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Should Pastors be used as Evangelists/Revivalists?


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I got this (I've edited) from a pastor mail list... Pretty interesting...
Comments?

Why does it seem Pastors with Struggling Churches or Retired Pastors from Struggling Churches are being asked to hold Special Meetings rather than GOD CALLED EVANGELISTS / REVIVALISTS?

What are some possible reasons why Pastors seem to be asking more Pastors with struggling churches or retired Pastors from struggling churches to do the work of the evangelist / revivalist for their special meetings rather than GOD CALLED EVANGELISTS / REVIVALISTS?

Misunderstanding of God
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Why would a man worry about a Pastor doing evangelistic work in his own church unless it is hurting his income somehow? How can he call this "devilish"? The "true motive" for a Pastor doing the work of an evangelist is because the Bible tells him to.


He's talking about a pastor going into another church (at the invitation of another pastor) to hold evangelistic/revival services.
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At the risk of calling down friendly fire on my own head, I will respond.

It has been my OBservation over the last 36.5 years (plus deduction from info gleaned from old timers over the years -- three of which were saved in 1906, 1918, 1925) the there is a definate trend towards shorter meetings (5,3,and even 1 day) and a trend towards having fellow pastors preach the meeting.

I've even heard, "I would never have a man preach a meeting for me that had never pastored before", or, "Now Bro. _______ is a good man for your meeting, he'll never say anything that will hurt your attendance".

On the other hand, I've heard pastors say such sorry things as, "I have an evangelist come in to preach the things that I don't dare say in my church.

Somebody will prOBably divert the thread into the direction of "what is an evangelist", that prOBably should be a different thread.

Though there are MANY good pastors and evangelists (I include missionaries under evangelists --- that should be a seperate thread also), I see WAY TOO MANY self-serving, empire-building, career-building preachers who have made comments like, "If they cut my salary, I'll find another church", "They ought to get a second jOB; God called me to pastor, not work AND pastor" [this was 2 diff pastors], "I came to preach your meeting; not preach in your Christian School chapel, nursing home, or radio.", or, "I don't stay in other people's homes, you can put me in a motel" [this was 2 diff evengelist].

I could go on, but won't take the time.

BTW, for what it's worth [prOBably not much], I'm a pastor.

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The majority of the time when a pastor has another pastor come in it done with the understanding, "I will preach your meeting and you preach for mine".

I do not care about where the guy went to school or if he pastored before, I just want the guy at my church that the Lord wants us to have. For revival meetings I believe that the best option is an Evangelist. After all, God has called them into that ministry.

OLD fashioned, good post.

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Sounds to me he wants to run the whole show and be the evangelist in ever revival service, and tell the local church who to have behind their pulpit when he has not authority in those churches. Of course if he got his way that would mean more funds in his pocketbook.

I know of many pastors and preachers who have been called to do a revival service in another church, and there was NO agreement you do mine and I'll do yours, and they held a service just as good or better than any evangelist has or can. I can see why an evangelist would think that, it makes them feel left out, but why not just leave it, that is let the local church take care of its own business and not 2nd guess them, hey, they may have done just what God wanted them to. After all, they will answer to God for their decisions.

One of my favorite pastors to do a revival was Bother James Hoover back in the early 60's, there is not an evangelist around that could have done better than what this pastor did.

Let the local church take care of it own business, we all have a hard enough time taking care of our own business. After all, Jesus gave the authority to the local church, not the evangelist, the preacher, or the pastor, who is invited behind the pulpit to preach or and hold a revival service, they are an invited guest in that local church, nothing more, nothing less.

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How about an Evangelists perspective on this, I only preach about once a year in church and that's just because it's my sending church. Almost all of my preaching is done at Rodeo's, Tent meetings, Brandings, etc... As an evangelist I go out into the world looking for the lost, not go to a church looking to liven the dead Christians warming pews. Reviving the dead Christians is really not the work of an Evangelist, the Pastor should be leading his church. I've never seen the Revivalist listed in the bible, so I'm not sure what the qualification or duties of a revivalist is....

C

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Good point - a revivalist is not a Biblical calling. An evangelist is. I have read about some pastors that were called to be evangelists for a while and vice versa - who is to say God wouldn't do that? I think the quote above is pretty bad calling a pastor preaching revivals of the devil. Someone shutting down strong preaching altogether would be devilish - it is not devilish to have a pastor preach a series of meetings at another church. My pastor preaches meetings at other churches a few times a year, and we have other pastors come into our church to preach our Missions meetings or Bible conferences. Our pastor's brother in law is an evangelist and he comes and preaches one or more series a year.

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I'm not sure on that, but I do notice that more churches are going that way. When I preach I do not try and offend anyone, but anytime you preach the Bible, you will step on toes.


I wouldn't give a nickel for any preacher that didn't step on toes. I don't mean intentionally stepping on toes but simply preaching the word. No stepped on toes means no Word preached....
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Cowboy - I agree with you for the most part. Again, I am not opposed to itinerate evangelism in general, but I believe that the Evangelist ought to be more involved in being a gift to the local church in his gift (evangelism). I can't tell you how many evangelists have come in and either did not go soul-winning or even refused to go saying that it wasn't part of their ministry.

I do believe that they need to be working through a local church rather than just out preaching or evangelizing.

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He's talking about a pastor going into another church (at the invitation of another pastor) to hold evangelistic/revival services.


The Pastor is still doing the work of an evangeltist. I don't see the distinction in the Bible that says he can only evangelize in his own church. My thinking is, "the more (evangelists) the merrier".
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