Ephesian 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
The following information dealing with the five-fold ministry of the church is presented in a question and answer format? My prayer is that as you read the scriptures with an open mind, you will find the answers to the questions provided.
Your Response Journal
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QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What does the word evangelist mean?
How is an evangelist different from the pastor or the teacher?
Is there still a need for evangelists in the Body of Christ?
Vine's Expository Dictionary defines Evangelist
euangelistes (NT:2099), lit., "a messenger of good" (eu, "well," angelos, "a messenger"), denotes a "preacher of the gospel," Acts 21:8; Eph 4:11, which makes clear the distinctiveness of the function in the churches; 2 Tim 4:5. Cf. euangelizo, "to proclaim glad tidings," and euangelion, "good news, gospel." Missionaries are "evangelists," as being essetially preachers of the gospel.
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Fausset's Bible Dictionary define Evangelist
An order of ministers, "given" among other church officers by Christ, as one of the fruits of His ascension, to His church on and after Pentecost. Not only the office, but the men, were a divine gift: "He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets (inspired forth-tellers, not fore-tellers), and some to be evangelists," i.e. itinerant missionary preachers, whereas "pastors and teachers" were stationary (Eph 4). The evangelist founded the church; the teacher built it up in the faith. The ministry of gifts preceded the ministry of orders. The irregular "evangelist" prepared the way for the regular "pastor." Apostles (Acts 8:25; 14:7; 1 Cor 1:17) or vicars apostolic, as Timothy (2 Tim 4:2-5), might "preach (herald, keerussein) the word," and so "do the work of an evangelist." Philip had been set apart as one of the seven (Acts 7; 8; 21) by the laying on of the apostles' hands.
The evangelist was not necessarily an apostle, bishop-elder, or deacon, but might be any of these. Evangelist, in the sense "inspired writer of one of the four Gospels," was a later usage. Eusebius (H. E., 3:37) in the third century says: "men do the work of evangelists, leaving their homes to preach Christ, and deliver the written Gospels to those who were ignorant of the faith." Timothy was such a missionary bishop or vicar apostolic at Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3; 2 Tim 4:5).
(from Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright © 1998, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
In Summary - a few more questions.
Did you see something new in these scriptures?
Did it support, contradict or challenge a belief you may have held?
Did this information cause a negative or a positive response in your heart?