Foundations of Christian Leadership, Student Workbook, SW07

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F O U N D A T I O N S O F C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

A Theological Overview of the Equipping Gifts Described in Ephesians 4.11 (continued)

preaching the gospel to those ignorant of it before. As these are converted and united to Jesus Christ by faith, the work of the pastor and teacher begins, to instruct them further in the things of Christ and build them up in the faith” (J. M. Gray, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia , Vol. 2, Geoffrey W. Bromily, Gen. ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982, p. 204). 1. Like the apostolic and prophetic ministries, the primary function of the evangelistic office is itinerant and missionary in nature. The evangelistic office recognizes that while Christianity spreads naturally through the oikos (family and friends) of converted individuals, it often comes across barriers (culture, geography, resistant religions, etc.) that the ordinary spread of the Gospel will not quickly overcome. It is the unique function of the evangelist to break open ground that the Gospel can then spread in through more ordinary means. 2. The gift of evangelism ensures that a special endowment of the Spirit’s wisdom and power is present so that the evangelist is unusually effective at receiving a hearing for the Gospel, even in hostile environments. The office of evangelist both frees the gifted person for itinerant ministry in a way that can be underwritten by the larger church, and mandates for this person a special responsibility to stimulate and train evangelists in the local congregations created by missionary outreach, since like all the offices of Ephesians 4.11, it exists to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” 3. Although the evangelist plays a distinct function in mission, the task of the evangelist is not to be separated from the task of church planting. This is seen clearly in Acts 8, where Philip’s evangelistic success in Samaria culminates in a visit from the apostles who confirm the conversions, baptize the new believers, ensure that the presence of the Holy Spirit is understood and experienced by the new community of Christians, use the laying on of hands as a formal recognition of the new converts legitimacy, exercise teaching and church discipline (correcting Simon the former sorcerer), and extend the outreach of the mission by preaching in other Samaritan towns. In other words, evangelists are the first stage in a process of church planting and discipleship, not an

C. Summary