Pastor, You Can Help the Evangelist.

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What is the role of the evangelist in the local church and how can pastors and evangelists work together?

A few years ago I remember a preacher calling me asking me for money because he as stranded in the city, and he wasn’t in his own country either, he was overseas. On another occasion a preacher asked for finances as the engine in his car had blown up. Of course his car was his livelihood without a car he could not travel and preach and without preaching engagements he had no income.

I believe the church needs evangelists, so I’m not going to explain here why we need evangelists but how pastors and evangelists can best work together.

The number of pastors full-time far exceed those of evangelists full-time in the ministry. Many evangelists who travel for a living holding revivals have resorted to going into a paid ministry of pastor in order to provide for their families. Of course many will admit that pastoring is not their first calling, so the wider church is then robbed of the gift of evangelist and the evangelist settles for a role way below his gifting, anointing and calling.

Here are some thought I would like to share with you, for your consideration.

Pastors of large congregations should employ evangelists without seeking to control them. They should give them the liberty to go and preach and support them full-time. Evangelists should be given the same consideration as missionaries. If a church supports missionaries why not consider supporting your in house evangelist first?

Pastors need preachers who will rock the boat get the folks up out of their seats and get the crowd outside the door waiting for Sunday! You get my point. If the pastor likes to play safe then employ one who wont. Every church needs an evangelist.

The pastor has to share the pulpit. An evangelist will add to a pastors ministry, not take away from it. People will appreciate the variety of ministry and enjoy someone else speaking for a change. The gift of pastor differs to the gift of evangelist and so does the calling. If the calling is different so too is the anointing. Pastor if you want a fresh anointing why not ask the evangelist to preach.

Pastors differ to evangelists in gift and emphasis because the assignment is different. A different assignment means a different message and revelation. The evangelist will challenge folks from different angles simply because his message is different.

A true evangelist will preach Jesus. He will have a revelation of the name. He wont preach an easy believism gospel but rather preach the gospel that demands a man be born of water and spirit (John 3:5). If you want to see it like the apostles had it you better invite a man who knows it like they taught it! Pastor don’t invite a man because he’s your friend, or a big name, invite him because he’s true to the gospel, has convictions, preaches Jesus and is sincere. We don’t want Hollywood in the church we want holy fire!
 

I hear pastors complain of folks leaving their church or organization, well, when gifted folks are not encouraged to do what the senior pastor is doing they are going to leave and sometimes it really is God that’s leading them out.

When a Pastor controls a pulpit and gifts are not encouraged or used, people with a call will go somewhere else. And no that’s not rebellion either, their leaving has a lot to do with you, as a pastor you challenged them to do something with their lives. Be a witness and get on fire. Well now that they are on fire and want to do something you better let them go, or give them a platform!

Pastors must see that its OK for the local evangelist to have an external itinerary and must allow him to go out and not have the fear that he is leaving the church. Pastor, chat to your evangelist seek understanding of his calling and how he thinks.

Evangelists should share their expectations when they hold revivals, check with the churches they go to that they have a baptismal pool ready to baptize and that the necessary changing rooms. clothes and procedures for baptism are in place.

Pastors should take into consideration the evangelists expenses whether or not he has a family to keep, his travel arrangements and out of pocket expenses and the living expenses he incurs each week. 

Evangelists should make available on their website, a bio, contact details and media kit. Your media kit can include a short video, your Bio, your social network details and a free book, mp3 (if any).