EVANGELISTS
The evangelist is the bringer of good tidings. The most notable evangelist in
the Bible was Philip, who went down to Samaria, preached Christ, and turned the
whole city upside down. It was in Philip's house that Agabus gave his prophecy
concerning Paul's being bound in Jerusalem (Acts 21:8). Even though Philip
preaching the word with signs and wonders turned the city of Samaria to God, he
did not seem to have apostolic power and authority. The apostles sent Peter and
John to the city in order for the Samaritans to receive the fulness of the Spirit
(Acts 8:14-15).
Paul told Timothy--a pastor, elder, and an apostle--to do the work of the
evangelist (II Tim. 4:5). There is a difference between the message of the
evangelist and the message of the pastor. Sometimes we fail to recognize this
difference. The message of the evangelist is the good news; the message of the
pastor is consecration, dedication, and sacrifice. The evangelist comes to tell us
about all of the blessings that God has provided for us, all that God has given us in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes people have difficulties with the message of the
evangelist, especially the message of prosperity. Years ago when I was pastoring
here in the city, many of Oral Roberts' associates came to my church. Oral
Roberts preached the message of the evangelist and I preached the message of
the pastor. Oral Roberts preached that God is a good God. If you serve God, He
will give you abundant life. I preached that if you serve God, the love of God shed
abroad in your heart will demand an entire consecration of everything you have.
These concepts seemed to be contradictory. Finally, I realized that these are two
sides of the love of God. God's love in God's heart caused God to give me all that
He has in Christ Jesus. When God's love is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy
Spirit, I will give everything I have to God. I will act as God acts. So, there is no
real conflict.
Paul said to the Romans that if God, acting from the love in His heart,
spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us
all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things (Rom. 8:32).
All that God has He has given to us in Jesus Christ. God can create worlds, but
He can not create another Son. He can create universes, but God only has one
Son. When He gave us His Son, He gave us the best that He had, and He has
given us all that He has in Him. This is the message of the evangelist. That same
love, shed abroad in our hearts, will bring the same response. We will give our
best to God.
These are the two sides to the gospel: the evangelist's side and the pastor's
side. The evangelist talks about the goodness of God, the love of God, the
blessing of God, the prosperity of God, and the joy of the Lord, while the pastor
emphasizes the other side of the gospel--that when we have the love of God, we
want to give up everything for Him, consecrate it all to Him, make a complete
dedication of our lives to Him. Therefore, we must allow the evangelist to preach
his message of blessing and prosperity and let the pastor preach his message of
consecration, sacrifice, and dedication.
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