In his final letter, Paul charges Timothy, his son in the faith, to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5). By these words, the aged Apostle establishes the timeless standard for pastoral ministry, not only for young Timothy but for all pastors in every generation and in every place.
With Apostolic authority, this imperative command comes with binding force. All pastors must do the work of an evangelist. They must earnestly proclaim the gospel message, urging people to trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. So, where should this pastoral evangelism begin? Keep reading
Pastors and elders are not the only evangelists in the local church. Indeed the primary evangelists of the local church are the members of its congregation. The role of pastors and elders is to equip the members of the congregation for evangelism, model effective evangelism for them, and lead them in evangelism. This includes practicing evangelism themselves.
An evangelist is essentially a bearer of Good News. Public preaching, while it is a form of evangelism, is not the only form of evangelism. Jesus instructed his disciples to go and to proclaim--that is--to make known the Good News. With church attendance dropping off even among those who regularly attend church and believing Christians forming he primary audience that watches Christian TV and listens to Christian radio, we must rethink how we practice evangelism.
Pastors and elders certainly need to make evangelism a priority, which is the reason that I posted this article. But we need to be cognizant that in today's world a pastor or elder cannot expect to set up shop and expect people to come flocking to him. He may discover that he is preaching to an empty room. Rather he must go where the people are as Jesus and Paul did, bring those he is mentoring with him as Jesus and Paul did, and engage people there, talking with them rather than preaching at them. Public preaching has a place but it comes in a later stage in evangelistic process.
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