The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost. Jesus often preached as an evangelist. As we will see, there are different types of preaching. One of these is the preaching an evangelistic person is gifted to do. We are not given many verses explicitly using the word the King James translates as “evangelist.” However, we are given several Scriptures using the Greek root of the word translated evangelist. We have sufficient information to determine the makeup of an evangelist.
Gave Gifts Unto Men: How to Identify Your Gift Mix
By Pastor Delbert Young
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
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The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached [euaggelizo] to them.
Jesus often preached as an evangelist and, of course, ministered with the gifting of the evangelist. As we will see, there are different types of preaching. One of these is preaching, which an evangelistic person is gifted to do.
We are not given many verses explicitly using the word the King James translates as “evangelist.” However, we are given several Scriptures using the Greek root of the word translated evangelist. Thus, we have sufficient information to determine the makeup of an evangelist.
We recognize the evangelist as someone passionate about bringing people in every place into the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. The evangelist accomplishes this by telling people about God’s glad tidings (loving-kindness).
There are two primary types of preaching in the New Testament, meaning two different preaching emphases. We find authority and instructional preaching. This preaching uses the Greek word kerusso. We see this word in Matthew 4:17, in which Jesus demanded a different way of thinking.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
We also find invitational preaching utilized. This preaching uses the Greek word euaggelizo. We find this word in Luke 16:16. Here, Jesus encouraged and invited people to press into the kingdom of God. We don’t think we are “preaching” when we operate in the evangelist gift, but we are. We are sharing the glad tidings (loving-kindness) about Jesus.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach [kerusso[, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached [euaggelizo] and every man presseth into it.
Interestingly, both Greek words, kerusso (preaching to the saved) and euggelizo (preaching to the lost) translated with our English words preached, preaching, preach, etc.
Every place the evangelist goes, they desire to share the gospel. The apostle is anointed to establish and build a foundation in God’s people, while the prophet is gifted to edify God’s people. However, the evangelist wants to bring the lost into God’s household.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching [euaggelizo] the word.
The evangelist desires to tell people how Christ died for our sins, and he rose again from the dead. This aspect of the gospel brings glad tidings. Evangelism is not concerned with eschatology or even Christian lifestyles.
1 Corinthians 15:2-4 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached [euaggelizo] unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Peter said even the dead had the gospel preached to them. The gospel is all-important, and every person will have the opportunity to accept or reject the message.
1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
The evangelist is not interested in teaching the “deep things” of God. Philip did not preach the receiving of the Holy Ghost or eschatology. The evangelist’s heart is to tell people about Jesus and bring them to water baptism.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
The evangelist is transient. They love to go places, tell people about Jesus, and bring people into the kingdom of God. However, the evangelist is always a part of a local church. Philip, Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy were all rooted in church assemblies. My point is that they submitted themselves to church authority.
1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Acts 8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
I. OUTWARDLY RECOGNIZED BY
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
A. The evangelist is outwardly recognized by a passion to bring people in __________________________ into the kingdom of God through ____________________________________.
B. The evangelist has a tremendous gift to mix his ____________________________ with ____________.
II. THE GREEK
A. The word translated “evangelist” means the _________________ who brings _____________________ of God’s ______________________ and ____________________________ through Jesus Christ.
B. The Greek word “evangelist” is from euaggelizo, meaning what the evangelist _______________.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
III. PREACHED
A. When the Greek word euaggelizo is translated “preach” it means ______________________ preaching.
The Greek word kerusso is preaching to herald or proclaim ___________ with ____________________.
B. Authority preaching (kerusso) is _________________________ expecting ______________________.
Evangelistic preaching (euaggelizo) is _____________________ and gives __________________________.
IV. INVITATIONAL
A. Evangelists are inviting people into ______________________________________________________.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
V. JESUS THE EVANGELIST
A. Invited the ________________________
B. Preached __________________________________________________
C. Told people in ______________________________________________________
Telling the _____________________________ about the kingdom of God is the passion of the evangelist.
VI. NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELIST
A. The New Testament evangelist will tell their good news and give their invitation __________________.
B. The gospel is and means the __________________________ and ______________________________
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
VII. EVANGELIZE THE DEAD
Peter said, for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are _________________________
VIII. PHILIP THE EVANGELIST
A. We first meet Philip as he is recognized by the people and the apostles as one of the first appointed __________________________ in the New Testament church.
B. The passion of the evangelist is to bring everyone of every ______________________________ into the kingdom of God.
C. The pure evangelist is not interested in _______________________________________.
D. Philip desired to ___________________________ (Act 8:35) and ___________________________ those he assisted into the kingdom.
E. The evangelist is ____________________ in that he or she has a never-quenching desire to share about Jesus and will go any place to tell people the glad tidings of Jesus.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
I. RECOGNIZED BY
A. We recognize the evangelist by a passion for bringing people in every place into the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. The evangelist tells people about the glad tidings of God’s love and kindness. The glad tidings of God is the message of the authentic New Testament evangelist. The apostle will establish people every place they go. The prophet will edify people every place they go. The evangelist will focus on bringing people into the kingdom by telling them about the glad tidings anyone can experience through Jesus Christ.
B. The evangelist has a tremendous ability to mix the invitational message with faith (Heb 4:2, 3). They genuinely believe if they can share Jesus Christ and their faith with a person, the person will enter into the kingdom of God.
II. THE GREEK
A. The word translated as “evangelist” means a person who brings glad tidings of God’s goodness and salvation through Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated evangelist in the King James’ version is euaggelistes (yoo-ang-ghel-is-tace’). This word is found three times in the New Testament (Act 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2Ti 4:5).
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
B. The Greek root word “evangelist” is euaggelizo and means what the evangelist says. The evangelist will speak about the joyful tidings of God’s kindness and primarily talks about the Messianic blessings. The message speaks of the bringing of the news of the kingdom of God, and of the salvation to be obtained in it through Christ. The King James Version translates euaggelizo as preach (23 times), preach the Gospel (22 times), bring good tidings (2 times), show glad tidings (2 times), bring glad tidings (1 time), declare (1 time), declare glad tidings (1 time) for a total of fifty-two uses.
We see the New Testament evangelist is to declare, bring, show, and preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. Not once in the scriptures do we find where the New Testament evangelist threatened people with hell. Their message is a message of glad tidings.
The Greek word euaggelistes is the person we call the evangelist. The Greek word euaggelizo is what the evangelist shares (preaches).
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
III. PREACHED
A. As seen previously, we find the Greek word euaggelizo, translated evangelist, rooted in the Greek word euaggelizo and translated preached 45 times. Of course, euaggelizo, when translated “preach,” means evangelistic preaching.
We’ve mentioned it, but there are several types of preaching. As stated, the Greek word kerusso is a type of preaching. The Greek word kerusso is preaching to herald or proclaim facts with authority. This style is the type of preaching John the Baptist did (Mat 3:2; Mar 1:4, 7). Jesus also preached in this manner as he preached the kingdom of God (Mat 4:17, 23; 9:35; Mar 1:14, 38-39). Jesus also instructed his disciples to preach in this form (Mat 10:7, 27; 11:1; Mar 3:14).
We learn that a person is not limited to one form of preaching or the other. Jesus, the apostles, Paul, and Philip utilized different styles. Why different styles? It would be foolish to preach evangelistically to people already in the kingdom of God, and it would be foolish to preach instructional preaching intended for believers to nonbelievers.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
B. We are limited somewhat in our thoughts of preaching. When we say, “preach,” we often imagine someone shouting, spitting, and becoming ever so excited. To us, preaching is preaching, and it’s either good or bad. In the Scriptures, there are many different types of preaching. The two primary types are kerusso (kay-roos’-so) preaching and euaggelizo (yoo-ang-ghel-id’-zo) preaching. The evangelist will beckon people to enter. Evangelistic preaching is about the good tidings of faith and love (1Th 3:6).
IV. INVITATIONAL
A. The thought of the evangelistic message being invitational is critical. If the evangelist is giving an invitational message, then we need to know to what the evangelist is inviting people. Evangelists invite people into the kingdom of God.
Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached [euaggelizo], and every man presseth into it.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
It is not only an invitation to heaven when we die evangelists invite. It is also an invitation into the kingdom of God now. Jesus said until John the Baptist, the law and the prophets were preached. Since John, the kingdom of God is preached (euaggelizo). The invitation of the evangelist is the Lord Jesus inviting people into the kingdom of God. If we accept the invitation, we receive Christ and his kingdom within us (Luk 17:21). The evangelist persuades people to turn from their vain ways unto the living God (Act 14:15).
V. JESUS THE EVANGELIST
A. Invited the poor
At the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ, he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor” (Luk 4:18; Mat 11:5). This word preach is euaggelizo, which is invitational preaching. Jesus had an anointing gift to invite the poor (destitute of wealth, beggars) into His kingdom. The thought is everyone is worthy of an invitation, and no one could not enter into the kingdom. A rich man (Mat 19:23-24) or a poor man may come in.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
B. Preached glad tidings of the kingdom
Jesus went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God (Luk 8:1). The evangelist tells the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.
The evangelist is not into teaching heavy doctrinal teachings, and the evangelist loves to talk about the happy things of God. They draw people into the kingdom with glad tidings and great joy, they are not interested in the latest revelation, but they do want to know if you have brought someone into the kingdom lately.
C. Told people in every city and village
The evangelist wants to express the glad tidings of the kingdom to every place they go (Mat 10:5). They talk about the good things of God in every village and every church (Luk 20:1). The Lord went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God (Luk 8:1). Telling the glad tidings about the kingdom of God is the passion of the evangelist. Their great desire is to communicate with every person in every place about the goodness of God through Jesus.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
VI. NEW TESTAMENT EVANGELIST
A. Every place
We are seeing the evangelist is the person with a passion for telling people about the good things of God and inviting them into the kingdom of God. The Lord came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh (Eph 2:17).
The New Testament evangelist will tell their good news and give their invitation every place. Jesus sent his disciples out, and they went through all the towns preaching (euaggelizo) the invitation (Luk 9:6; Act 8:25; 10:36). In the book of Acts, we read how daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach (Act 5:42). They went to foreign countries, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord (Act 11:20-21).
Again, even though the evangelist did go every place preaching Jesus, they were always rooted in a local home church. Philip was rooted in Samaria. Paul and Barnabas were rooted in Antioch (Act 15:35). Timothy was doing the work of the evangelist at the church in Ephesus (2Ti 4:5). The gift is essential for the success of a local church.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
B. Gospel
When we read about the gospel preached in the Bible, the scriptures are speaking about evangelistic (euaggelizo) preaching. The gospel is, and it means the good news and glad tidings. It’s concerned with Jesus dying for our sins, being buried and raised from the dead (1Co 15:2-4). Notice the gospel is not worried about eschatology or instructions for Christian living.
This message is the basic message of the evangelist. The forgiveness of sins and resurrection forms the invitation to enter the kingdom of God. Paul and Barnabas shared the good news (Act 14:7, 21). Paul preached it every place (Act 13:32; 16:10; 17:18; Rom 1:15; 10:15; 15:20; 1Co 1:17; 9:16, 18; 15:1; 2Co 10:16; 11:7; Gal 1:9, 11; 4:13). Jesus and the resurrection are central in the evangelistic message.
The evangelist is adamant about the gospel. They will not argue much about eschatology or doctrinal differences. However, when someone tampers with the gospel, the evangelist is unyielding. They will say things like Paul said, “If an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9).
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
VII. EVANGELIZE THE DEAD
Paul said before Jesus ascended He first descended into the lower parts of the earth (Eph 4:9). Peter said for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead… (1Pe 4:6). Is Peter saying dead people had the opportunity to be evangelized? Yes, he is. The remainder of the verse tells us why this is true. That they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
The gospel is all important. It is important enough that Jesus, before ascending, first descended, to preach to the dead. The judgment upon their flesh happened, but they could live in the spirit. What a wonderful God we serve! God is very merciful. He gave those who lived before the gospel the opportunity to receive the gospel.
VIII. PHILIP THE EVANGELIST
We are given sufficient scriptures about Philip to learn much about the ministry of the evangelist.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
A. Servant
We first meet Philip when recognized by the people and the apostles as one of the first appointed servants in the New Testament church (Act 6:5). As with any ministry, before the person can be great in the kingdom, they must be a servant of all. Great evangelists will first be great servants.
B. Not prejudice
After the stoning of Stephen, Philip went to Samaria to preach (Act 8:5). Jewish people despised the Samaritan people. Nonetheless, Philip ministered the love of Jesus and the kingdom of God to the Samaritans. Philip baptized men and women into the kingdom. He also went to Gaza and ministered to and baptized a man of Ethiopia who was a eunuch. Philip had no prejudice.
The passion of the evangelist is to bring everyone of every color and race into the kingdom of God. The Ethiopian eunuch asked, “What doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Act 8:35). Philip did not go through a long list of things to do. He merely said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” The New Testament evangelist will make it very simple to come into the kingdom of God.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
C. Not a teacher
In Samaria, Philip did not do a lot of teaching. We see this when Peter and John needed to come and establish the people in the Holy Ghost. The evangelist desires to get people into the kingdom. However, this is not to say the person with a primary evangelistic gift cannot be an excellent teacher.
The teaching gift could be a secondary gift mix and powerful, but the pure evangelist is not interested in profound teaching. Interestingly, when Philip first began preaching (Act 8:5), he preached using authority instructional preaching (kerusso). However, Philip started evangelistic preaching (Act 8:12) which was his primary gift (Act 21:8).
D. Preached Jesus and Water Baptism
Philip was not interested in teaching the eunuch about the Christian lifestyle nor Holy Ghost. Philip desired to preach Jesus (Act 8:35) and water baptize those he assisted into the kingdom. In the narration we have about Philip, he water baptized those he brought into the kingdom (Acts 8:12, 38). Philip clearly saw this as significant for an individual’s salvation.
The Evangelist Gifting: How to Reach the Lost
E. Transient
Philip went from Jerusalem to Samaria to Gaza to Azotus to Caesarea preaching as the evangelist (Act 8:5, 26, 40). These are the places we know he went. Possibly there were more. The point is the evangelist is transient in, and he or she has a never satisfied desire to share about Jesus and will go any place to tell people the glad tidings of Jesus. This transit ministry does not mean Philip was not rooted and settled in a local church. We know he was. Phillip lived in Samaria and was a part of the local church there. Still, he readily moved about, as led by the Spirit, to tell people about Jesus.
The evangelist is a gift given to the church by the Lord Jesus. No other gift desires to tell of the goodness of God as does the evangelist. No other gift wants to see people come into the kingdom of God as does the evangelist. Without the evangelist, the church does not grow and people miss the amazing goodness of God.