Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Shepherd. And Teacher. God has given these amazing gifts to the Church (Ephesians 4:1-13). Far too often we try to sum up leadership in the Church under the catchall title “pastor”, but what if God has a bigger picture for the equipping of the Church? What could local expressions of the Body of Christ look like organized around the gifts God has given us?

This week we are focusing in on Evangelists.

Evangelists are the story tellers of the community. The bearers of good news. The ones that invite and excite us as we live out the story of Jesus together.

Evangelists: Invite and Excite.Evangelists have a knack when it comes to inviting people to live in the kingdom of God, and they are able to excite the people of God to be witnesses. We could call evangelists “storytellers” because they share God’s story in such a way that everybody realizes they are a part of it, either as villains or heroes. They help people want to be heroes and heroines. Evangelists help the church to proclaim the good news by being witnesses and redemptive agents. They cultivate a welcoming environment, helping the community to practice hospitality as a way of life. 

Immaturity for the Evangelist: Evangelists in their early stages of development can be so enthusiastic that they are unwise, unstable and consciously or unconsciously manipulative, sometimes seeking to capitalize on emotions. They have tendencies to exaggerate and engage in selective hearing and selective sharing. With a passion to get the good news out, evangelists tend to justify the meansto reach a particular ends, not understanding that the means leads to particular ends. They can to be poor listeners because they are consumed with what they are passionate about. Because they are verbal and outgoing they can sometimes be irresponsible with words, over­sharing information about other people. Evangelist often avoid conflict because they want people to like them. They can be easily discouraged when things are difficult and no longer exciting. If they are undisciplined, they can steal the attention away from others to steer it towards themselves. 

Formational Learning:

(Head)

• What benefits and drawbacks could come from activating Evangelists within FōS?

(Heart)

• Do you see yourself in the gift of the Evangelist? If yes in what ways and what about the gift resonated with you? If no do you know someone who fits the description either mature or immature?

(Hands)

• What practices could allow us to equip, empower, and facilitate Evangelists in our community?