Paid in Full

I won’t write out the whole “Parable of the Unmerciful Servant” here, but I’d encourage you to pause, and go have a read:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mt%2018:21-35&version=NIV

That, my friends, is one of the good ones.  Both tremendously encouraging, and tremendously challenging, as the best passages of Scripture are.  It exposes the radical love and grace of God, while simultaneously exposing our own radical hypocrisy at the same time.  It’s a “Wow!”-moment, and an “Ouch!”-moment, all at once. 

The heart of God’s message of grace, personified in the master character, is this: Your debt to Me is paid in full.  You owe Me nothing.  We’re good.  Not because you’ve earned it, not because you deserve it, but simply because I love you, and I am merciful.  You owe me nothing.

However, when the servant in the story is given this miraculous gift, he goes to his fellow servant, who owes him a few dollars, and demands repayment.  When he doesn’t get it, he has the man thrown into prison as punishment until he is able to repay the debt. 

“Hypocrite!” we cry.....except we can’t.  Because of course, we are that hypocritical servant.

We have been forgiven everything – yet are slow to forgive others ourselves.  Our debt has been paid in full – yet we continually demand “payment” from others.  God has chosen to let the past go, and release us – yet we choose to hold on, and release nothing.

God’s response to these choices is stern: “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (v.33) 

Col 3:13 says “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  How did He forgive us?  Well, freely, demanding nothing, but not just that – He forgave while reaching out to us, embracing us, drawing us back to Him, working to reconcile the broken relationship.  It wasn’t just an attitude of forgiveness that He held in His heart; it was a forgiveness that came after us, actively and intentionally, until the relationship was restored. For God, forgiveness is an action word, not just an attitude.

Jesus did the same, while on earth.  When Peter abandoned Him to His suffering and death, and then denied even knowing Him, Jesus does not see Peter again until after the resurrection, visiting them briefly on Easter Sunday.  Later, while out fishing one day, Peter sees Jesus on the beach.  There must have been an unspoken tension in the air; nothing has been said about Peter’s actions in the last hours of Jesus’ life.

What is Jesus’ response to Peter?  How does He address the one who wounded Him so?

“Come and have breakfast.” (Jn 21:12)

Come and share a meal with me.  Come and sit at my table.  Jesus then graciously restores Peter, making clear that his calling is still sure, his mission hasn’t changed, and that Jesus still believes in him.

God’s forgiveness is given freely; we are to give it freely as well.  Through Christ, God has gone to excruciating, self-denying, self-sacrificing depths in order to reconcile us to Himself; we are to work towards reconciling with others in the same self-denying manner.  God has taken wounds that He didn’t deserve without complaint; we are called to do the same.  God has actively shown us how much He loves us, even when we were His enemies; we are to love our enemies in a like manner. 

And honestly, in light of what He has done for us...lest we be called hypocrites....what else can we do?  

 

 

Cultural Blindspots

American schoolchildren are taught that on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbour without provocation, devastating the US Fleet and killing nearly 2,500 Americans in the deadliest attack on American soil until 9/11.  The Japanese who attacked are viewed as cowardly, deceitful, and murderous, attacking an innocent party without warning.

Japanese schoolchildren are taught that, in the years and months of growing global tension preceding Pearl Harbour, the US had levelled economic sanctions against Japan, withheld oil, and built up military forces in Asia in an attempt to keep Japanese ambitions in check.  The US had not entered the war yet, but if they did, the Japanese would certainly be a target of attack.  Viewing the economic actions and military buildup as a preparation for war, the Japanese chose to strike first, seeking to disable the US fleet at Pearl Harbour in order to protect themselves from what they viewed as a certain eventual American invasion.  In other words, the Japanese viewed Pearl Harbour much as Americans viewed the 2003 Invasion of Iraq – as a justified, pre-emptive strike against an enemy who was preparing to attack them.

Interesting, no?  Two completely opposite views of the exact same event.  While the Japanese perspective in no way diminishes the horror of the attack, it does show us that there are always multiple sides to a story.  We will see this pattern repeated over and over again, in virtually any given historical situation, with opposing sides coming to completely different conclusions from the exact same event.

As much as we would all like to believe that our own perspective is absolutely pure, it simply isn’t.  We are all products of our culture, our upbringing, our gender, our biases, our worldview, etc.  We don’t see things purely, with a righteous heart and clear mind – we perceive everything through the many filters of who we are. 

This affects how we interpret God’s Word, how we do church, how we discern His will, and how we walk with Him.  This struck me very clearly on a ministry trip to Zambia, where several pastors told me that we were living in the end-times, right now.  When I shared that most from my country would think of the end-times as a series of future events, the pastors thought I was crazy!  As Africa was being swallowed up in disease, violence, warfare, martyrdom, poverty, and widespread death, they saw the book of Revelation being lived out around themselves, every day.  In our safe and comfortable North American worldview, we see no such thing.  Our cultural worldview causes us to view things in a certain way, just as the Zambian cultural worldview caused them to view things very differently.  Both sides are Christians, reading the same Bible, filled with the same Spirit – yet coming to very different conclusions. 

Even the early apostles were not immune to cultural blindspots.  Spirit-filled and anointed as they were, their Jewish worldview caused them to initially question the Gentiles’ right to participate in the Church (Acts 11:1-3).  One can’t blame them; that was the only way they knew.  It was how they had been raised and taught.  Even in the purity of the revelation and power of the early Church, their flesh, influenced by their culture, was still at play.  It took an act of God to get them to alter their views (Acts 11:4-18), which thankfully they did, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The point is, we all see things dimly, and in part (1Co 13:12).  If the apostles were not immune to such errors, then neither are we.  We are all products of our culture, and our culture is not necessarily always right.

What is one to do?  Be willing to admit that our worldview may be wrong, for one.  The apostles did, and it unlocked tremendous blessing for the church.  Like the apostles, we must be open to a different viewpoint.  Listen to various perspectives, and weigh each on their own merits.  Understand that our authority is not in what the culture says, or even what the Church says, but upon what God says.  Where we have been in error, we must repent and move on.  And we must remain tied to God’s Word, constantly seeking the truth of His revelation.  Our personal cultural perspectives may be impossible to overcome completely in this life, but if we are aware, humble, and open-minded, then perhaps we can do better, and better, and better.

 

Biblically Speaking: What are Teachers?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

Finally, let us look at the role of the Teacher. We will look through the eyes of Scripture, and discover its place in the New Testament Church.

As with the other four offices of the five-fold ministries, we look to Jesus as the perfect manifestation of this gift. He is our great Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. When He walked the earth, He was acknowledged with the title of “Teacher” by the people (Mt 19:16; 23:10; Mk 9:17), and also referred to Himself that way (Jn 13:13). It was one of the main focuses of His ministry, as He taught everywhere He went, speaking in towns and cities all over the region (Mt 9:35; 11:1). Everywhere He went, he amazed the crowds with the power of His teaching, who had never heard anything like it before (Mt 7:28; 13:54).

As He prepared to leave this earth, part of the command of His Great Commission was for His disciples to continue His teaching ministry, showing others how to obey everything that He had taught them (Mt 28:20).

So, what does a biblical teacher look like? 

First, teachers bring teaching that is inspired by God. There is a huge difference between “teaching” and “inspired teaching!” Even a non-Christian could take a passage of Scripture, study the meaning and original context, and unpack what the text says, even providing some principles for us to live by.  Case in point: American founding father Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian or believer in God, but he admired the moral teachings of Jesus.  So, he removed all supernatural references from the Gospels and formed the “Jefferson Bible”, filled only with the ethical instructions of Christ, which he encouraged people to follow.

This obviously requires no inspiration or connection with God, and anyone can do this, Christian or not. Biblical teachers are more than just dispensers of information based on the text of Scripture; they are desiring to find the “God-breathed” inspiration behind the Word (2Ti 3;16), and bring a fresh revelation of what God is saying to us through it.

Scripture warns against teaching that has its roots in human origin instead of divine (Col 2:22). Godly teachers will not seek to bring forward their own agendas or values through Scripture, but rather seek God’s ways alone and communicate them. Jesus said, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.” (Jn 7:16). Likewise, He also said that after He left, the Holy Spirit would come, and that He would “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (Jn 14:26) So we see that Jesus was not attempting to bring His own ideas, but only His Father’s. And the Spirit has been sent to continue that very same ministry, teaching us from what Jesus has said. True bible teachers will walk in this same anointing, hearing from Heaven what God is desiring to reveal through His Word, and then communicating that revelation and understanding to the Church through the Scripture.

When this occurs, teachers will teach with authority. This is what Jesus did, and it amazed those who heard Him (Mt 7:28-29). He was not simply unpacking old revelation or showing people what the Scripture said. He was bringing brand-new understanding (Mk 1:27), and a fresh revelation of who God is and what walking with Him looks like. Another biblical example is Stephen, who went about bringing the new teaching of the Gospel, and as he did, he shut the mouths of those who publically challenged him, because they “could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” (Ac 6:10). Divine authority comes when teachers have a true revelation from Heaven, and their words will carry an undeniable weight when they do.

Moving on, a biblical teacher will use the Bible to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2Ti 3:16). They understand that “all Scripture is God-breathed”, and that all of their authority and understanding comes from the power of God’s word. Wielding the Bible as their greatest tool, verses will flow from a teacher’s mouth in any situation, using the Scriptures to exhort, encourage, discipline, and build up the Body of Christ. While a prophet presses in for revelation directly from the Spirit, a teacher seeks Holy Spirit revelation through the written Word.

Good teachers will confront what is false. Part of their job is to protect the Church from misleading or unscriptural teachings and doctrine (1Ti 1:3-7; 2Ti 4:3; 2Pe 2:1-3). Teachers know that the Word of God is the full revelation of who He is, and what He requires. Nothing contrary to Scripture can be from the Lord. By pulling pure doctrine from the Word of God, and preaching it with the above-mentioned inspiration and authority, teachers will be able to point out error and turn God’s people away from it (2Pe 3:17).

New Testament teachers will live by the words that they teach. Jesus warned His disciples about the teachers of His time, telling His followers to “obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Mt 23:3) Jesus called these teachers “hypocrites” on many occasions (see Mt 23). This should soberly challenge anyone who teaches! Good teachers will not just be communicators of the ideals of Scripture; they will live them out every day. In establishing his credentials with the Corinthian church, Paul wrote that the way that he lived his life “agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. (1Co 4:17) Paul was not preaching one way and living another; he made sure that he was “practicing what he preached.” Although none are perfect, teachers must strive to fulfill their own instruction.

Finally, it is worth nothing that teachers will face a higher standard than others. James said that “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (Ja 3:1) Because of their special role in handling the divine revelation of Scripture, teachers will be held to a higher account than the rest of the church. As with the title of “Apostle” that we already examined, the office of “Teacher” brings a lot more with it than some have bargained for! To call oneself a Teacher is to call upon God for a stricter judgment, and that is not something to be taken lightly. Because of this, those who are called to teach should do so within their God-given authority, and those who are not called should accept this peacefully. God has a place for everyone, and there is no need to try and fit into someone else’s anointing!

The roles of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher are gifts that God has given to His Church. They are all necessary, and it is important that they all function together, complimenting each other. When one of the five is missing, there is a large void in the effectiveness of Church ministry. Only by all five offices moving in lockstep with each other can the Church move into its full potential. Hopefully, through this study of these amazing gifts, we will have a strong overview of each role, and of its place within the Body. And as we see and understand each purpose, we can pray for and seek these gifts, helping each other find our place, and see the Body of Christ move into the maturity that it is destined for.

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Biblically Speaking: What are Pastors?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

In our modern Church context, the role of the Pastor is central to every local assembly. In fact, in many cases, the Pastor is actually expected to be the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, and Teacher for the whole local church, when in fact, biblically, it is clearly separate from these roles, and has a very specific function.

The word for “pastor” comes from the Latin term “pastorem”, which means “to shepherd.” The word is actually only used once in the entire Bible, and that is only in the description of the five-fold ministries of Eph 4. However, the concept of “shepherding” is much more common throughout the Bible, and so we will look at what the term means for God’s Church.

As with all of the aspects of the five-fold ministries that we have examined so far, Jesus is our prime example of this gift, just as He is the perfect example of an Apostle, Prophet, and Evangelist. Jesus is the greatest Pastor of all, calling Himself “The Good Shepherd.” (Jn 10:11:16). Just as a pastor is the head of a local church, ultimately every pastor is submitted to Jesus, who shepherds the entire church at large (Col 1:18). As the Good Shepherd, Jesus watches over His sheep, leading them, caring for them, feeding them, and protecting them. His role is mirrored by the earthly ministers who are called to these tasks.

Biblically, and in our modern churches, pastors are leaders and overseers of a local assembly. It seems, within New Testament context, that the biblical “elders” and “overseers” were considered pastors, instructed by Scripture to “shepherd” believers within a designated community of Christians (Ac 20:28; 1Pe 5:2). Jesus Himself is referred to as the “Shepherd and Overseer” of our souls (1Pe 2:25), which may confirm the idea that “overseers” and “shepherds” (pastors) are referring to the same role. As well, passages such as 1Pe 5:1-4 and Titus 1:5-9 use the terms “elder” and “overseer” interchangeably, indicating that they too are the same role.

So then, it appears that the biblical terms of “pastors”, “overseers”, and “elders” are all describing the same single office. They were mature believers who were appointed to lead (or join a team of leaders) the local assemblies (Ac 14:23; Tit 1:5), and were responsible for caring for God’s people (1Ti 3:5).

By examining the requirements and instructions placed on elders and overseers, we can learn much about what a biblical “pastor” is. As well, by reading through Paul’s “Pastoral Letters” to Timothy and Titus, we can add to our understanding, as we study the teaching that Paul gave to these local pastors to help them in their ministries.

First of all, just to reiterate the basic definition, pastors are shepherds of God’s flock. Evangelists lead people to Jesus; Apostles lay foundations, build, and establish new things; Prophets hear what God is saying to His Church and share it - and Pastors nurture and care for the sheep. There are believers that are placed under a pastor’s watch that he/she is responsible for (1Pe 5:2). With the LORD as the best example of a Shepherd for us (Ps 23; Jn 10), we can deduce that pastors will lead God’s flock (Ps 23:2), feed God’s people (ibid), guide them through life (v.3), protect them (v.4), and be so committed to loving and caring for their own that they lay down their lives for the sake of those under their care (Jn 10:11).

Pastors set an example for God’s people (1Ti 4:12; 1Pe 5:3). As the most visible members of the church, and the ones sitting in leadership over it, pastors are observed by everyone in the church, and so must live in such a way that others can view them and be inspired by the godliness and faith that is being modeled for them. Paul’s charge to the pastor Timothy was to set an example for his flock “in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1Ti 4:12).

Pastors are required to “be above reproach” (1Ti 3:2) and “blameless” (Tit 1:6). Scripture actually lists some very specific character requirements for pastors, including that they be the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, not overbearing, not pursuing dishonest gain, that they are lovers of what is good, and that they are upright, holy and disciplined. (1Ti 3:2-6; Tit 1:6-8). While no one is perfect, and while this is obviously setting a high standard, this makes it very important that a person actually be called by God to the ministry of pastoring, and not just take it on by their own will. If one is called, there will be grace to live up to biblical expectations. If not, it will be impossible, and that will lead to nothing good!

Pastors are called to “correct, rebuke and encourage” the church —“with great patience and careful instruction.” (2Ti 4:2). Through good teaching and sound instruction (1Ti 4:11), a pastor feeds the sheep from the bread of God’s Word, and at times, corrects behaviour that is sinful and out of line with Scripture (2Ti 4:3; Tit 2:1). Ultimately, encouragement will be a part of every pastor’s ministry (Tit 1:9; 2:15), as they build up the Body of Christ and assist each believer in their walk with Jesus.

Like a good shepherd, pastors protect the sheep. Paul warned the pastors at Ephesus that after he left, “savage wolves” would come in among them (Ac 20:29). Pastors fight to keep the wolves away, whether those “wolves” are manifested as unscriptural doctrine (1Ti 4:1-6), false prophets and teachers (1:3-7;4:2-3), or sinful behaviour (2Ti 3:1-5). A good pastor is not afraid to stand up boldly for truth, to call what is false “false”, and to point out sin for what it is. These are the actions of a loving, caring shepherd who wants to see that the sheep are kept from harm.

Pastors can be teachers of the Word (1Ti 3:2; 4:13). In our modern context, most pastors are expected to be teachers to some degree. Whether through sermons, bible studies, or even just sharing a verse of encouragement with a person in need, pastors know that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2Ti 3:16). The Word of God is the ultimate tool and the ultimate authority for pastors to use with their people.

However, it is important to note that Scripture says that “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” (1Ti 5:17) The wording of this passage indicates that there will also be elders whose work is NOT preaching and teaching. Not all pastors are gifted teachers; some have great concern for the flock and are more drawn towards the personal “care” side of pastoring, rather than the teaching side. Regardless, every pastor will have a strong knowledge of the Bible and use it to lead them in their ministry, whether they are public teachers or not.

Pastors are supervisors of the administration of church business (1Tim 5:3-16). Deacons are given to assist leaders in this task (Ac 6:1-4), but as overseers of the church as a whole, pastors will be involved in managing the practical affairs of an assembly.

Pastors are called to the ministry of training and releasing others under their care (2Ti 2:2; Tit 1:5). Paul specifically tells Timothy not to do it all on his own, saying that “the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2Ti 2:2). It just makes sense, really; one believer can accomplish much, but a hundred equipped and anointed believers can accomplish much, much more. A good pastor sees the potential in the people under his care and knows how to equip and release them into their God-ordained purpose.

Pastors are called to be gentle (1Ti 3:3; 6:11; 2Ti 2:25). A shepherd who walks into a flock of sheep and is overly bold, sudden, or harsh, will find that the sheep scatter and stay away. Scripture commands pastors to be gentle, as the Good Shepherd is gentle with us. The sheep will follow one who they trust, and in order to properly care for them, a shepherd must be able to get close to them. Gentleness will allow these things to happen.

It is important to recognize the “noble task” of pastoring (1Ti 3:1), while at the same time understanding the great responsibilities that it entails. True shepherds will share the heart of the Good Shepherd, who loved His sheep so much that He died for them. Jesus did not come seeking title or prestige; He came, not to be served, but rather to serve others Himself (Mt 20:28), and to lay down His life for His flock (Jn 10:15). True pastors will walk in the same manner; they are here to serve, and to sacrifice of themselves for their flocks’ sake. In so doing, the sheep under their watch will be built up, fed, cared for, protected, and edified in their relationship with Jesus.

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Biblically Speaking: What's an Evangelist?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

The English word for “evangelism” comes from the Greek word, “euangelion”, which is most usually translated as one bringing “good news”. The term “evangelist”, meaning the title given to one who evangelizes, is literally translated as “I bring a good message.” A fitting title for one who shares the story of the risen Jesus Christ! Evangelists are the “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19) that Jesus spoke of, the workers who long to bring in the harvest of the lost that His blood has purchased at great price (Mt 9:37-38). They are hungry to see people come to Christ. 

Jesus Himself was the first evangelist, with Scripture often describes His ministry as the preaching of “the good news” (Mt 4:23; 9:35; Mk 1:14; Lk 8:1). After seeing His wonders and hearing His message, many believed in Him and became disciples (Jn 2:11; 7:31; 12:42), which really is the true purpose of evangelism: that those who don’t yet know Him would believe in Jesus, and follow after Him.

Evangelism styles and structures have shifted over the centuries, as the culture has changed. This is a good thing! But rather than look at specific styles or techniques of evangelism, we will look at biblical principles of what makes an evangelist, regardless of culture or time.

To begin with, by way of description, an evangelist leads people to Jesus. This is their main role within the church. As Paul and Barnabas travelled through Europe, they had great success in their evangelism ministry. In one encounter, Scripture says that “They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples.” (Ac 14:21). That, in a nutshell, is evangelism: sharing the good news and winning people to the Lord, whatever that may look like.

To that end, evangelists will have a heart that is drawn to the lost. Their hearts will echo the heart of the Saviour: “When (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt 9:36) While a pastor will have a passion to care for the sheep of God’s family, an evangelist will be moved to compassion for those who are “harassed and helpless” in this broken world, and who are hopeless without a Saviour. Their ministry comes from that place of sincere concern for those who need Jesus.

Evangelists are driven by the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20) Evangelists have heard the word “go” and take that command seriously! Whether at home or on the mission field, evangelists are stirred by the authority that Jesus has given in these verses, and want to please Him by obeying what He has said.

The only person in all of Scripture who is actually given the title of “evangelist” is Philip (Ac 21:8), (although we do see others preaching the Gospel and leading people to Jesus). Therefore, in understanding the evangelistic gift, it is worth taking a good look at the “evangelist’s” life. By examining Philip’s ministry, there is much that we can learn about the role of an evangelist within the Church.

Philip was one of the first deacons, chosen in Acts 6 to assist the apostles in the administrative aspects of the Jerusalem church (v.3). He was chosen with six other men, all of whom were selected because they were “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” (ibid).

As he moved into his ministry, he teaches us that evangelists walk in divine power. Not all will function in signs and wonders necessarily, but Philip did, as did the apostles when they went about preaching the Gospel. After the stoning of Stephen, the disciples were forced to flee Jerusalem to avoid persecution (Ac 8:1). Philip travelled to Samaria (v.5), and God performed many miracles through him (v.6-7). While in Samaria, Philip’s main job, however, was preaching the Gospel, and as the crowds were amazed at his words combined with the signs and wonders, “they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ”, and many were baptized into the Name of Jesus (v.12), including a well-known sorcerer (v.13). Signs and wonders confirmed the power of the Gospel message of the resurrected Saviour. Not all evangelists will function in this specific way necessarily, but regardless, Paul said “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). He understood that this was more than just words or a good story. Evangelists know that there is divine power in the Gospel for salvation, and there is incredible Holy Spirit-anointing on its words (Isa 61:1; Lk 4:18).

Moving on, evangelists will partner with the other five-fold ministries of the church. Of course, all of the ministries must work with each other, but this is especially true with evangelism, as newborn Christians are at stake. An evangelist leads people to Jesus, but someone else must be in place to care for them from there, or else the new believer may fall away.

For years, the Billy Graham Evangelical Association would travel across the United States, seeing thousands come to Jesus every year. Early in the ministry, he functioned in the classic evangelist style of that time, by which a travelling minister would come into town, preach the Gospel, lead people to Jesus, and then leave, with no follow-up or help for the new converts. Realizing that many of the people they were leading to Jesus were falling through the cracks, the Association began to insist on partnership with local Bible-believing churches in every town that they visited, so that new believers could be connected with a church right away, and continue to grow in the Lord. This model is now the standard for evangelistic ministries around the world, and remains one of the core values of the Association to this day.

As people began to get saved in Samaria under Philip’s evangelistic ministry, the apostles John and Peter came to assist him, laying hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit, since the people had gotten saved but had not yet experienced the baptism of the Sprit (v.15-17). This is a good example of the five-fold ministries working together, with Philip the evangelist leading people to Jesus, and then the apostles coming and building upon that foundation to edify the new believers. Based on the basic model that we see in Acts (14:23), it is likely that pastors would then have been appointed over local churches in the area, who could nurture the new believers even more. Evangelism is the first step in making disciples, but there are many other steps that follow as well. All need to work together to bring people from the place of being unsaved into true maturity in Christ.

Continuing on, evangelists are sensitive to the voice of the Lord (8:26). While it is certainly a biblical method to preach the Gospel to anyone who will listen, Philip also was sensitive enough to hear specific direction from Heaven that he was to travel to a certain place for a divine appointment with a lost soul. By obeying the Lord’s leading, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a man who could not have been more ripe for harvest than he was in that moment! (8:27-29). Philip led this man to Jesus, and taught us the importance of hearing what the Spirit is saying, as one never knows when it might be God’s appointed time for a person’s salvation.

This same story also teaches us that evangelists will be just as committed to one soul as they would be to many. In Acts chapter 2, Peter leads three thousand people to Jesus (2:41); Scripture takes just as much time to tell the story of the one Ethiopian (8:26-39). Evangelists will feel the Father’s heart that is communicated in Scripture: “If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” (Mt 18:12-14). For a true evangelist, it’s not about numbers, it’s about souls: real people who are lost and broken, who desperately need someone to go and find them, and bring them home.

Finally, evangelists can be missionaries or localized. Neither is exalted over the other; an evangelist can travel and literally go to the nations, or can stay in one place and commit to bringing the Gospel there. Philip did both, travelling throughout the land (Ac 8), before landing in Caesarea, buying a house, and remaining there for the rest of his known ministry ( 8:40; 21:8). When the Pentecostal movement started, much emphasis was placed on missions, sending people to the ends of the earth to bring the Gospel. This is good and of course needed! But there are many unsaved all around us, every day, and someone needs to bring the message of good news to them as well. Again, for evangelists, it is all about souls. Whether here, or there, someone just needs to bring in the harvest.

This key element of the five-fold ministries could arguably be called the most important, as evangelists are fulfilling both the Great Commission and the Great Commandment by their actions, and, by God’s grace, they are bringing people from darkness into light (Jn 8:12). And what could be more important than that? Evangelists seek to fulfill the words of Jesus with a pure heart, and to see those who are perishing redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. They rejoice in the words of the Saviour, and give their lives to see them fulfilled:

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (Jn 5:24)