The 5-Fold Ministry: The Evangelist

I started a few weeks ago discussing on the 5-Fold Ministry. Please read here the passage in Ephesians as we continue the very important topic.

We usually try to focus on the first verse, generally ending our study there. But the real 5-Fold Ministry is about strengthening the saints and teaching them how to do the work of the Gospel.

The Work of the Gospel
In the words of Randal Greene, the Gospel is, "The good, glad, merry news that makes the heart of man leap with joy!" The Gospel is that Jesus Christ left all His Glory in Heaven, because His Father loved us so much, to come to a sinful Earth to take sin upon Himself so He could become the ultimate sacrifice for us. Then we can obtain grace and mercy and be reconciled with our Father in eternity. The Man who knew no sin became sin.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

I spoke last time we met on here concerning the 5 fold about the apostle and the prophet. You cannot speak on one without the other, that is why I covered both in one setting. The rest I want to take my time on. I was going to talk about the pastor but through the unction of Holy Ghost I need to follow the line of authority here. Yes, believe it or not, when Paul was writing these scriptures he placed these offices in order of authority. There is nothing done randomly by God. And the Holy Ghost, therefore breaths life into it. Especially when it is concerns God’s Holy Word!

Too often we see leaders get offended when you begin to divide the Word correctly, but I don't want to go there just yet.

Please follow me, there is reasoning behind what I say. When I speak about authority, I promise it’s not about who has more or who has less. Here’s a true story to help you understand:

This was about 10 years ago. I was the house prophet and associate pastor of a church in Kentucky. I held that position for 2 years. The apostle in authority over me had said something about me never being able to attain his level of authority. Not gossip, he said this to me directly. I became infuriated and allowed the enemy to come in with rebellion and discord, wreaking havoc in my life. Instead of going to him and asking him to explain, I stubbed up and said, "I'll teach him! Who does he think he is, saying I couldn't go where he is at or achieve that authority?"

Having grown in revelation since then, I know now it wasn’t about attaining his level of authority. He will always be my spiritual father, so he will always have higher authority over me. Not that I don't walk in great authority, but for him to remain my spiritual father he will always walk in a higher authority. That doesn't mean I won't do works at his level, it means that he will always have authority over me as long as I continue to stay properly aligned. Or until God releases me from under him. I hope this brings clarity.

I ended up leaving this church through rebellion and ambition and have really been out of place ever since. Through God's mercy, 10 years later, things are lining back up in proper order. Ten is often the number of completion or reconciliation. Both of us have matured immensely. Physically and spiritually.

But let's go on and discuss the Evangelist:

Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5

The Evangelist is called to preach the word. It does not say to shepherd or care for the sheep. He/she is to go out and preach the Word. Take the Gospel out into the streets, highways and byways. They are to always be prepared to answer the call to preach. There will be times they will have to go into churches and bring corrective words to realign the vision of that church. It says to reprove and to rebuke. They are to teach the true doctrine of the Gospel. The pastor is called to shepherd and guide the sheep, but when the sheep get a little crazy, the evangelist may be called in to bring the correction.

Another aspect of the Evangelist is to go out and make disciples. That is to bring the message of salvation and then after the conversion from death to life (making the disciple) then the pastor takes over and leads and guides that disciple into the work of the ministry.

I always back what I am saying with scripture. You can find a great example of this in Acts 8:5-8.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.

Then later he went to an Ethiopian Eunuch and taught him what he was reading and ended up leading him to Christ and baptizing him. Then He was translated from there to Azotus. You can read this at the end of Acts 8. How do we know that Philip was an evangelist. Paul called him that in Acts 21.

So the true five fold ministry will have at least one if not multiple evangelists in it. The Evangelist is the one that goes out and preaches the gospel so that souls are won, making them disciples so that the pastor can lead and guide and shape them into their own calling as it is revealed to them.

We are all called to go and win the lost, don't get me wrong. But an evangelist is a soul winner on steroids. They will have a way of teaching the gospel to cause men and women to be drawn to God. They are entering into the realm of darkness and shedding forth their light. They encroach on the enemy territory and return victorious!