Evangelist
An evangelist is a person who proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, the term can refer both to those especially gifted for this work and to recognized gospel ministers such as Philip.
At a Glance
An evangelist is a person who proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, the term can refer both to those especially gifted for this work and to recognized gospel ministers such as Philip.
Description
An evangelist is a herald of the gospel, one who publicly proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ and urges repentance and faith. In the New Testament, Philip is explicitly called “the evangelist” (Acts 21:8), and evangelists are listed among the ministry gifts Christ gives to His church (Eph. 4:11). Paul also tells Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5), which shows that evangelistic labor is a recognized part of gospel ministry. Scripture does not fully define the office or functions of an evangelist in a detailed technical way, so care is needed: all believers are called to witness, but some are especially gifted or assigned to this work for the spread of the gospel and the strengthening of the church.