What IS an Evangelist?

[Praxeas]

EVANGELIST. The word translated in the NT ‘evangelist’ is a noun from the Verb euangelizomai ‘to announce news’, and usually rendered in EVV as ‘preach the gospel’. (The NT term echoes Heb. meḇaśśēr, mebaśśereṯ in Is. 40:9; 52:7.) The verb is very common in the NT, and is applied to God (Gal. 3:8), to our Lord (Lk. 20:1), and to ordinary church members (Acts 8:4), as well as to apostles on their missionary journeys. The noun ‘evangelist’ occurs three times only in the NT. Timothy (2 Tim. 4:5) is exhorted by Paul to do the work of an evangelist; that is to say, make known the facts of the gospel. Timothy had accompanied the apostle on his missionary journeys. But it is plain from the injunctions in the two letters addressed to him that his work when the apostle wrote was very largely local and pastoral. That he is enjoined to do the work of an evangelist shows that a man who was an evangelist could also be a pastor and teacher.
In Acts 21:8 Philip is described as ‘the evangelist’. Philip had been chosen as one of the Seven in Acts 6, and after the persecution of Stephen he was prominent in preaching the gospel in unevangelized parts (e.g. Acts 8:5, 12, 35, 40). Though an evangelist, he was not included among the apostles (Acts 8:14). A similar distinction is made between Timothy and the apostles in 2 Cor. 1:1 and Col. 1:1. It will be seen, then, that though apostles were evangelists, not all evangelists were apostles. This distinction is confirmed in Eph. 4:11, where the office of ‘evangelist’ is mentioned after ‘apostle’ and ‘prophet’, and before ‘pastor’ and ‘teacher’. From this passage it is plain that the gift of evangelist was a distinct gift within the Christian church; and although all Christians doubtless performed this sacred task, as opportunity was given to them, there were some who were pre-eminently called and endowed by the Holy Spirit for this work.


Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (347–348). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

[houston]

Another topic that isn't clear. Great!

I love the modern evangelist that brings the goods. Need more of 'em. Don't care for the modern evangelist who comes to town and pulls a message from preachit.com

Benincasa is an evangelist. He doesn't travel much. He is evangelizing ?Tampa?, I think ...until the Lord moves him elsewhere.

[Sam]

As far as I know, Philip was the only person called an evangelist in our KJV New Testament. Timothy was told to do the work of an evangelist.

What did Philip do?
In the winter of AD 31/32 he went to Samaria and "preached Christ unto them" (Acts 8:5) Verse 12 said that Philip preached "the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ." Verse 6 says the people heard and saw the miracles which he did. Verse 12 said the people "believed" what he preached and verse 14 says that the people "received the Word." So, evidently lots of folks got healed and saved in Samaria but according to verses 15 and 16 the folks there had not "received" the Holy Ghost and the Spirit had not "fallen upon" them. But when the Jerusalem church sent down Peter and John, those two laid hands upon the Samaritans and ministered the Holy Ghost Baptism to them. Verses 17 and 18 says that through the laying on of hands the Holy Ghost was "given" or that the Samaritans "received" the Holy Ghost.

Then Philip was called away from Samaria to head south toward Gaza. There he met a man who had been to Jerusalem to worship and he was reading his Bible. When Philip asked if he understood what he was reading and received a negative answer, he began right there in Isaiah chapter 53 and "preached unto him Jesus" verse 35. We don't know what all Philip said but in response the eunuch requested baptism. Before Philip consented to perform the ritual he wanted to make sure the eunuch was really saved. In response the eunuch made a profession of faith (that part is not in some Bible versions). When Philip heard his confession of faith, he commanded that the chariot stop and they both went down into the water (probably the Wadi el-Hesi which is north of Gaza for the mikveh/baptism. The record continues, "the went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit fell upon the eunuch and the Angel of the Lord caught away Philip..."

So, I guess that's an evangelist in action with a group of people and with an individual

[Praxeas]

I get the feeling our modern use of the word Evangelist is not what the orginal intent was. Not a person that went from church to church to "preach revival"

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I get the feeling our modern use of the word Evangelist is not what the orginal intent was. Not a person that went from church to church to "preach revival"

When we look at the definition of the word "Apostle", it seems to apply more to one who travels from place to place to preach the Gospel.

APOSTLE:

1) a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

a) specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ

b) in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers

1) of Barnabas

2) of Timothy and Silvanus

However, as I study this out, as the NT church grew, I see the Apostles as the ones who set church order and government. It seems the main body of Apostles remained in Jerusalem, the "headquaters" of the NT church, and settled doctrinal issues. Act 15:2 They were what we would call General Superintendents and Overseers today. They would be "District Suprindendents", charged with the oversight of the churches in their respective areas. Act 16:4 In the one example of an evangelist in the NT, we see Phillip travelling to Samaria and Gaza to preach.

It seems as the NT church grew, it was necessary for the "Executive Board of" Apostles to remain in Jerusalem to direct the affairs of the church. The office of the "evengelist" seems to have been created for the purpose of carrying the Gospel to new regions. In 1 Tim 4, Paul tells Timothy to do "the work of an evangelist". Then he states that he believes "....the time of my departure is at hand." (vs. 6). It seems he was preparing Timothy to take charge of Pauls ministry which was that of a "travelling Apostle". It could be that Timothy did not meet the qualifications of an Apostle (perhaps his youth -1 Tim 4:12) so Paul urged him to travel as an evangelist rather than as an Apostle.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

I get the feeling our modern use of the word Evangelist is not what the orginal intent was. Not a person that went from church to church to "preach revival"

So, my esteemed Lakers fan, what are your "feelings" regarding the role of the evangelist in the NT? Interesting conversation started here.

Since the ministry offices listed in Eph 4 puts the evangelist in the middle, was he a "liasion" between the Apostles and Prophets in Jerusalem and the local churches? Were they sent by "headquarters" to preach in the local churches, then report back to the Apostles as to whether or not the churches were maintaining their "Apostolic Identity"?