Volume 46   Number 6                                                          February 2004

Upon His ascension to the Father, Christ "gave gifts to men " (Ephesians 4:8). Among these gifts were four functions necessary to the church's welfare, designed to promote development and discernment in her members: "And [Christ] Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers (i.e. "teaching pastors'), for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting" (Ephesians 4:11-14).

Concerning the first two functions (apostles and prophets), Christ employed a policy of planned obsolescence, removing them from the Divine economy as the need for their bodily presence dissipated (Zechariah 13:1-5; 1 Corinthians 13:8-10) we now experience them through the written word, as the Jews did "Moses and the Prophets " (Luke 16:29). Concerning "evangelists" and "pastors and teachers," however, all indications point us to the conclusion that these were roles intended to last the life of the church. Of "evangelists," particularly, this has been repeatedly brought into question in large part due to the erroneous notion that evangelists were only personal representatives of the apostles, and hence could not have outlived them.

In response and refutation, several facts may be cited:

1. The "work of an evangelist" (2 Timothy 4:5) preach the word, establish churches, set in order the things that are lacking, etc.) still exists. The work is perpetual; therefore, the function also must be perpetual (after all, could a non-elder justifiably do the work of an elder?).
   
   
2. From the beginning, evangelists were commissioned by churches, not apostles. Timothy was set apart to the work of an evangelist by the "laying on of the hands of the eldership" (1 Timothy 4:14), likely at Lystra and Iconium (Acts 16:2-3). This was a separate experience from the laying on of Paul's hands, at which time he received a miraculous gift (2 Timothy 1:6). The church at Antioch, also without the aid of an apostle, commissioned men to work as evangelists (Acts 13:1-3).
   
   
3. "Evangelists" exist in the same category with "pastors and teachers" insofar as they are not part of the foundation of the church. Paul wrote of "the foundation of the apostles and prophets," in part alluding to their temporary existence (are not foundations laid, then left?). No such statements exist concerning evangelists.
   
   
4. History records evangelists working after the death of the last apostle. Eusebius; (260-340 AD) records evangelists working during the reign of Trajan (98-117 AD):

   "...they performed the office of evangelists to those who had not yet heard the faith, while with a noble ambition to proclaim Christ, they also delivered to them the books of the holy gospels. ₍₃₎ After laying the foundation of the faith in foreign parts as the particular object of their mission, appointing others as shepherds of the flocks, and committing to these the care of those who had been recently introduced, they went again to other regions..." (Ecclesiastical History).

II. The Qualifications of the Evangelist

Although no lengthy list of qualifications exists for evangelists as is the case with bishops (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) and deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13), Scripture is plain that evangelists are to be of a certain sort. Both Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8) and Timothy the evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5) were men with good reputations before they were ordained (Acts 6:3-5; 16:2). In addition to that, several statements in the evangelistic epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) speak to the necessity of personal purity in an evangelist: "be an example ... in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12); "keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22); "keep this commandment without spot, blameless " (1 Timothy 6:14). Paul also wrote that an evangelist "must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition " (2 Timothy 2:24-25). Other qualifications exist, as well (I Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 1:13, 2:22; Titus 2:7-8).

III. The Work of the Evangelist

Paul told Timothy to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Timothy 4:5). A careful study of the books of Acts, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus reveal what that work is. (The following is not an exhaustive list.)

1. "Preach the word " (2 Timothy 4:2). The evangelist seeks opportunity to speak the truths of God. To the saved and unsaved alike, he is a herald of the good news of Jesus Christ.
   
   
2. "Appoint elders " (Titus. 1:5). Timothy the evangelist was given a list of the qualifications of elders/bishops (1 Timothy 3:1-7), just as Titus was, indicating that their ordination was his responsibility. Saul and Barnabas, working in the capacity of evangelists (Acts 13:1-3), appointed elders in the churches of Asia (Acts 14:23). Eusebius' account of second century evangelists (cited under point I) confirms that evangelists continued to ordain elders even after the apostles' deaths.
   
   
3. "Commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). The evangelist is a temporary instructor in the local congregation, building it up and educating its members, so that his presence will no longer be necessary. In a sense, he is working himself out of job; he is working to make congregations self-sufficient.
   
   
4. "Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority" (Titus 2:15). Evangelists possess authority that must be exercised in certain circumstances. Four times Timothy is told to command that truth be observed (1 Timothy 1:3, 4:11, 5:7, 6:17). An evangelist may be called upon to exercise his authority when false teaching arises (Titus 1:10-14) or when an elder fails to behave in a manner befitting his position (1 Timothy 5:19-20).