All Christians are called to evangelize and reach out to the lost with the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20), yet some are given a special amount of faith and efficacy. In Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul states that Jesus “gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Evangelists are called Euaggelistes in Greek, which means “one who gives good news.” Acts 21:8 and 2 Timothy 4:5 are the only other places in the New Testament where this word appears.
Before You Continue...
Do you know what is your soul number? Take this quick quiz to find out! Get a personalized numerology report, and discover how you can unlock your fullest spiritual potential. Start the quiz now!
The Holy Spirit endows evangelists with the unique power to clearly and effectively convey the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.
They have a burden for the lost in their hearts and will go out of their way to tell them the truth.
Evangelists are able to overcome their fear of rejection and have meaningful dialogues with non-believers about Jesus.
Because of their talent, they are able to communicate with a wide range of individuals, and as a result, the message of salvation through Jesus Christ receives a stronger response.
They are always looking for opportunities to build relationships with those who don't know Jesus and are willing to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance in approaching diverse people.
They like giving away free wealth for Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:7), and knowing that the “feet that bring good news” are lovely to people who believe provides them great joy (Isaiah 52:7).
Acts 8:5-12, 26-40, 21:8, Matthew 28:18-20 are all references to Ephesians 4:11.
Is evangelism listed as a spiritual gift?
Evangelism is a command given to all, not a gift given to some. As Christians, one of our primary responsibilities is to assist others in becoming Christians. Many of us have evangelism misfiled in the spiritual gift drawer when it belongs in the spiritual discipline drawer.
What is the role of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in evangelism?
Pastor Bryan shared the great point with us on Sunday, that Jesus moved for us so that his Spirit may move through us for others. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to be witnesses to the world in both word and deed. Being a witness is not something that can be checked off a to-do list; it is the very identity that the Holy Spirit gives to someone who trusts and believes in Jesus. This blog will focus on one aspect of this: the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism.
What Is Evangelism?
Some would claim that evangelism is the process of persuading people to become Christians. This is most likely only a half-truth. If you take a quick glance at the Greek word v (euangelion), you can probably see where the word evangelism comes from. Euangelion is a Greek word that means “good news” or “gospel.” Simply put, evangelism is the proclamation of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and lordship. Being a witness refers to someone who bears witness to the gospel message. We can still be witnesses to the gospel (as it is written in the Scriptures) and to what Jesus has done in our lives, even though we are 2000 years removed from these events.
The Holy Spirit's Evangelism Work
The Holy Spirit operates in evangelism in two ways: first, to strengthen us as witnesses, and second, to use the gospel to bring about believing.
“‘But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' (See Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit empowers us to be witnesses, as Pastor Bryan stated on Sunday. In the Bible, the Holy Spirit plays this function by giving the disciples something to say in difficult situations (Luke 12:11-12; Acts 4:8) and leading them to evangelistic opportunities (Acts 8:29; Acts 10:19ff). Paul also asked the churches to pray for evangelistic chances and clarity of speech (Colossians 4:3-4), as well as the appropriate words to say and the boldness to say them (Ephesians 6:19-20). If God had said yes to these requests, it would have been through the Holy Spirit.
When we need words to say, opportunities to say them, and the courage to utter them, we may entirely rely on God and his Holy Spirit.
Paul is responsible for the majority of what we know about how people come to faith. The Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) and the gospel (Romans 1:16) have a power that works together in salvation, according to Paul. In his book Paul and the Faithfulness of God, New Testament scholar N.T. Wright writes:
The spirit of God is at work. In his theology, the gospel and the spirit are inextricably linked. Paul does not see a scenario in which he first informs people about Jesus, then they decide whether or not to believe his message, and then the Holy Spirit descends on those who have already believed. Paul views belief as something that is impacted on the one hand by the Spirit and on the other hand by the gospel's word. (see p. 917)
The best expression of this is found in 1 Thessalonians 1: “Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction, we know that God has chosen you” (v. 4-5).
What Does this Mean for Us?
However, we have forsaken dishonest and deceptive methods. We reject to use deception or tamper with God's word, preferring instead to commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the eyes of God by speaking the truth plainly. Even if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden from those who are dying. The deity of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers in their instance, preventing them from recognizing the light of the gospel of Christ's grandeur as the image of God. For we declare Jesus Christ as Lord, and we announce ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who declared, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shined in our hearts to give us the knowledge of God's glory in Jesus Christ's face. (Colossians 4:2-6)
Paul is stating that his witness identity is not defined by the number of persons he witnessed being saved. That would have led to the deceptive practices he condemns. He merely wanted to say what was on his mind, and he wanted to say it plainly and fearlessly. People's apathy toward the gospel is a spiritual issue that only God can solve. “What then is Apollos?” Paul asks in his first letter to the Corinthian church. What is Paul's name? As the Lord assigned to each, servants through whom you believed. I planted the seeds, Apollos watered them, but it was God who provided the growth. As a result, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything; only God is the source of growth” (1 Corinthians 3:5-7). We can only praise the God who has saved when someone comes to faith.
We can be encouraged by our status as witnesses. God is at work in our lives to equip us to be his witnesses, but he is also at work in the proclamation of the gospel, smashing faithless stone hearts and replacing them with faith-filled fleshy hearts. Our objective is to simply communicate the truth and pray that God would pierce the hearts of people who hear us. “How lovely are the feet of someone who brings good news upon the mountains,” to be sure (Isaiah 52:7). How much more attractive, however, is the one who brings redemption! Let us rejoice in the fact that we are witnesses to our glorious Savior.
What are the spiritual gifts of the spirit?
The New Testament has a number of listings of spiritual gifts, the majority of which are found in the Pauline epistles. Although each list is distinct, there is some overlap.
The charismata were prophesied in the Book of Joel (2:28) and promised by Christ (Mark 16:1718), according to Christians. This promise was realized on Pentecost Day and as the church spread around the world. Paul devoted much of his First Epistle to the Corinthians (chapters 1214) to spiritual gifts in order to rectify misuse surrounding spiritual talents in Corinth.
Two Greek phrases are translated as “spiritual gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12. The word pneumatika (“spirituals” or “things of the Spirit”) appears in verse 1. The word charisma is used in verse 4. The word comes from the Greek word charis, which meaning “grace.” The terms diakonia (translated “administrations,” “ministries,” or “service”) and energemata (“operations” or “inworkings”) are used in verses 5 and 6 to describe the nature of spiritual gifts. The term “manifestation (phanerosis) of the Spirit” is used in verse 7.
Christians interpret spiritual gifts as enablements or capacities conferred by God on individuals, based on these scriptural texts. These cannot be earned or merited because they are freely supplied by God. These are activities or manifestations of the Holy Spirit, not of the gifted person, even though they are carried out via persons. They are to be used for the benefit of others, and they are given to the church as a whole rather than to individual members. The gifts are distributed in a variety of ways; no single person will have all of them. The church is edified (built up), exhorted (encouraged), and comforted through spiritual gifts.
Many think that there are as many gifts as there are needs in the church of Christ, despite the fact that Paul did not mention all of the Spirit's gifts. The gifts have been categorized in the past based on their similarities and differences with other gifts. Some categorize them into three groups based on Old Testament offices. Any gift that involves teaching, encouraging, or rebuking others is considered “prophetic.” Mercy and concern for the poor are examples of “priestly” gifts, as is intercession before God. Gifts involving church management or government are referred to as “kingly.” Others classify them as “gifts of knowledge” (words of wisdom, word of knowledge, differentiating between spirits), “gifts of speech” (tongues, interpretation, prophecy), and “gifts of power” (tongues, interpretation, prophecy) (faith, healing, miracles). The gifts have also been divided into those that promote the church's inner growth (apostle, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, teaching, word of wisdom/knowledge, helps, and administration) and those that promote the church's outer development (apostle, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, teaching, word of wisdom/knowledge, helps, and administration) (faith, miracles, healing, tongues, interpretation of tongues).
Is pastor a spiritual gift?
The Church, according to 1 Corinthians 12:12, is a body of interdependent individuals upon whom the Spirit bestows His various and varied gifts. The Holy Spirit grants select members of the church of Christ the grace, power, and authority to act as pastors, according to Ephesians 4:11. As a result, serving as a pastor is first and foremost a spiritual calling rather than a job. As a result, an ecclesiastical body does not have the authority to decide who receives what spiritual gift(s). Spiritually gifted people have amazing abilities that come from the Holy Spirit, who then guides them “distributes them to each person as he sees fit” (1 Cor. 12:11). I see 1 Cor. 12:11 as a call to humility in acknowledging the Holy Spirit's sovereignty over the distribution of spiritual gifts to Christians, as well as a warning not to interfere with the Holy Spirit's work in anyone's life.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say that certain spiritual gifts are only given to certain genders. In the New Testament, anybody who: (1) repents and is baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38); (2) obeys God (Acts 5:32); and (3) understands and appreciates spiritual matters can receive the Holy Spirit and any of the gifts He bestows (1 Cor. 2:13-14; Eph. 4:17-24). The Holy Spirit or any of His gifts are not conditional on a person's gender. Because Paul had previously included both men and women as members of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-27), bestowing spiritual gifts on them was a natural next step “The phrase “every one” in 1 Corinthians 12:11 is gender agnostic. Why do some Christians think that women have not been called to serve as pastors, despite the fact that the Holy Spirit chooses who receives what spiritual gift(s) in the body of Christ? Should a woman, called by God and endowed by the Holy Spirit, be denied any role of ministry or leadership in the church just because she is a woman, if no spiritual talent is gender-specific?
Ellen White, a female pioneer and recognized prophetess of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was convinced of her own and other women's calling to the gospel ministry. She believed that “there are women who should labor in the gospel ministry” because “the cause would suffer great loss without this kind of labor.” The Lord has repeatedly showed me that women teachers are just as important as men in carrying out the work to which they have been called” (1990, p. 325). Ellen White apparently saw no viable distinction between men and women acting as pastors when she recommended that the tithe (which was used in the Old Testament to care for the all-male Levites and priests) be used to compensate women in pastoral ministry (1990, p. 324). Both men and women have the right to serve as spiritual Levites and priests. (1)
I think that not only will Christians be held accountable to God for how they used their spiritual gifts, but that anyone who, for whatever reason, stops others from faithfully stewarding their spiritual gifts will also be held accountable to God. Pharaoh Necho advised King Josiah not to interfere with what God was accomplishing through him (Necho), or God would destroy him (Josiah). Unfortunately, excellent King Josiah perished as a result of his sins “did not pay attention to Necho's words from God's lips” (2 Chron. 35:20-24). I also think of Gamaliel, who advised his Sanhedrin colleagues when the disciples were punished for preaching Jesus “Consider carefully what you propose to do to these men… Because their aim or activity will fail if it is of human origin. If it is from God, however, you will not be able to stop these men; instead, you will find yourself fighting God” (Acts 5:34-39). If the amazing work that many women undertake in pastoral ministry is a gift from God, then preventing them from fully utilizing their gift of pastoring is a losing struggle; with God on their side, no one will be able to stop these women.
How does the gift of faith work?
Answer: Faith primarily works through establishing a trusting, life-changing, and transformative relationship with God. We trust what he has shown simply because he has revealed it, not because of external evidence, in and through this relationship. Through trusting him and agreeing to the job he needs do by his grace, our understanding of his ways deepens, our love for him and all he loves grows, and our priorities and values align with what he loves and values.
Human interactions, by analogy, can completely transform our life. Perhaps our parents or a teacher were the ones who shaped us. Perhaps it was someone who told us, “You're hired,” and gave us a job opportunity. Maybe it had something to do with the person we married. Our lives, however, were never the same after meeting these people. How much more can a trusting relationship with the Lord alter us by faith if plain human relationships may affect and impact us so much?
Consider the following analogy. Assume you're on your way to Shangri-La, a stunning location high in the Himalayan Mountains. To get there, you'll almost certainly need to hire a mountain guide to take you over challenging terrain you've never seen before. He would guide you and assist you in avoiding mistakes and traveling in the most efficient manner possible. You must trust him to guide you and follow him in order to do this. Of course, we'll be staying somewhere far more luxurious than Shangri-La. Our destination is heaven, and Jesus is our Lord and guide. We must have faith in him and trust that he can and will guide us there. Faith saves us in this way by placing us in a trusting and saving relationship with the Lord.
This is not a proper way to phrase it if God gives faith to one person but not to another. God wants to save everyone and grants faith to everyone (cf. 1 Tim 2:4). True, some people have more opportunities to hear and accept the faith than others. People born into Christian households and cultures where the Christian faith is widely known and proclaimed will have an easier time than those born into non-Christian homes and civilizations. As you point out, God will undoubtedly consider a person's life circumstances and the extent to which they could have heard and embraced the call to religion.
Aspects of judgment would apply to two siblings who were theoretically given the same opportunities to come to faith. Much is expected of those who are given much. So, on the surface, the unbeliever in this situation would face a harsher punishment. Internal circumstances known to God, on the other hand, may have made faith more difficult for the second sibling. Merely God can see into the heart, while man only sees the outward appearance. As a result, we must entrust the details to God.
It is obvious that we must all heed the call to trusting faith and encourage others to do so as well.
Singing the Gradual
My church forbade the Gradual from being sung in place of the responsorial psalm. This was something I requested at my father's funeral. The Gradual, they said, was only sung in Latin Masses. Why is it because the Gradual is rarely sung? A valuable set of chants is being lost.
Answer: In the Ordinary Form, not simply the Traditional Latin Mass, singing the Gradual instead of the responsorial psalm is always an option. “Instead of the Psalm allocated in the Lectionary, sung either the Responsorial Gradual from the Graduale Romanum, or the Responsorial Psalm or the Alleluia Psalm from the Graduale Simplex,” according to liturgical standards (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 61). The Gradual so named because it was formerly performed on the ambo's gradus (step) is frequently quite difficult to chant, requiring well-trained singers. This is most likely the reason for its uncommon use. It's a possibility worth considering if skilled vocalists are available.
Can anybody be an evangelist?
Any Christian who feels compelled by God to communicate his beliefs can become an evangelist. If you have some official status, such as being a minister in your church, you may find more doors open to you. For a license, you must have two years of experience as a pastor, or four years for ordination.
What are the characteristics of an evangelist?
Evangelists, for example, are usually pleasant, encouraging, forgiving, and honest people. They prioritize others, pray for their enemies, and conduct themselves honestly in all situations. Compassion, unconditional love for others, and love for God are also essential evangelical traits.
What is the main purpose of evangelism?
Christian evangelism is the process of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ into people's lives in order to save them. Its goal is to connect men, women, and children with the real God, who came in the person of Jesus to seek and save the lost.
How many types of evangelism do we have?
Mass evangelism, personal evangelism, evangelistic preaching, literature evangelism, church evangelistic crusades, evangelistic counseling, radio and television programs, entertainment, Sunday school evangelism, and evangelistic bible study are only a few examples of evangelism.