LIVING
TESTIMONIES MINISTRIES OUTREACH
Evangelist Garry Cuthbert
"The Work of the Evangelist"
When you hear or read the word
"evangelist" what comes to mind? Do you think of Paul, Apollos and
Timothy or Bakker, Swaggart and Tilton? Do the words honesty, integrity and
sincerity come to mind or do you think of deception, pretense and fabrication?
After twenty-three years as a full
time evangelist, I am constantly confronted with the image both public and private
of the itinerant evangelist. Our team has followed evangelists who rank up
there with the former biblical, God-called evangelists. Sad to say, we have
also walked into churches where those who identify with the latter group have
left the members of the church disillusioned, doubtful and suspicious.
I. The Evangelist
The Apostle Paul told his son in the
ministry, "Do the work of an evangelist."1 Exactly what is an
evangelist? According to Kittel, the word "euaggelistori" means the
one who proclaims the glad tidings.2 In that sense, anyone who brings good news
to another is an evangelist. The concept that one who is called into itinerant
evangelism can not also possess the heart of a pastor or the mind of a scholar
is unbiblical. As we read, "But one and the same Spirit works all these
things distributing to each one individually as He wills."3 So, the
evangelist is to be a bearer of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ whether he
serves in itinerant evangelism, the pastorate, the classroom or some other God-called
vocation. Every born again child of God is an evangelist if we take the Great
Commission seriously.
II. The Image
Why has the image of the itinerant
evangelist fallen on such hard times? David Dockery, President of Union
University suggests it is because many view evangelists as, "an
unregulated group of preachers with little credit. They often come across as
untrained and untutored. Many are ranters and ravers who are out of touch with
the world and their messages are often superficial."4 This poor image can
be attributed in part to the powerful effect of the media.
I cringe when I see fellow evangelists
on television surrounded by gold plated props, sitting on gaudy furniture next
to a woman who is wearing enough make-up to cover all of God's living creatures
on planet earth. The trends of "selling the gospel," of entertaining
rather than enlightening and of preaching cotton candy messages rather than the
meat of the Word has produced a generation of spiritual illiterates and shallow
believers. Much of the blame lies at the pulpits of evangelists who would
rather play to the crowd than please the Lord.
In a recent meeting with James Dobson,
President of Focus on the Family, he stated, "Focus' first priority is
evangelism. We need evangelists who bring integrity into every area of their
ministries."5
III. The Integrity
Perhaps it is the integrity factor
that keeps many pastors from using the itinerant evangelist. This is not to say
that my fellow evangelists are any less men of integrity than the pastors we
serve. Warren Wiersbe talks about the prophets in Jeremiah's day. He said,
"They gave the people enough experience to make them happy, but not enough
truth to make them holy."6 The image of the God-called man, whether
evangelist or pastor, should be one of holiness.
Hal Poe, Vice President for Academic
Resources and Information Services at Union University, feels there are a
number of reasons why pastors do not use evangelists. He stated, "The old
buddy system of a pastor swapping revival pulpits is very common. It gives
pastors an opportunity to take a break and also the extra income is
appreciated. Some ministers will ask a pastor of a larger and more prestigious
church to conduct their annual revival. The reasons are numerous, but one in
particular is to get noticed by the pastor of the larger church. Let's face it,
having a well known pastor to conduct a revival is one way to get ahead in our
scheme of things. Also, many pastors do not use evangelists because they do not
want a revival to begin with. If an evangelist comes in and as a result many
decisions are made, it can put the pastor on the spot. His people might ask,
'Why don't you preach like that?' Also the pastor must follow-up and begin
discipling the new converts. Lastly, many pastors refuse to use evangelists
because of the tactics they employ. Some take advantage of membership rolls,
use manipulation during the invitation, and expect to be treated like
celebrities. Some spend more time talking about finances than they do
preaching."7
All this and more supports recent
revival statistics from the evangelism section of the North America Mission
Board which states that only 7,000 of our 38,000 Southern Baptist churches had
a revival meeting in 1997.8 This is appalling in light of our lip service given
to reaching the lost.
IV. The Work
The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to,
"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke,
exhort, with all long suffering and teaching."9 This is the work of the
evangelist. He is to faithfully proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ; to
make the sinner aware of his sins; to correct with compassion; to encourage
with hope and to never lose hope in or belief that man is beyond redemption.
This can only be accomplished when one is willing to fulfill his ministry.
Paul challenges young Timothy to be
faithful in four basic areas in fulfilling his work as an evangelist-pastor.
Hold to sound doctrine.10 Teach sound doctrine.11 Continue in sound doctrine.12
Preach sound doctrine.13
Those words of Spirit-anointed counsel
ring as true today as when Paul first penned them from his prison headquarters
in Rome. As ambassadors of the great doctrines, it is also our responsibility,
whether in the role of evangelist or pastor, to beware of the signs of the
time. Paul told young Timothy, "Know this, that in the last days perilous
times will come...."14 It seems that the history of the church has gone
from unity to division. Where being in one accord was the stable characteristic
of the early church, it now appears that discord is often associated with
trying to fulfill our ministry. Not only are mainline denominations splitting
over doctrinal issues, many individual churches seem to be adrift in a sea of
uncertainty and conflict.
Our work as evangelists and pastors is
to have a single-mindedness like the saints who preceded us. Paul instructed
Timothy to "do what I told you to do"15 (paraphrase). John MacArthur
said recently, "We are not the chef. We are the waiters. Just get the Word
out of the kitchen and serve it while it is still hot."16
Single-mindedness means we stick to the basics. As preachers of the
unsearchable riches, we are not called to be inventors or even innovators. We
are called to be proclaimers of what has already been written. It is the
working of the basics which will fulfill our ministry and further the kingdom.
Thom Rainer, Dean of Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church
Growth at Southern Seminary stated, "Few churches are reaching the new
pagans of our nations. Most churches are, at best, reaching the children and
close relatives of church members. Sadly, too many churches are reaching few or
none for Christ."17 He goes on to validate the practices of the 1950's
when preaching, Sunday School, prayer and visitation were the characteristics
of our growing churches. In other words, single-mindedness.
Our work also calls us to preach
without apology the salvation of the scriptures. Paul reminded Timothy,
"...the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for
salvation..."18 The power of the spoken scriptures is enough to bring down
strongholds. It saves to the utmost. It sacrifices. It is all sufficient. It
sets men free. Our sermons must be sharpened on the whetstone of God's Word and
wielded with power from on high. An evangelist or pastor who does not like to
preach should never draw his sword.
Then the great apostle charged his
beloved son in the ministry, "before God and the Lord Jesus Christ,"
to do service before God.19 What a supernatural command! Our call came from the
throne room of heaven and was issued by the Judge of all judges. As proclaimers
of the gospel, we are tempted to forget who called us to fulfill our ministry.
God forbid that we prepare and preach our sermons with the thought of
impressing the audience, the convention or the press. Thomas a Kempis addressed
the preacher who caters to the crowd when he said, "The glory of good men
is in their conscience and not in the mouths of men."20
Charles Spurgeon put it this way,
"The minister who cares for any man's opinion when he is doing his duty
(fulfilling his ministry) is unworthy of his office."21 Remembering that
our call came not from men but from God Himself, keeps our faces before the
throne and our hearts open to His commands. There is no politicking or plagiarizing
in the courts of heaven. A fresh word from God will be given the men of God
when their desire is to please Him and Him alone. As Vance Havner once said,
"You don't need to know key men to get along. You need to know the 'Keeper
of the Keys'."22
Then to punctuate the need to do the
work of an evangelist, Paul challenges Timothy to keep his guard up against the
seduction of deception. Paul said, "The time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have
itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn
their ears away from the truth , and be turned aside to fables."23 That
time is certainly here today. People with selfish desires and itching ears are
running after every false wind of doctrine. What is so tragic is they do not
have to look far to find gospel peddlers who will preach what they want to
hear. So many preachers are trying so hard to make the gospel user friendly,
they have rendered themselves ineffective in doing the work of an evangelist. I
am convinced that the greatest religious sin being committed today often comes
from behind our pulpits where men who have been called to be giants for the
Lord have settled for midget status by preaching unsound biblical doctrines.
Many who preach want the people to leave feeling affirmed, approved and
applauded. Whatever happened to confronted, convicted and confessed? People
want to be entertained when they go to church. Whatever happened to
enlightened?
Doing the work of an evangelist means
first and foremost that we preach all the scriptures, all the time in season
and out of season to all people. Pandering to the people results in
prostituting the proclamation. Dr. R.G. Lee, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church
in Memphis, Tennessee from 1927-1960 was asked about preaching the Word and
doing the work of an evangelist. He replied, "When I study, I study the
Bible. If a preacher is going to preach the Word of God - and he should preach
nothing else - he should go to God's Word. Then I try to think of how I can
move lost men. I organize my work with sinners in need of the love of God in
mind. I try to preach evangelistically. I don't try to entertain."24
Doing the work of an evangelist-pastor
means we preach sin as damning, the cross as necessary, the blood as cleansing,
the resurrection as fact and the second coming as expectant. It means we preach
the doctrines of the scriptures from, "In the beginning," to
"Surely I come quickly." Forget those with itching ears and preach to
those with itching hearts. It is not the teaching of fables that will turn the
world to Christ. It is, however, the preaching of the Word by those who are
willing to do the work of an evangelist that will turn many to righteousness.
May it be so!
What does the Bible say about doing
the work of an evangelist?
In 2 Timothy 4:5, Paul encourages
young Timothy with this solemn reminder. “But you, be sober in all things,
endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2
Timothy 4:5). You might as well turn in your ordination certificate now if you
do not intend to do this work. It's that important.
The duties of an evangelist in communities
The role of an evangelist involves
several important responsibilities when it comes to sharing the Gospel and
fostering a deeper connection with Jesus Christ within communities. Let’s
explore these duties:
1.
Preaching: The central work of an
evangelist is preaching the word of God. They
communicate the message of salvation, emphasizing faith in Christ and the hope
found in Him1. Authenticity and
sincerity are crucial in their spoken messages.
2.
Studying: Evangelists devote
significant time to studying the Bible.
Their understanding of Scripture informs their preaching and equips them to
address questions and doubts effectively.
3.
Traveling: Evangelists actively
seek to spread the gospel both
within their local community and in other areas where they choose to serve. Their
mission extends beyond geographical boundaries1.
4.
Working with Local
Churches: Evangelists collaborate closely with local churches. They
update church members and leadership about their ministry, ensuring alignment
with the church’s mission and vision1.
In
summary, evangelists play a vital role in sharing the hope and love of Jesus
Christ, inviting others into a personal relationship with Him through
preaching, teaching, mentoring, and outreach activities234. Their impact
extends beyond mere words; it influences hearts and transforms lives.
Online research 2024/02/19 3:22 PM
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