THE 5 FOLD EVANGELIST - "KINGDOM CONNECTORS"
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Learning Objectives In This Lesson
- Understand The Role of the Evangelist In The 5 Fold Ministry
- Understand The Evangelistic Ministry of Jesus
- Learn From Philip the Evangelist
- 7 Signs of the 5 Fold Evangelist
I. The Role of The Evangelist In The Five Fold Ministry
Evangelism has been limited to passing out flyers, sharing a spiritual status on Facebook, ministry from the pulpit, and taking prayer requests.
We must view evangelism as a lifestyle. There are people who are graced and anointed to be evangelists. You may be one of these people. Evangelists have outgoing personalities that draw others to Christ.
Evangelism is a critical component of the "5 Fold Ministry" (Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher). Without the evangelist the church would be empty.
When scripture says that we will be fishers of men, the evangelist is the net or the bait. The evangelist is who helps get the fish in the boat. You are an evangelist. We are all evangelists.
The evangelist is the "doorway" to the "Five Fold Ministry." The Evangelist catches the fish so the Pastor, The Teacher, The Apostle, and The Prophet can clean them.
You must recognize your role in the "Five Fold Ministry." God has given us all "graces." You may not be an apostle, prophet, pastor, or teacher, but this category of the "evangelist" is one that we all fit.
Evangelists are bold, outgoing, and are not afraid to confront people with the truth of God. Evangelists don’t really need someone to agree with them. Evangelists have a strong conviction for the truth and don’t mind sharing that conviction with others.
Apostles Govern, Prophets Guide, Pastors Guard, Teachers Ground, Evangelists Gather
The evangelist has a grace for ministering to people and even total strangers. An evangelist carries a great burden for those who are not a part of the kingdom of God yet, and an anointing to preach the gospel with great conviction. The primary role of the evangelist is to share the good news of the gospel and the Kingdom.
II. Jesus The Evangelist
The ministry of Jesus fits most closely with that of the Evangelist and the Apostle. Jesus was not necessarily a “pastor”, although he did teach, he even prophesied. However, Jesus' life and ministry closely resembles an evangelist.
Jesus was apostolic in nature in that he walked in the authority and the power of God, he casted out devils, he performed miracles, but notice the nature of his ministry was grounded in evangelism.
90% of Jesus' miracles happened outside of the church. Think about all the time we spend “in church”, or “in worship”, but if we are to truly follow the model of Jesus we will find that this model is not congruent with the ministry of Jesus. Jesus ministry was "outside" the walls of the church.
Jesus was always moving, always meeting the need of others, always performing his ministry, and 90% of this was outside of the church. This is true evangelism.
Examples of Jesus' Miracles Outside of the Church
* Jesus cured blinded eyes
* The healing of the woman with the issue of blood
* Exorcisms
* Physical Healing
* Raising of Lazarus from the dead
To have an evangelistic mindset as Jesus did you must begin to see your life as "evangelistic." See your business as evangelistic, see your talents as evangelistic, see your text messages as evangelistic, see your Facebook page as evangelistic. The evangelist is concerned about gathering souls and will use every tool at their disposal for the sake of souls!
Luke 4:18
Notice this is Jesus opening mission statement. Jesus has outlined three things that are evangelistic and apostolic in nature.
1) Preach the good news - to the poor
2) Proclaim Deliverance - to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind
3) Release the Oppressed
III. Philip The Evangelist In Scripture
The prime example of an evangelist in the New Testament is Philip. He was one of the men chosen to serve the widows in Acts 6, and he is the only one specifically called an evangelist (Acts 21:8). In Acts 8 he obeys the Holy Spirit and brings the Ethiopian eunuch to believing knowledge of Christ.
Acts 21:8 (Notice Philip is listed as an evangelist in scripture)
8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven.
Let's Examine Acts 8: ( 26 - 40)
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 37 - 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
IV. 7 Signs of A 5 Fold Evangelist (from this text)
1) The 5 Fold Evangelist Is Anointed to Evangelize (Philip was listed as an evangelist)
2) The 5 Fold Evangelist Has An Ear To Hear/Sensitive To The Spirit (Vs. 26)
3) The 5 Fold Evangelist Is An Initiator (Vs. 27)
4) The 5 Fold Evangelist Has A Heart For The (Unlearned/Unchurched) (Vs. 29-33)
5) The 5 Fold Evangelist Has A Solid Grasp Of Scripture (Vs. 34-35)
6) The 5 Fold Evangelist “Walks The Journey with New Believers” (Vs. 36 a)
7) The 5 Fold Evangelist Knows The End Goal Is Conversion (Vs.36b - 38)
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