WINTER 1999 WINTER 1 999 he Evangelist and the T21st-Century Church James O. Davis The New Testament Evangelist and the 21st-Century Church . 12 Rediscover the biblical function of the evangelist. Gordon L. Anderson The Evangelist: Winning the Lost— The Evangelist and the 21st Reviving the Church . 16 If evangelists don’t fulfill their roles, the church will go without this necessary dimension of ministry. John R. Corts Discovering the True Evangelist . 24 How to distinguish a true God-gifted evangelist. Alton Garrison An Evangelist for our Pastor? Never! . 28 I discovered that the road from evangelist to senior pastor had several roadblocks. Bill Bright Developing Evangelistic Leadership - Centur in the Church . 50 Vision and urgency—two of the most important traits to develop in evangelistic leaders. y Church Ron Maddux Profile of an Evangelistic Message . 60 Successful evangelistic preaching includes preparation, presentation, and persuasion. Sam Farina Making Your Invitation Effective . 66 Here are eight keys to effective altar invitations. Robert E. Coleman A Theology of Evangelism. 98 A theology of evangelism that does not strike at the heart of sin is irrelevant to the world’s need. Also inside… David Wilkerson The Dangers of the Gospel of Accommodation . 78 This gospel is fast becoming the most prosperous and flourishing of all religious movements. Wayne E. Warner Maria B. Woodworth-Etter—A Powerful Voice in the Pentecostal Vanguard. 86 Who was this legendary evangelist who exercised spiritual authority V over sin, disease, and demons? olume F Richard R. Hammar Does Your Insurance Policy Cover our Sexual Misconduct? . 111 • Now is a good time to review your church’s insurance policy to see Number One what is covered and what is not. A JOURNAL FOR PENTECOSTAL MINISTRY AUGUST 10-13, 1999 Ministry Matters BY WAYDE I. GOODALL Undoubtedly the church that works upcoming special meeting/crusade. God Angels cannot preach the gospel; only with an evangelist in precrusade or will bless you and the congregation. beings such as Paul, you, and I can single-meeting preparation will have Evangelists focus on evangelism and preach the gospel.1 better results when the evangelist leaves messages that will stir up faith. They hen God created the church of town. Many evangelists have brochures have a God-given, unique passion for WJesus Christ, He also determined or programs that advise how to invite a those without Christ. They sometimes how He would nourish it. He “gave some non-Christian to the meetings, how to see things pastors do not see—people in to be apostles, some to be prophets, pray for the services, and how to follow your community whom you might have some to be evangelists, and some to be up effectively on those who were saved, overlooked or forgotten. They hear a pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s baptized in the Holy Spirit, or ministered heart’s cry that busyness and other voic- people for works of service, so that the to in other ways. The preservice prepara- es possibly have shut out. They sense body of Christ may be built up until we tion and the follow-up work together to negative attitudes in your church that, all reach unity in the faith and in the help assimilate the new Christian or vis- because of weariness, you might have knowledge of the Son of God and itor into the congregation. learned to live with, and they challenge become mature, attaining to the whole Selecting the right evangelist for you to get stirred up and fight for the measure of the fullness of Christ” your church is another important fac- faith that perhaps has grown lukewarm (Ephesians 4:11–13, italics mine). tor. For example, if you need a chil- with many of your members. This issue of Enrichment focuses on dren’s evangelist, some evangelists One evangelist said, “While women the office of the evangelist. These won- specialize in communicating with chil- weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while little derful, gifted people are critical to our dren. If you need an evangelist who children go hungry, I’ll fight; while there is churches, for our Creator knew what the will speak in a multiple-service cru- a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost church would need to bring it into bal- sade, other evangelists primarily do girl upon the streets, where there remains ance and maturity. I have often thought that. If you are sensing that the church one dark soul without the light of God— about what kinds of tools or helps could needs messages on eschatology, faith, I’ll fight! I’ll fight to the very end!2 be found to pastor more effectively. All of repentance, etc., evangelists are avail- Evangelist, thank you, thank you for us have attended ministers’ seminars able who have unique abilities to com- fighting for us. and conferences, read the latest books, municate in one or more of these areas. and sought out clues from how other Jimmy Davis, national evangelists rep- ENDNOTES successful pastors are doing their work. resentative, has provided a booklet 1. Oswald Chambers, quoted in Edythe All this is good, but sometimes we miss with the names, addresses, and spe- Draper’s Book of Quotations for the some of the perfect advice given in the cialties of Assemblies of God evange- Christian World, (Wheaton, Ill.: Scriptures: using the gifts God has given lists. Looking through this enclosure Tyndale, 1992), 181. 2. General William Booth, quoted in to the Church. will give you a sense of the different George Sweeting’s Great Quotes and gifts these leaders have. One of these gifts is the gift of the Illustrations, (Dallas, Tex.: Word, 1985), evangelist. Like pastors, evangelists If your church has not utilized the 107. are unique gifts to congregations. We gift of the evangelist, may I suggest need to utilize every tool God has cre- that you do? Pray and think carefully Wayde I. Goodall, ated to make our churches work effec- about the results you would like to see. D.Min., is executive editor tively. We are a team with various play- Ask other pastors, friends, or the dis- of Enrichment ers doing their jobs. All the team mem- trict officers about evangelists they and coordinator bers have the same goals in mind; would recommend. Speak to your con- of the Ministerial namely, to help the lost come to Christ gregation about the need for utilizing Enrichment Office, and to help the found come to maturi- the gift of the evangelist and what you Springfield, Missouri. ty in Christ. are praying about concerning the Enrichment • 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS—THE EVANGELIST AND THE 21ST-CENTURY CHURCH THEME ARTICLES Confirming the Word With Ask the Superintendent Signs and Wonders Interview with Thomas E. Trask By Steve Hill and James O. Davis God is moving by His Spirit and per- Pastors and evangelists are two of the forming miracles in the church today. five ministry gifts Christ has given to But evangelists need to remember: His church. General Superintendent They are not the ones performing the Trask and national Evangelist miracles; it is God who touches the Representative James Davis discuss how lives of people . .38 the evangelist and pastor can work together in building God’s kingdom . 8 The Local Church Crusade The New Testament Evangelist By Rich Wilkerson and the 21st-Century Church Here are several practical By James O. Davis suggestions for the pastor who The evangelist’s ministry is as valid wants to have revival services today as it was in the early decades of in his or her church . .44 the Christian church. His or her ministry is crucial for continued vitality in the Developing Evangelistic local church . .12 Leadership in the Church By Bill Bright The Evangelist: Winning the Since fulfilling the Great Commission Lost—Reviving the Church is the single most important task of By Gordon L. Anderson the Church, pastors need to provide The evangelist has a unique role in the evangelistic leadership in their church. When evangelists function churches . 50 according to their biblical model, they contribute to the church’s growth in a The Evangelist and the way that no other ministry gift can . .16 Harvest By Tommy Barnett Discovering the True Evangelist God has entrusted pastors and By John R Corts evangelists with reaching the world The true evangelist is not the Elmer with the message of salvation. Gantry model portrayed by Sinclair Their methods may vary, but the Lewis. Rather, the true evangelist is one message is unchanged . 54 who proclaims God’s Word and has a passion for the lost . 24 Profile of an Evangelistic Message By Ron Maddux An Evangelist for Our Pastor? Never! To be effective communicators of the By Alton Garrison gospel, evangelists need to be well While most evangelists do not prepared when the preach. They must have pastoral experience, their also recognize the importance of their experiences as evangelists, the presentation and the need to be counsel they receive from sea- persuasive when they preach . 60 soned pastors, and their reliance on the Holy Spirit can help them Making Your Invitation Effective be effective pastors . 28 By Sam Farina Evangelists must never make What Pastors Should Know the proclamation without issu- When Road Warriors Come ing an appeal. This article high- to Town lights eight keys to making By Jim Rentz effective altar invitations . .66 An evangelist’s duty to a congrega- tion and its pastor is to promote and Theme Bibliography enhance the bond between them by Here are additional resources to building on the foundation the assist the evangelist in his or pastor has laid.