The Duties of an Evangelist

An evangelist is dedicated to the ministry of teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unlike a pastor, an evangelist does not have a flock to lead, although he may work closely with a local church. Evangelists usually are full-time workers who may have given up their secular work in order to devote their time to the spread of the teachings of Jesus.

Preaching the word of God is the central work of evangelists. They do not oversee the church, which the Bible says is the work of the church elders. The word “evangelist” comes from the Greek word, “euaggelistes,” which means a messenger of good news. In 2 Timothy 4:5, the apostle Paul urged Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist.” In 1 Timothy 4:6, Paul also instructs Timothy, the evangelist to teach the doctrines of the Christian faith.

Evangelists devote their time in the study of the Bible. In 2 Timothy 2:15, the apostle Paul also instructed the evangelist Timothy to study the doctrines of the faith. And in 2 Timothy 4: 2, Paul also asked Timothy to correct false beliefs. Armed with the knowledge of the Bible, evangelists will be able to do their duty of correcting those who hold beliefs contrary to the word of God.

Evangelists seek to spread the gospel to their community or in other areas where they choose to serve. Some evangelists serve abroad and others travel from one place to another, speaking in conferences and churches. The church or organization where the evangelist is working for may also organize evangelistic crusades in targeted areas. Evangelists may also help form new churches and disciple new believers in places where no churches have been established yet.

Evangelists work closely with a local church, updating the members and leadership about their ministry. They maintain close a relationship with their church and maintain their accountability to church leaders and members. Their home church or local church usually supports them financially, so they give periodic reports to their church--especially if they work in foreign countries. Some evangelists work for national and international organizations, in which case they get direction and guidance from the leaders of the organization.