What is an evangelist?

Evangelists, as their names would suggest, are heralds of the glad tidings, preachers of the gospel of the grace of God, who awaken the careless and win souls to Christ. It is not every one who is an evangelist, though all should have the love of souls, and be ready to point the sinner to Christ. But men who are evangelists by gift have a true passion for souls, true longing and travailing in birth for them; they are instructed how to present the gospel, how to gather in the souls, to distinguish true anxiety from false, and reality from mere profession. It is their joy to bring sinners to Christ, to see those who were in the world brought into the Church. The evangelist is a man of prayer, for he realizes that the work is all of God, and that "methods" are but of little worth. He is a man of faith, who counts on the living God. He is a student of Scripture, that he may present only the truth to souls. He is a man of courage, not fearing to go even where "bonds and imprisonment" may await him, that he may carry the glorious gospel of the blessed God to the perishing. He is a man of energy, instant in season, out of season. He is a man of perseverance, not discouraged if he fails to see immediate fruit from his labor. Lastly, he is a man of humility, glorying in another, saying from the heart, "Not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

An evangelist is one who possesses a bona fide gift from Christ, the Head of the Church. If a man does not have this gift he is not an evangelist, though able to speak ever so fluently. We believe there is one feature which invariably characterizes a true evangelist — an intense love for souls and a thirsting for their salvation so Christ may be magnified. The glory of Christ must ever be the ruling object with every workman, whatever be his gift. We believe the evangelist ought to look for results and confidently expect them, just as the farmer looks for the fruit of his labor. He may have to exercise “long patience,” but he should fully count on God for results. An evangelist is, of necessity, more or less a traveler. The world is his sphere, but the Lord will ever guide those who simply wait on Him, having no will of their own, no personal aim or object.

A happy, blessed service is that of the evangelist. Himself a gift from the Lord to men, he must be qualified by the Holy Ghost for his work. As God’s herald he takes his stand in the world and announces the good news (i.e., gospel) of salvation to sinners for all who will receive it. It is not a partial amnesty that he is commissioned to promulgate, nor is it a mere pardon, however graciously conceded, that he is sent out to declare. He speaks of pardon, but of justification also. He speaks of deliverance from wrath, but he speaks of everlasting blessedness likewise. The threshold of hell shall never be crossed by those who give heed to, and rest in, what he proclaims; and the door of heaven, he is empowered to say, has been opened to receive all who believe. The wrath of God is averted, because His Son has endured it for sinners; and the favour of God can be enjoyed, because those who believe have it freely bestowed on them in the Beloved. Beautiful on the mountains will be the feet of them that bring good tidings, that publish peace; that bring good tidings of good, that publish salvation; that shall say to Zion, Thy God reigneth. (Isa 52:7.) Beautiful too now, not on the mountains simply (i.e., those which surround Jerusalem, Ps 125:2), but on earth, in valley, plain, hill, city, on shore or at sea, are those who proclaim the gospel of peace, till the Lord shall descend into the air. The Spirit of God in Isaiah looks forward to that future in store for Zion, and rejoices. The Spirit of God, we learn from the Romans (chap. 10:15), delights in the proclamation of the gospel of peace now. "But how shall they preach except they be sent!” Then none can take up this service unless they have been sent to discharge it. “Except they be sent” implies a call, and supposes a fitness in the individual for the work. God must call the individual, man cannot. Man may own that the labourer has received a call. He ought to do this, but the call is from God to the evangelist. Paul was called by God. (Gal. 1:15-16; 2:7.) Paul and Barnabas were separated by the saints at Antioch to the Holy Ghost for the work of missions to which He had called them. (Acts 13:2.) The hands of the prophets and teachers having been laid on them, they went forward to their work, but “sent forth by the Holy Ghost.” And all those called for this work are specially adapted for such a service. Let any one of God’s children, not qualified for evangelizing, try it, and he will at length give it up, feeling himself unfitted for it.

"Evangelists, as their names would suggest, are heralds of the glad tidings, preachers of the Gospel of the grace of God, who awaken the careless and win souls to Christ. It is not everyone who is an evangelist, though all should have the love of souls, and be ready to point the sinner to Christ. But men who are evangelists by gift have a true passion for souls, true longing and travailing in birth for them; they are instructed how to present the Gospel, how to gather in the souls, to distinguish true anxiety from false and reality from mere profession. It is their joy to bring sinners to Christ, to see those who were in the world brought into the Church.

The Gospel is primarily information. It is not invitation, appeal or exhortation, though these may be based upon it. It is news, and the evangelist is one who announces it. He is the proclaimer of glad tidings, the bearer of glorious news. He has information to impart; he communicates to men a message from God, telling them how they may be saved.

Every Christian should aim to be a winner of others to faith in the Saviour. Each may have his hook and line, baited with the gospel message, the hook kept sharp by prayer. An evangelist, however, does more than this. He fishes with a net. He is divinely qualified, commissioned and sent to open men's eyes, and to turn them from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). Let us heartily thank God for all such. Let us help them by our prayers and in every possible way.

Scripture is that which our souls are turned back upon, and which really fits the man of God - whoever he may be — for his work. Then in 2 Timothy 4:5 we read, "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing." Do the work of the evangelist. People ask me, "Are you an evangelist?" "I don't know," I reply. I do not know or care whether I am one or not, if I can only do the work of one. The work of the evangelist is to bring Christ before souls, and bring souls to Christ. In the day when everything is out of gear, the servant of Christ is to be "man of all work." When an establishment is in full working order there may be the tablemaid, the housemaid, and the cook, but when things are diminished, and retrenchment is the order of the day, then there comes as a necessity the "maid of all work"; and so the servant of Christ may have to do a little bit of gospel work, a little bit of teaching, a little bit of pastoral work. Any service for Christ is sweet.

Scripture is that which our souls are turned back upon, and which really fits the man of God — whoever he may be — for his work. Then in chapter 4:5 we read: "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing." Do the work of the evangelist. People ask me, "Are you an evangelist?" "I don't know," I reply. I do not know or care whether I am one or not, if I can only do the work of one. The work of the evangelist is to bring Christ before souls, and bring souls to Christ. In the day when everything is out of gear, the servant of Christ is to be "man of all work." When an establishment is in full working order there may be the tablemaid, the housemaid, and the cook, but when things are diminished, and retrenchment is the order of the day, then there comes as a necessity the "maid of all work"; and so the servant of Christ may have to do a little bit of gospel work, a little bit of teaching, a little bit of pastoral work. Any service for Christ is sweet.

The evangelist preaches the good news of God; he proclaims the gift of life eternal and remission of sins to all such as believe in Jesus. The pastor and teacher, publicly and privately, tells the whole counsel of God to the faithful; that they may be built up in the truth and filled with the knowledge of His will, so as to walk worthily of the Lord and to please Him in all respects.

The next call appears to be often strangely misunderstood, as if the apostle meant Timothy to do an evangelist's work, when he had not that gift, and consequently was not really an evangelist! For such a construction there is not the shadow of a sound reason. The danger rather was that the increasing difficulties and troubles of the assembly might distract the young and sensitive labourer, calling him to forego the exercise of that which was truly his gift without, though not his only one, because of the demands from within. Work so blessed to which the Lord has called him must not be intermitted. The evangelist is not a preacher only: work of faith and labour of love in quest of souls characterize him who presses the glad tidings on souls individually as well as publicly.