The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
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Purpose: Salvation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lost<br />
THE GIFT OF THE EVANGELIST (Eph. 4:11)<br />
Definition: “<strong>The</strong> special ability that God gives to certain members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> Christ to<br />
share <strong>the</strong> Gospel with unbelievers in such a way that men and women become Jesus’ disciples and<br />
responsible members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> Christ.” 31<br />
“<strong>The</strong> gift <strong>of</strong> proclaiming <strong>the</strong> good News <strong>of</strong> salvation effectively so that people respond<br />
to <strong>the</strong> claims <strong>of</strong> Christ in conversion and in discipleship.” 32<br />
<strong>The</strong> best definition <strong>of</strong> evangelism I have ever heard was given by D. T. Niles:<br />
“One beggar telling ano<strong>the</strong>r beggar where <strong>the</strong>re is bread.”<br />
Description: <strong>The</strong> Greek word for “preach” is evangello, a compound <strong>of</strong> two Greek words:<br />
ev (“good”) and angello (“to bear a message”). An evangelist is literally <strong>the</strong> person “who bears a<br />
message <strong>of</strong> good news.” He is a herald who announces <strong>the</strong> good news <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gospel to those who<br />
have never heard it before. He is a person who proclaims <strong>the</strong> gospel to <strong>the</strong> unsaved.<br />
An evangelist is not a person who just announces good news indifferently; he is one who<br />
persuasively challenges people to accept it and thus be saved. Paul put it, “Since, <strong>the</strong>n, we know<br />
what it is to fear <strong>the</strong> Lord, we try to persuade men” (II Cor. 5:11). Jude spoke <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> urgency to<br />
“snatch o<strong>the</strong>rs from <strong>the</strong> fire and save <strong>the</strong>m” (Jude 23). An evangelist is not only concerned about<br />
<strong>the</strong> sowing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seed <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gospel <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:1-3), but also that that seed will fall<br />
into fertile soil and produce fruit. Conversion that issues in discipleship is <strong>the</strong> goal. Responsible<br />
membership in God’s church is <strong>the</strong> objective.<br />
When Peter preached on <strong>the</strong> day <strong>of</strong> Pentecost, <strong>the</strong> Bible testifies, “When <strong>the</strong> people heard this,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y were cut to <strong>the</strong> heart and said to Peter and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r apostles, ‘Bro<strong>the</strong>rs, what shall we do?’”<br />
(Acts 2:37). <strong>The</strong> result was that 3,000 <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m were converted and baptized.<br />
Although <strong>the</strong> main responsibility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> evangelist is that <strong>of</strong> persuasively proclaiming <strong>the</strong> good<br />
news in <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Holy</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong>, he is not to be indifferent to <strong>the</strong> results. Present day<br />
evangelists like Bill Bright <strong>of</strong> Campus Crusade and Billy Graham have carefully worked out<br />
programs <strong>of</strong> follow-up to see that <strong>the</strong> new convert will grow and become incorporated into <strong>the</strong><br />
life and fellowship <strong>of</strong> a local congregation.<br />
Although all are to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8; 8:1,4), all do not have <strong>the</strong> gift <strong>of</strong> an evangelist<br />
(I Cor. 12:29-30).