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Discussion Forum : Revivals And Church History : What Happened to The Evangelist?

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yblek
Member



Joined: 2004/7/2
Posts: 35


 What Happened to The Evangelist?

I write this with a heavy heart as the majority of the churches no longer care to use or allow Spirit-led evangelists into our churches. My own denomination has only a handful of evangelists left and they are starving due to the lack of use. The great revivalist Charles Finney is a man I continually read and still amazed by. How God called a lawyer out of law and used him to preach grace! How we need another Finney to rise up and say the truth in boldness and in power. The majority of the churches have slid into a hole of satisfaction.

I remember growing up in church, having the evangelist come and conduct special meetings that would go on for a week, two weeks, sometimes even months. Today, most churches would never dream of having extended meetings for fear of no one showing up. It amazes me how the numbers game has gotten to the point that unless we can draw a large crowd it is not worth having. Noah would have never built the ark with his congregation (all in the family, too)!

I want to be used in the calling God has placed on my life, but the doors have closed in my face so many times, it can be very discouraging. Last summer, I was on vacation reading the accounts of the Welsh Revival by Evan Roberts. That man was moved to prayer and requested 100,000 souls for God and his prayer was answered! I believe the greatest need of the church today is to become the house of prayer as Jesus said it would be. Not a house of programs, entertainment, and noise which will never set people free.

A powerful outpouring of God's presence, which can not be manufactured by man, seminars, teachings, and 10 step programs. Knees so sore to walk on should be the greatest prayer need in our churches due to being on them. Unfortinately, most people's pains are found else where.

Would you agree with me and take the time today to get alone with God and seek His face to awaken the church and bring a freshness that has not visited this nation for years? Would you draw a circle on the floor and stay inside it until you are revived yourself?

Jesus said in Revelations 3:14-"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man (or woman)hears my voice" This backslidden church Jesus went to was so far out of knowing the presence of God, Jesus was actually outside the church knocking. The majority of our churches are doing this fatal mistake today. The good news is that Jesus said if any man heard His voice. Revival can start with one person who is willing to hear the voice of God. To allow him in and begin to move through him/her in ways that are impossible in the natural.

I request your prayer, that God will open the doors for me to go and preach messages He gives me that will turn America back to God. I challenge you to join me to seek His face. Will you pay the price for the millions of souls still without Christ? Will your eyes fill up again with tears for the countless souls that are dying and falling deeper into sin? Will you turn off the noise in your own home (TV, radio, Internet, etc.) and create holes in your carpet from rubbing your knees on it daily?

WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER GREAT SERMON, WE NEED A VISITATION OF HIM WHO CAN SET THE SINNER FREE! THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN DO MORE IN FIVE MINUTES THAN A PREACHER CAN PREACH IN A LIFETIME! OH GOD! HEAR MY HEART TODAY. FORGIVE US OF OUR CONDITION AND DO NOT VOMIT US FROM OUT OF YOUR MOUTH! RESTORE AND REVIVE THE WORK YOU STARTED LONG AGO WITH OTHER GREAT REVIVALISTS OF THE 1700, 1800, and 1900 CENTURIES. DO YOUR FIRST WORKS AGAIN I PRAY!

GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU SEEK HIM

BECAUSE OF HIM

KELBY


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Kelby

 2005/7/25 23:45Profile
letsgetbusy
Member



Joined: 2004/9/28
Posts: 957
Cleveland, Georgia

 Re: What Happened to The Evangelist?

yblek,

Great post!

I have also felt that God may be equipping me for ministry via evangelism, but I'll go whereever He leads. It's good to know others want revival like they used to have.


_________________
Hal Bachman

 2005/7/27 0:17Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re: What Happened to The Evangelist?

Umm... where is it taught in the Bible that evangelists visit churches to preach a series of meetings?


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/27 6:36Profile
dohzman
Member



Joined: 2004/10/13
Posts: 2132


 Re: What Happened to The Evangelist?

This is in deed a fact.I read recently that almost 65% of all evangelists have left the field in the last 5 years. Part of the reason is the great amount of sacrifice it takes on the part of the traveling evangelist. Consider being away from wife and children almost 6 months per year, and living in a motel is no picnic. The evangelist has a great deal of isolation especially in the church. Because thier message usually addresses issues in each church head on, often times unknown to the evangelist, they tend to be avoided by thier brethren, and so they usually only have limited fellowship while on the road.Now that's one side.


Other side of the coin. Many churches are trying to get growth in numbers, and often in thier bank accounts for nessary things like building funds, salaries, staff, etc.. A church operates much like a buisnes does and unfortunitly they often set thier priorities the same way a buisness would. When an evangelist comes in what the church loses is the offerings and often times they also have to put the evangelist up and feed him or her. So it can get expensive to have one in.
Last thing, Anointing--- The role of an evangelist is to bring in fresh oil from heaven for the people and also for the pastor. Many pastors live in a state of tiredness, and weariness. I've often stated that if I can't give the pastors something from God on a personal basis that inspires them to keep in the press, than I've failed, no matter what the results of the meets were. Lets face it, when the evangelist leaves the pastor is still there and has the same job and duties he had before, only with a spring in his step now, hopefully----prayerfully.



Paul told Timothy to be instant in season and out of season. It is really hard to get in front of a congregation no matter what you are, pastor, teacher, evangelist etc... , when you're out of season. Sometimes we all need jump started. I always try to encourage the congregation that it's a body ministry and everyones a key participant in the ministry within the local congration. I have volumes I could say but this is enough. Bro. Daryl


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D.Miller

 2005/7/27 7:06Profile









 Re:

this could be long brothers this... please bear with me as I write this. at least give me the leeway for i don't post anywhere on the web often. I just like to view. But something has stirred me to do this.
As a background i will let you know what convicted me. There is a brother named Richard Owen Roberts who has 7 messages(some got 200+) it is a shame not more are up here. that's where some of my deepest questions about God seem to be torched up with the light of His Word (no, not Roberts word, but the Almighty One's)
I am convinced, by the grace of God, that God at this point and time is not looking for men and women to send to the missonary field, or evangelize or work for Him... God is looking for individuals first and foremost that Worship Him in truth and Spirit. I will tell you, as much of the depravity i see, ( i work at a fast food restaurant with some that have kids at 18, some that have already been molested before 21, some that are addicted to drugs, some that have tried suicide)- and i mention this, that by His true majesty i see not only of how dastardly wicked my heart is but the surrounding of me. Even with all that is surrounding us though, our first issue brothers and sisters is not to evangelize but first to worship. if we don't worship, Satan will continue to manufacture pseudo-fruits in our midst. if i had any say in what goes in the church i attend, i would suggest four-sundays of just prayer and bible reading. no music no hymns. i wish i could explain how much tired i am of living without ever experiencing the glory of God. I had a taste of it from the place i was born, and now i hear things are no different than here in the states. if God wanted, he could save the whole world in an instance with stones(not us believers). Read Luke 3 and Matthew 3 if God can make children out of stones, you don't think he can use stones to convert humans?
the depth of what is required to see the glory is though very demanding. As ravenhill said, we might have to have only one type of bread. we might not be able to have our coffee every day in the morning. we might no more be able to afford cars.
i highly doubt i will see true revival from the Holy Ghost in my life time (i am 26) what i will see most probably is the judgement for the fools we took God as in this day and time and the brunt of it will be upon our children (who by the way will have extremely poor access to the precious word of God and true spiritual men and women)
... i wish we all stopped worrying about lost men and women and started praying for God to send fire so that the church (which is us) will be on fire to worship and truly be mesmerized by him day by day not wanting to do anything with the affairs of the world.
since i said a lot i am open to all criticism. i am open to all questions too however personal they may be i will honestly answer since true community comes from revealing a heart.
if i said anything that one considered full of pride or hypocritical, please forgive me and i ask you to plead our Father for mercy
i feel like going face down to worship now

 2005/7/27 9:01
arbustum
Member



Joined: 2005/7/3
Posts: 96
Sydney Australia

 Re:

sb1175, what urged you to say that?

my heart breaks at the millions of names in the book of life that you were chosen to reach and yet turn your back on because you consider worship as spending time in a building with open book hearings and readings.

worship is your very actions with which you honour God, dont loose sight of that, and please i implore you to speak out more that we may reach into your life more and when you express what's relevant to your life out of the midst of confusion we, your brothers and sisters of the faith can reach out and instruct you from our past trials, much the same, yet already having overcome them.

worsphip is reaching out and havings Gods heart forpeople aswell, and it greatly ppleases him when you come to be filled in your spirit because your spiritual hunger will be satisfied so you can go and give that same satisfaction to another hungry spirit, i tell you, feed yourself and oureach more!

much love and blessings be on your life buddy,
-arbustum


_________________
holly

 2005/7/28 0:53Profile
JaySaved
Member



Joined: 2005/7/11
Posts: 1132
Missouri

 Re:

I agree that the church needs to be revived. The church needs conviction of sin in its midst, but we must never neglect the sinners in this world. We must always seek the lost and tell them about Jesus.

Amen.

 2005/7/28 11:06Profile
letsgetbusy
Member



Joined: 2004/9/28
Posts: 957
Cleveland, Georgia

 Re:

KJ,

Here is a wikipedia's definition of Philip the evangelist:

He was one of the seven deacons chosen to care for the poor of the Christian community in Jerusalem (Acts 6). He preached and performed miracles in Samaria, converted Simon Magus, and met and baptised an Ethiopian eunuch in Gaza, traditionally marking the start of the Ethiopian Church (Acts 8). Later, he lived in Caesarea with his four preaching daughters, where he was visited by Paul (Acts 21).

It is clear the Philip the evangelist was on the move.

Ephesians 4:11-12: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints"

When saints need perfecting, sometimes an outside source is necessary. Today I think there are many churches that are in dire need of an evangelist. Everyone is making copies of copies instead of going to the original. A great sermon is "Building a New Testament Church," by Curtis Hutson (it is not on this site).

Think about how much of a blessing the sermons on the website are. These sermons have changed my life, and I would never have heard such a variety of great speakers just sitting in my home church. Many Christians won't take time to download mp3 sermons, and they get tunnel-vision from their Sunday pew. An evangelist could break this cycle.


_________________
Hal Bachman

 2005/7/28 11:11Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

letsgetbusy,

Indeed, I was thinking of Philip the evangelist as our model for an evangelist. However, where in Philip's ministry did he go around preaching a series of meetings from church to church? All I see is Philip going around preaching to the heathen.

There is no Biblical basis whatsoever to the notion of an evangelist being one who goes church to church to stir up slumbering congregations and give pastors something to eat for a change.

God bless


_________________
Jimmy H

 2005/7/28 17:51Profile
JaySaved
Member



Joined: 2005/7/11
Posts: 1132
Missouri

 Re:

According to the greek, an evangelist is:

http://bible1.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=2099&version=kjv

 2005/7/28 19:02Profile





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