Guardians of the Gospel

Only one person holds the title of "evangelist" in the New Testament--"Philip the evangelist" (Acts 21:8)--and he was an outlaw.

In Acts 5, Peter and the other apostles were told in no uncertain terms to cease and desist their work. But their desire did not wane, and the men continued to minister. After a stint in the city slammer—and a miraculous jailbreak—the apostles were brought before the highest court. "We gave you strict orders not to teach," the judge told them. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching." The response was not what his honor expected to hear.

"We must obey God rather than men!" cried Peter. "The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Savior that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

One can only imagine the fury that erupted in the courtroom. How dare Peter and his fellow apostles blatantly defy the law? Cries rang out for the death penalty.

One man saved the apostles from death. Gamaliel, a Pharisee, spoke in their defense. "Leave these men alone! Let them go!" he urged the court. "For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men—you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

The apostles were flogged, warned once again to refrain from speaking in the name of Jesus, and then released. But nothing could keep these good men down. In fact, so much work was still to be done that the apostles decided to bring seven more employees on board. And so Philip became a fellow outlaw.

From Samaria to Caesarea, Philip never stopped preaching the gospel, performing miracles in front of large crowds, and teaching the Bible to searching souls. Although the Bible does not specifically detail all that Philip accomplished, Acts 8 covers the highlights. Philip's life can instruct us in the purpose of evangelism and the role of the evangelist.

What Is Evangelism?

Evangelism is sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through word and deed, through preaching and living, and through telling and showing. Followers of Jesus are witnesses of their faith in Christ as Savior and Lord (see John 15-16). A "witness" is one who tells what he or she has seen and heard.

You do not have to ask grandparents what they think about their grandchildren—they will tell you. They do not have to be coaxed into showing pictures of their grandchildren. It comes naturally. In the same way, our witness is as natural as our breathing. We are daily witnesses of what controls our passions. It is inescapable.

As believers, we should be daily witnesses of our faith and the good news upon which our faith is founded …. The message of this good news is God's power made available to all who hear, bringing God's deliverance to them. God's power comes through the gospel of Christ. Therefore, the church is called to preach Christ, crucified and raised from the dead! Sharing this good news with those who are without Christ is the essence of evangelism.

Who Is an Evangelist?

Evangelists are God's gift to the church to empower and mobilize her mission of announcing the good news of Jesus Christ …. We need to seek God and identify those given by Him for the purpose of spiritual harvest. We need to position those harvesters for effective ministry with, through, and for the church. We need to identify, train, and position these gifted ones from God for the purposes He has given them.

Evangelists equip the church in strategic methodologies for winning the lost to Christ. They exhibit a unique creativity and keen insight as to how to win people to Christ. They promote boldness within the Body of Christ to reach out to those who need Jesus as Savior and Lord. They inspire new ideas, new ways and new approaches for presenting the gospel to each generation. They are on the cutting edge of culture and have unique insight into the changes in culture, often serving as the bridge between the church and the world.

Am I Called to Be an Evangelist?

To be an evangelist worthy of the Cross, one must live a righteous life. This is not to say that any of us are perfect or that we preach a message of condemnation. This is to say we are marvelously saved by the wonderful love of God through Jesus Christ and that we are different because of that good news. We have a high and holy calling, which calls for our utter dependence on the Spirit of Christ within to guide, empower, correct and use us for His glory. Let none of us quickly say, "I am an evangelist sent by Jesus Christ." Let the fruit of our ministry show that God has chosen us.

Evangelists who will be guardians of the gospel in the 21st century must walk in holiness before Jesus Christ. The church cannot afford to promote, affirm or support in any way those who do not live and serve with integrity. But the issue is not a one-way street. How will the church know whom to support and minister if there is no relationship with the evangelists? How will the evangelists in the 21st century have credentials and credibility if there is no interaction with the church? In what ways is the church actively identifying, training, affirming, utilizing and supporting gifted evangelists?

To understand if you are called and gifted as an evangelist to serve the church in ministry, there are several essential questions you must answer: Do you have a desire to minister as an evangelist? Does your passion consistently burn for winning people to Christ? Do you seek out the lost? Are you excited about speaking, preaching or praying for the lost?

Do you see people coming to Christ through your ministry? Does the Spirit of God use you as a reaper of the harvest? As you interact with people, do they come closer to a commitment to Jesus Christ?

Do others in the church say you have this gifting? Do church leaders affirm your gifting and call you an evangelist? Do others seek your counsel and mentoring in reference to evangelism? Are you asked to lead in the area of evangelism in the context of your church or sphere of influence?

Because God is a God of love and relationship, He desires to make Himself known to people. He wants to connect with those He has created in a personal way, and He uses His chosen children to be the instruments of this communication. So today, in ever growing numbers, I believe the Spirit of Jesus is raising up a whole new generation of evangelists to share the transforming message of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Are you called to be part of sharing that message?

From Telling the Story, © 2006 by Luis Palau and Tim Robnett. Published by Regal Books, www.regalbooks.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Related Bible Studies

Free Newsletters

More Newsletters

Follow us