The Gift of Christ: Part 6 - Evangelist

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Gift Of Christ: Part 6 - Evangelist

The next function of the gift of Christ is the evangelistic office.  An evangelist (euangelistḗs) is one who primarily preaches the Gospel. 

• How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news (euaggelízō) of good things! - Romans 10:15

The evangelist would travel from town to town preaching the gospel to those who never heard.  Thus they were authorized migratory preachers who declared the Gospel wherever sent. 

An evangelist was also an apologist.  As they would engage the lost, they would have to be ready to give a defense of the faith.  Eusebius (AD 260-340), a church historian, referred to himself as an evangelist, when he defended his Christian brethren from the false charges brought against them. 

Philip, one of the seven chosen in Acts 6, was an evangelist.  

• entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. -  Acts 21:8b  

Philip was first called to be an elder in the Jerusalem church.  God then called him to be an evangelist and sent Him to Samaria, the Ethiopian.  

Timothy’s role, in the Ephesus church, involved teaching believers within the church, and also evangelizing unbelievers outside the church. 

• …do the work of an evangelist… 2 Timothy 4:5

Scripture points to the fact that prophets preached to believers and evangelists preached to unbelievers. Perhaps then, Timothy functioned as both a prophet and an evangelist.