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Should Pastors be used as Evangelists/Revivalists?


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There is an old saying that evangelists "blow in, blow up, and blow out."

I use "evangelists" to preach revivals. However, we do not see itinerate evangelists in scripture.


I believe Paul would qualify as an "intinerate evangelist". He travelled place to place, preach the gospel for a while, moved on to the next city and then started the cycle all over again.
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Now that gave me some new information!! Thank you!!! His by Grace


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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What a strange topic! I don't think it matters to God who preaches in the pulpit as long as the doctrine is sound. We've had both evangelists and pastors to preach. Seasoned pastors can be a great encouragement to a church. With that said, I do tend to disagree with pastors who try to be both a pastor AND an evangelist...some pastors seem to be out of their own pulpit way too much more than is healthy...not sure if its for extra money or what...but I do think a pastor's first priority should be his own church and limit preaching out to only several times a year.

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How many evangelist are active in a home church? I've only know a few, most of them felt they did their duty towards God when they held a revival, and when not in a revival did not attend church services. I'm curious about such things and ask. Actually out side of the local church they have no authority, for the local church is the only authority.

The pastors that I have known who held revival services asked their church permission to do so, and that is the only right thing to do, for the church they're called to pastor is their 1st responsibility and never should be taken for granted.

I've know a couple of pastors who where often not in their church on Sunday, had someone to come and fill in, but never asked the church about this. I feel that is way off base and such a pastor has his priority in the misplaced, after all, its Jesus' Church not his, and Jesus is the one who placed him there to feed His flock.

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I guess I need to ask, what you are defining as your home church? If you mean my sending church, then no I am not active there, I was sent from a Church in Wyoming and I live in Kansas it's a little hard to get there every Sunday. If you mean am I active in my local church, then yes our family attends regular services and we participate in the local field(door knocking, church activities, etc...).

C

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The opposite is true also. I know Evangelists/Missionaries that are more active in the local church than some pastors.


I hear that Bro. Matt.

Seems like perhaps the best practice would be to take each person on their own merits and not make assumptions based upon generalities or anecdotal evidence.
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Back to Bro. Greg's question. Should Pastors be used as Evangelists/Revivalists? It is my opinion that I don't see a direct command in the Scriptures that the Pastor can not also preach at a revival or evangelize outside the strict geography of their local church. There may be practical advantages or disadvantages to the man of God mixing roles; but I don't see a Biblical prohibition. Perhaps this is one of those situations where God directs, leads and uses a person in the way He wills. If the man of God is doing this out of pride or coveting a gift that God has not given him, then he will have to answer to God; but that doesn't mean it is another person's place to play the role of God disciplining him or judging him.

Peace! TRC
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I guess I need to ask, what you are defining as your home church? If you mean my sending church, then no I am not active there, I was sent from a Church in Wyoming and I live in Kansas it's a little hard to get there every Sunday. If you mean am I active in my local church, then yes our family attends regular services and we participate in the local field(door knocking, church activities, etc...).

C


Ones home church is the church they are member of where they attend regular church service and are active in going about doing the works of which God has given them.

The thing is some evangelists feel all they are called to do is preaching & revival services when they are called upon by a church, during the mean time if they are not holding services in a church somewhere when Sunday comes they do not attend church services. I also know this to be true for many of the Christian singers, if they are not at a church on Sunday signing, they leave church out of their lives. Such people as this seems to think its all about self doing good works without the benefit of a home church where they're serving our Lord in a church making money.

Of course the preacher whom has been sent {by his home church} to another part of the country and or world as a missionary to start a church would not return to his sending {home church} church each time they hold services, but he would be busy starting a church and being about the works of getting it going. I know of some who do this, when the church is up and going they will have that church call a pastor, them they will return to their home church and perhaps do this all over starting another church somewhere else.. I know of one who through the years started about 10 churches within about a 150 to 200 mile area from his home {sending} church. In later years he was an evangelist and still very active in his home church when he was not evangelizing.

PS. I am not saying all evangelist and singers leave off attending their home churches services when they are not busy in another church, but I think many of you would be quite surprised at the number of these people who leave off attending church services when they are not at a church getting paid to do what they claim to be called by God to do. All I say about them is, "Shame on them."
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Personally, I don't think I would let the author of that particular letter anywhere near a pulpit for it's OBvious he preaches the gospel of himself and his own righteousness. However, I do think that any man (pastor, evangelist, Sunday school teacher, deacon, elder, etc.) called to preach a meeting should do such.

That said, I noticed that Jerry#s post kind of insinuated that a pastor should ask the church before allowing another behind the pulpit. I disagree with this as long as the pastor is using biblical discernment. If he isn't, he shouldn't be pastoring. I believe part of a pastors jOB is to train up preachers and future pastors and evangelists and missionaries. Part of that training should be in preaching. My pastor has had me preach for him numerous times while he was both on vacation and present in the service. He has done this with others as well. He started out by asking me to lead the Wednesday night bible study and then preach at the retirement home and then preach a Sunday night and eventually preach an occasional Sunday morning. This helped train me and helped me grow (and continues to) in areas of service to the Lord. I think it is part of true discipleship. (Sorry for getting off topic).

As far as evangelist - yes, they are biblical. As far as revivalists - we are all called to exhort and admonish the brethren daily. After all, that is precisely the work of a "revivalist". So shouldn't we all be revivalists and have no need to call on a traveling one that doesn't even know our church personally if we want to really encourage growth (spiritually) in our church?? It is my goal and belief that we should be in a constant state of revival.

God Bless,

Futurehope

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I'm the servant of a local church, servants are not lords, besides that, The Great Commission was given to the church and not individuals. I'm not the authority, the local church is the only authority.

http://www.baptistpillar.com/bd0125.htm


That may all be well and good but all I know is this. If the individual does not go there is not much "going" that's going to be done. The church is made of individuals and if the individuals don't "go" the commission is going to fail.

(I'm referring here to the responsibility of the church member. I DO recognize that the Commission was given to the church, but with that said, again, the church is made of individuals.)
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