The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

In one of the threads there has been much discussion about the gift of tongues. I would like to start a discussion about the lack of gift of evengelism in the evangelical church.

Do you mean the gift of evangelists?

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NASU)
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

I assume the Lord still gives gifts - I assume dedicated evangelists will still evangelice

I assume church structures such as the false idea of leaders etc simply restrict the oppertunity of evangelists to operate within those strictures - sometimes the gift is stifled other times it works outside leadership orientated structures


Keith

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iron sharpens iron

I believe there is also an unhealthy dependence on "experts". In one church I attended, I realized that at one time the pastor was preaching out of a popular christian book (not plagerizing, he was using the book as his sermon series), the adult Sunday school was going through a film series, the Sunday evening service was going through a film series and the tuesday evening Ladies Bible study was going through a film series. Not one of the church's ministries involved a gifted person exercising his gift. If the local church is not the place where one may recognize and exercise his gifts, where are they to be developed?

Jesus said "I will build my church". I believe that includes the local church receiving the gifted people Jesus chooses to be there for the building up of the body and to present all men perfect to Himself. To stifle these people because (fill in the blank) has put out a new video series, is damaging to the local church as a whole and the gifted individuals specifically.

3. Evangelism: The supernatural ability to present the gospel with exceptional clarity and effectiveness to the unsaved so they respond with saving faith (Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5).

http://net.bible.org/illustration.php?topic=607

The above seems to indicate that some are uniquely gifted with the special ability to evangelize.

(2) The emphasis on reaching the cities with the gospel also helps us understand our Lord's instructions not to greet anyone on the road. Our Lord's words here should perplex us if we take them seriously:

"Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road" (Luke 10:4, emphasis mine).

How could Jesus command the disciples to refrain from the normal social amenity of a friendly greeting on the road? If Jesus were intent on the proclamation of the gospel "en masse" rather than one-by-one, and if the time were extremely limited, such individual contact would have to be restricted.

Suppose that you worked in advertising for a soap company and your boss wanted to make the most people possible aware of the company's product. After much thought, it was decided that a television commercial would best accomplish this goal. The filming studio was reserved for one hour on a certain afternoon, and you were to be there to make the commercial. On the way to the studio, you might have stopped to tell five people about your company's soap, but if you had done so, millions would not have been able to see the commercial on TV. Thus, while it may seem rude not to chat with everyone you met on the way, your task required you to avoid such conversations, due to the higher priority of being at the television studio and making the commercial so that many more could be made aware of your product.

This is exactly what Jesus was instructing the seventy to do. While they could have spoken of Messiah to many individuals one-at-a-time, they could make much better use of their time by speaking to many at one time. And the place to find concentrations of people is not along the highway, but in the city, where many people live and gather. Thus, time should not be wasted on the way to the city. The disciples should hurry to the city and there make the gospel known to the greatest number of people.

http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=1102

In the event that the special gift is not manifested in the local church, it could act as a co-ordinating body to work with individuals from other geographical locations to enable evangelizing: outsourcing?

And it brings up the idea that the Body of Christ is made up of individuals who are able to work together. As opposed to each believer trying to manifest all the gifts. Of course, its easier to set out your own schedule and pace yourself and support yourself, but the Bible is replete with examples of group effort AND accountability.

Just my 0.02.

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Sam

All Scripture references from the NASB unless otherwise indicated.

In the times of apostles who were the direct appointed difiniative depositry of truth the church was under leaders i.e Apostles and thier appointed men.

In thatb age a man because of apostolic appointmentould be refered to as 'over you in the Lord'

However there is not one of us who can now claim to be over others in the Lord for thier are non to appoint or to control or to obey now there are no apostles

It is important that the church recognises this and takes account of every believer, every believers thoughts and allows freedom for the Holy Spirit to lead

Keith

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iron sharpens iron

Yes Gideon, the gift of Evangelist. It seemed rather important to the Lord.

Semper fi

All of footwashers points are vital

The apostles indeed went to the towns that were the hubs of society and the capitals of areas

The many men appointed to operate under the apostles who became part of the presbytery either travelled to and from the apostles to the congregations and back etc or were permanent workers within towns and acted as evangelists to the whole area under the influence of the administrative centres

They were not only reliable in life but in the doctrine of the apostles and this is the essence of the evangelist - he is right and careful about the message of Christ

This resulted in a capillary action so by the time of the emperor Trajan - Pliny could right and tell him that Christians were in every town village and hamlet in Bithuania

I believe it is essential that we have totally dedicated to understanding the bible men and women who can then be affective transmitters of truth. Strive to have the best gifts is an essential part of the Holy Spirit giving the gift

If we lack - we lack through a lack of dedication, the kind of dedication that carry's out its task without seeking reward.


Today in the west we feel dedication should be well paid but the dedication God looks for cares not for that nor considers it important

Keith

_________________
iron sharpens iron

The gifts of the Spirt are still on the earth and He gives them to you. To answer the question the Gifts did not leave We Left them. We left them where we got them.

Now you hear a lot of talk over the gift of toungs but in reality it is one of the miner gifts of the Spirt. We focas so much on what is seen that we don't realizes the gifts of wich we have.

Ephesians 4:11-12 11 It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, Context (NET)

Now this is only a few of the gift of the Spirt

See 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 for some others lists of spiritual gifts.

Galatians 5 (the fruit of the spirit) gives the balance to them.

It is refreshing to see old subjects added to

And the point is very well made, evidently the fruits of the Spirit must be

It is comparatively easy through study of commentary's written on the subject for even an unsaved person to reiterate with acceptable accuracy truths we love to hear - and also to get invited and become popular

The test is, are these truths the vital truths that characterises the persons life, conduct, equal respect for others, love for all and the extra respect due to those older and more experienced than they.

The evidence of the fruits of the Spirit in what is taught, is that the person goes beyond book learning, their personal meditation of the detail of scripture has discovered what might not be in the study books they have (but for sure is somewhere in some study book) but has effected the persons heart and behaviour first and comes out in the ministry.

The other is local knowledge that produces encouragement, correction and reproof - not something that is acceptable today because it encourages me or is critical of me in reality

That which is critical might be done deliberately against me or it might be against a real evil, the proof is in the kindness and the works of love to all including to the one who feels hurt

The other proof is when the rebuke is in reality to those who think of themselves as elders - as in scripture public correction is an imperative the higher the status

It should be noted verse 20 is related to the elders of verse 19



The person who is controlled by the flesh praises and flatters those he needs as allies or as a step up the ladder and treads down the poor or once they have status those who might be seen as a threat to his perceived status.



It should be noted Gaius would be taught against in the church but nevertheless he was the one led by the Spirit and being kind to the worthy, the trodden down and acting without partiality - though he would be accused of the reverse

It is unfortuantly common now for leaders to ensure they are never rebuked publicaly or ministry could be agaist them - they lack the Spirit of David than to Nathan or to Shimie's stones.


It is important to notice those principles

The fruit of the Spirit decares the true and the lack of them the false

Keith

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iron sharpens iron