Paul B Thomas This post has already been read 398 times!
Should the church support full-time evangelists? …..It must! …. Here’s why…..The church without an evangelist has no passion for mission. The church without an evangelist will loose it’s fire and clout to rouse up a generation of preachers that could have shaken the world! … ( PS…if you find that hard to swallow then may I humbly suggest that I have just proven my very own first point!)
Todays church is losing its evangelists. Many evangelists abandon the field to enter the Pastoral ministry in order to find some kind of financial security and stability for their family. Of course the pastorate may not be what God has called them too, but circumstances often force a preacher to start up a church or look for a pastoral position.
One of the big challenges facing todays church is to raise up a generation of preachers who will minister fulltime, as evangelists and missionaries. The task is not optional but essential! May I suggest that it starts with local churches working together to share a ministry. Sponsoring an evangelist and building him an online web presence, endorsing his ministry and using him in a local circuit. Providing food and paying bills for those who can start off on a small budget and be comfortable with it. He can then use the online media to promote the offline churches that support him. working online to market and attract the social customer and preach the gospel. This way all the churches will have a fulltime preacher evangelist that can build with each local pastor.
If we can make as many evangelists as we have made pastors then the ministry would be a more attractive career choice among young people. It doesn’t have to start off big, just tap into the passion of our youth and make something possible for them. The alternative of not seeing something new is seeing what we have, die!
It’s up to pastors to open this door and down to us to talk of ideas that can work and challenge the edge of the “not yet thought of!” Nothing is impossible! The only thing between us and a new generation of preachers is a bold new idea! The only thing standing between us and a revolution in local missions is guts to do old things in new ways.
Just a wild idea …
Whats yours?
Paul
I grew up in a time when the church regularly turned the pulpit over to preachers who came to excite the people by holding a week of high powered services. We called these men evangelists. I think most of them were really prophets. I have come in my years as a Christian to have a different view of evangelists. I think an evangelist according to Ephesians chapter 4 is a person gifted by God to equip the saints and encourage them in their witness. These are men like Don Sunshine . http://www.donsunshine.org/
Today the Evangelist is missing. I believe there has been a mistake in calling someone an Evangelist who is not but a Preacher. The Evangelist should be supported like the Missionary. If were to do this then the Evangelist would be able to share Jesus on the streets and in the market places. Our churches would be so full of new converts. Unfortunately I have seen the Evangelist just like the Pastor slip away into nothing and working back in a secular job. Why? Because the local churches don’t really understand the position. They care more about the old converts and not the new. I love the Evangelist! Paul I love you and I pray for you and your ministry. Be Blessed!
Thanks Jilillie I agree many who preach are prophets and some are evangelists/prophets. And according to Ephesians 4:11,12 all are to prepare others for the work of the ministry…and we need them now more than ever.Many thanks for your comment and visit todayThe Lord bless youPaul
Thanks Pastor Phil, my brother, Your gift adds value and I appreciate the value of Godly men and their input. As you say seeing the evangelist “slip into secular employment” is sad, when as pastors we spend a lifetime challenging, motivating and equipping men to do great things for God and ministry. I know pastors need help and encouragment too and rather than feeling as loners we can be solution providers. Maybe the web is one platform we can use to help start this sort creative thinking and help each other as the need arises.Be blessed my brother