What Is An Evangelist... Biblically?

[Godsdrummer]

I think we hypothisize to much with out taking things in proper context.

Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

First Paul says we are all given grace according to the measure of the gift of God.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

The way this is written is just like the gifts of the spirit. We are all to be used in the gifts of the spirit. We all have part of the gifts of the ministry. Note (he gave some to be apostles some to be prophets etc. As we grow in Christ we should all be used in the ministry in one of the five fold. We should be come leaders elders if you please as we grow in Christ. Jesus Christ is the head of the church or Kingdom of God not Pastors, Apostles etc.
Elders are given these gifts for the purpose listed below in verse 12.

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

I like the nkjv for it uses equiping instead of the word perfecting, for the work of the ministry, G1248 ιακονία diakonia dee-ak-on-ee'-ah
From G1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher.
We are all called to do the work of ministry. And for the edifying of the body of Christ. Once the saint has been equiped then we are to work to further the kingdom of God.

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

I know I may not be explaining myself well here but I feel that the whole way we look at the ministry in the church today is all wrong. What we have is just a form of the preist hood of OT and Jesus did away with that when he became our high priest. The kingdom of God is to be a true theocracy Jesus being the king. If we note in Epesians

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

We don't find the ministry in the line of authority, We find Christ, then the husband then the wife, The church as a whole is subject to Christ and what is the church or body of Christ is it a group of people headed up by a leadership? or is it made up of familys that are saved following the leadership of Christ in thier lives with the aid of the gift of the apostle, prophets,evangelist, pastors and teachers. I contend God gave the church the ministry not the church to the ministry.

[Sam]

The only person who is called an evangelist in our KJV NT is Philip (Acts 21:8).

Paul urged Timothy (an Apostle and Bishop) to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim 4:5).

Jesus said He came to minister to the bankrupt, the broken hearted, the bound, the blind, and the bruised in Luke 4:19. He said He was anointed to preach the gospel (good news) to them.

I guess that's a definition of an evangelist.

In Acts 8 we are told about Philip's ministry in Samaria some time around winter AD 31/32 AD. He "preached Christ" unto them (verse 5). He performed miracles of healing and deliverance (verses 6, 7, and 13). His preaching and acts brought "great joy" to the city (verse 8). He preached "the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ" and folks got baptized in water (verse 12). Folks got saved (verse 12 says they believed and verse 14 says they had received the Word/Jesus) but they had not been baptized in the Spirit yet (verses 15-16). The Apostles John and Peter were sent from the Jerusalem Church (40 miles or a 2 day journey on foot) to minister the Holy Ghost Baptism by the laying on of hands (verses 17-19), the way the experience was ordinarily received).

Philip then was called to leave that "revival" and travel about 100 miles into the desert near Gaza. There he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who was returning home from a trip to Jerusalem where he had worshiped. Philip approached him, engaged him in conversation, and at his invitation, "preached unto him Jesus" (verse 35). When they "came unto a certain water" (possibly the Wadi el-Hesi north of Gaza, the Ethiopian requested baptism. Either Philip had mentioned water baptism or the Ethiopian was requesting the mikveh ordinarily associated with Gentile conversion. After making sure that the Ethiopian was a believer, (that part is eliminated in some Bibles) Philip agreed (verses 36-37). Verses 38-39 continue "38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon the eunuch and the Angel of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus (Ashdod about 20 miles north of Gaza). And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea." So in this case the Ethiopian received the Holy Ghost Baptism either while in the water or while getting out of the water.

So, based on Acts 8, what does an evangelist do?

[MinisterShawnC]

Originally Posted by Sam

The only person who is called an evangelist in our KJV NT is Philip (Acts 21:8).

Paul urged Timothy (an Apostle and Bishop) to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim 4:5).

Jesus said He came to minister to the bankrupt, the broken hearted, the bound, the blind, and the bruised in Luke 4:19. He said He was anointed to preach the gospel (good news) to them.

I guess that's a definition of an evangelist.

In Acts 8 we are told about Philip's ministry in Samaria some time around winter AD 31/32 AD. He "preached Christ" unto them (verse 5). He performed miracles of healing and deliverance (verses 6, 7, and 13). His preaching and acts brought "great joy" to the city (verse 8). He preached "the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ" and folks got baptized in water (verse 12). Folks got saved (verse 12 says they believed and verse 14 says they had received the Word/Jesus) but they had not been baptized in the Spirit yet (verses 15-16). The Apostles John and Peter were sent from the Jerusalem Church (40 miles or a 2 day journey on foot) to minister the Holy Ghost Baptism by the laying on of hands (verses 17-19), the way the experience was ordinarily received).

Philip then was called to leave that "revival" and travel about 100 miles into the desert near Gaza. There he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who was returning home from a trip to Jerusalem where he had worshiped. Philip approached him, engaged him in conversation, and at his invitation, "preached unto him Jesus" (verse 35). When they "came unto a certain water" (possibly the Wadi el-Hesi north of Gaza, the Ethiopian requested baptism. Either Philip had mentioned water baptism or the Ethiopian was requesting the mikveh ordinarily associated with Gentile conversion. After making sure that the Ethiopian was a believer, (that part is eliminated in some Bibles) Philip agreed (verses 36-37). Verses 38-39 continue "38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord fell upon the eunuch and the Angel of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus (Ashdod about 20 miles north of Gaza). And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea." So in this case the Ethiopian received the Holy Ghost Baptism either while in the water or while getting out of the water.

So, based on Acts 8, what does an evangelist do?

You made it so plain and clear. The key is, how do you know exactly if you are a disciple (sheep) vs Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher, Evangelist? The Five Fold holds spiritual gifts that come with that office. Is that to say a lay member cannot operate in a spiritual gift? No, God can use anyone, but those in the fivefold ministry should be able to perform these at anytime.
So if they say they have the call of evangelist, then we should see the gifts of healing and working of miracles.
So if he told Timothy to do the "work" of evangelist, that means there is a spiritual gift that comes with that Office.

[Sister Alvear]

Let me see...an evangelist pulls a travel trailer...with a super truck...


well...not quite....