just for the sake of it. They do it because God has gifted them in that area. Pastors can handle the administrative tasks of a church; they can also take up leadership roles and have been given the special grace to deal with people in whatever setting God has placed them in.
Leading a church is a full-time thing, so it needs someone that is there to handle all the different things that are happening in that church. A church leader should prepare sermons, be in charge of other departments in the church, and they need to also officiate different activities like weddings and funerals.
If an evangelist tries to take the role of a pastor, then it will be challenging for them to go to different parts of the world that God wants them to so that they can spread the gospel.
In conclusion
Evangelists have been given the duty to go into different parts of the world to spread the gospel. It may be your desire to lead a local church, but if your spiritual gift is to spread the gospel, you need to think through because much as it is great to lead a church, it may hinder you from becoming the person God wants you to be. Most of all, turn to God in prayer and ask him to show you the right thing to do before you make a decision.