Evangelists other thoughts
 

Evangelist are under a stress most pastors are not under. Their ministry at the church they are preaching in is under time restraints(ever how long the revival is). I have as long as God has me here to do what I feel is needed an evangelist is limited by time thus PRESSURE and STRESS. Every evangelist wants to do his best for the church he is preaching in.

His wife and family are for a better term 'church worn'. Very little free time and down time just to kick back. I was speaking to a young evangelist today he has maybe 4 days until his next revival I told him to unwind ONLY read his Bible as devotional and not to study for a message take his young wife and do what they want and enjoying doing. Just hang loose and relax. Pastors do NOT monopolize every spare moment of an evangelist's time while they are with you.

They are constantly with pastors hearing their problems. Give them space. If their wife is tired do not make them feel pressured in her attending every service. She is churched to death. If during a revival she would like to go visit her family so be it don't make them feel guilty. Do not place restrictions on the evangelist that you do not want on yourself. An evangelist can't keep up with every preacher feud in the country leave them out of it. Pastor the evangelist may not like your friend don't pressure him into preaching for him.

DO NOT EVER have an evangelist by to convert him to some deep revelation you have or standard you feel he needs tightening up in.

Pastor if YOU want to preach a revival then do NOT call an evangelist to come by. It is insulting to bring an evangelist in then preach before and after him. You might need a trip to the altar to check your ego!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then finally let him know you have appreciated his ministry and do not make the saints feel as though they have committed treason to compliment him.

I am taking the shield of faith and ducking!!!!!!!!!!!!:drawguns

Don't you be ducking, Elder. Your words are right on!!!! :highfive

Elder Epley I appreciate this.It's easy for folks to criticize someone without walking in their shoes.

I CANNOT do what an evangelist does!!!!!!!!!!!! I do the 'work of an evangelist" as every pastor does when he preaches to the lost. However my primary calling as pastor is to feed(tend-shepherd) the church. That special touch a God-called evangelist has can do what only that particular ministry is called to do. I have pastors by to preach and I myself preach other places but neither they nor I can do what God has placed the evangelist in the church to do. He is NOT a second class preacher hunting for a church. That is an opportunist not a real evangelist. Sometimes ministries change I am not speaking of that. The church as a whole needs sold out evangelists to do what only they can do.

Preach, Elder, Preach!!!

Evangelists are a dying breed.

Finding a REAL evangelist that has a burden yes is hard to find. But I do know a few and yes they are busy. Get in line.:highfive

lol

Evangelist, not that's a calling!! lol..

When my dad traveled most of each year back in the 1970's. I can tell you when he came home he needed a couple of days to get some of the junk out of his veins.

I think your advice is dead on...

Nathan Eckstaddt

Thank You Elder Epley
 

Elder - This is one of the best written pieces of Wisdom I have seen concerning Evangelists. Thank you for writing it. I just re-lived several places that I preached in as I read it!

Someone posted something about how much Evangelists demand. I have traveled in Evangelism since 1974 in many hundreds of churches. I have never demanded or even asked for a financial guarantee. Some places - I was very blessed and some places I paid my own expense and gave every dime back to the home missions pastor. There were times that I felt I had been totally ripped off - but never said a word about it and then the next place - God would give us many more times what we ever expected. He has always made up the difference.

I feel sorry for those crisp and polished pseudo-evangelists who think that it is a life of glitz, glory, and accolade...They end up having to take a loss on their truck and trailer.

:D

I had a young evangelist by once actually to help him get to know some more pastors. The evangelist was an outstanding preacher(and knew it). One day I asked him if this is what he thought God had called him to do? He was caught off guard and acted perplexed but answered yes. I told him if that was the case maybe he should go and attend this certain evangelist's revival that was successful to understand evangelism better. He was offended and told me I am not a preacherette that preaches sermonettes to christianettes( the statement reflected on this noted evangelist's sermons which were not real long). I told him that was fine did he know where he was going next? He bowed his head for the next place I had got him in there. I told him the evangelist I spoke of is booked up for a year or better. The young man is no longer evangelizing yet preaching. His idea of evangelizing was preaching masterpiece sermons everynight for about an hour and he was good. But it was TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much candy for a nickle. Folks have to get up and go to work and for a pastor to wear the saints out until 9 o'clock then turn the service to an evangelist to do an expose on the 119th Psalm for a hour or longer then an altar call maybe he is fulfilling the passage about wearing out the saints of the Most High.
If a service starts at 7:30 NO later than 8:00 the evangelist should be on the floor while the saints are fresh and the evangelist should not be running a marathon service.
I believe in a 5-fold ministry teacher I will certainly arrange the service to suit him and give him plenty of time so I am not boxing anyone in. But revivals tend to last weeks thus being time conscious is NOT a sin.:beatdeadhorse

I never understand why there is glory in 2 hour messages.....Now, i've listened to some men who have preached for 1.5 to 2 hours or more and it felt like it was just a short time and I was surprised when they stopped....But then I've heard some just say the same thing, for over and hour.... and then some up with a new thought and say that, over and over.

You posts are right on btw....... A church I used to attend, they would sing, and the pastor would talk....They'd take up the offering, and testimony service went on, and then the evangelist would preach....have an altar call...and then the pastor would get up and reiterate everything the evangelist said and ended up putting his sermon in it and then had a wonderful way of putting a damper on things...We were wore out... When you add to this 3 and 4 extra nights of service, for a total of 5-6 nights of revival..........................:banghead I don't get it!!!

Good Advice Elder!
Much wisdom.

Maybe he thought you were paying by the hour?

Well brother... you don't stand alone. I stand with you.

Amazing things to hear a pastor say and I am thoroughly impressed. The statement in red is more than I would have ever expected to hear any pastor say. You are indeed a rare breed (at least in my experiences)

I agree with every single letter of your post but I also bolded some portions that were very refreshing to hear said.

Brother.... did you evangelize before you pastored? (I know everybody else here probably knows the answer to that question) The reason i ask is because your thoughts here sound like the thoughts of someone who has been there & done that.

Experience has a way of helping us see clearer.

Times have changed too... tho..

Many folks (Husband & Wife) both work nowadays... and people are just tired... too...

Most of my young life was spent in Church at my Dad's revivals.... there was very little time for anything else... We lived... Breathed...and ate Church... We begin to know Dad's sermons by heart.....

We preached 10 week revivals... and 1 Day revivals... Tent Revivals..and everything else too...

Sigh... amazing.

We have had our differences brother but seeing this side of you is certainly a refreshing experience. From the pulpit to the pew... this thing is about people. Loving people, caring for people, having compassion for people... your posts are demonstrating that attitude beautifully.

Who's killing them?

Would you say in general, the Pastors?

The best way that I know to kill one is to starve him off the field. Seems to be a pretty common practice.

I agree 100%.

Even with missionaries, I told them to just take the night off, and I give them an offering anyway and take them for a PIM.

I always try to honor the ministry that I bring in.

You can't expect the saints to receive them in any manner different than you do.

Here's another ...

Pay the Man his worth and recognize he has a family to feed and shelter...

I remember Dad preaching a Week (7 Nights) for a man and we had a great revival... at the end of the week.. the man handed dad a check for $250.00 and the church wasn't small by any means...

Dad promptly handed the check back to Pastor and told him that He felt the church needed the money more than we did.... :)

Usually, when evangelists come by, they stay with our pastor... He takes them and in and feeds them well....If they have a travel trailor, then our pastor's wife will get a list together and the church people will get together and buy them more than what they would need for their time there...It doesn't take much when you have several people helping out...

Wrong!

Both church/pastor and evantelist were on trial to see what each would do. Both failed the test.

Not following you here???? :dunno

It's only an opinion when I said, "wrong."

I am accutely aware that we are continually under heaven's close observation. It is noted in heaven every word, though or deed.

It appeared that the church/pastor was cheap and without regard to the evangelist's well being, they elected to rob your Dad, thus robbing God.

Your Dad saw the inequity and injustice and reacted by not humbling himself to accept what could have been a blessing or recognizing that possibly this was orchestrated in heaven to see how your Dad would react.

Anyway, every action is of eternal consequence both of church/pastor and the visiting evangelist too.

Elder Epley,
Thank you for posting your comments. They are valuable and timely, and do indeed show much wisdom.
God bless you.

Elder Epley


EXACTLY!

Great thoughts from a fellow that has been there and done that and has the t shirt to prove it. :D

Indeed a great post from the Short One.

:thumbsup

Brother... God never let us down concerning our finances... what men did really didn't matter to Dad... he just returned it and went on to the next Revival..... God provided for us many times... and there were many pastors who were good to our family...

Very, very good post! :thumbsup

Br. Epeley seems like a dearman. :nod

Finances are only one area we as pastors should be concerned about. Find out if they are having a birthday or anniversary while they are at your place and treat them. The men in our church after service without a directive from me will bound to the platform after service and tell the evangelist how much they appreciate the message. If you are afraid of an evangelist with your people do NOT have that evangelist. I only have men I trust. I want tne saints I pastor to like them and enjoy them. I do not feel threatened if they show their appreciation for the evangelist's ministry. That is so immature and childish. I want the saint to rally while they preach and feel it is the best sermon they ever heard. When the altars are filled I want them to understand that man's ministry affected them and put them in the altar. If you see the evangelist needs a pair of shoes or his family has a need take care of it. Remember they are not pastoring so their special days get no special mentioning. We do not go out much after church we are home bodies my wife cooks to good to fool with a resturant but generally on a Sunday night during revivals we will go out and give the saints a chance to visit some with the evangelist the saints enjoy that. I give them space to do what they want to do. DO NOT NEVER schedule a weekly schedule that is full for the evangelist. They actually have a life without a pastor monopolizing every minute of the day. If they want to go to a special meeting you are going to take them and take care of them but if they do not want to go do not pressure them.

Words of Wisdom for sure!

Treat the evangelist well, I agree. But sometimes the evangelist drives the pastor's wife nuts. :D

Lord have mercy - Either the Elder is becoming more progressive or I am becoming more Conservative! I TOTALLY AGREE with everything he has said. I wish he would put all this in a booklet. I would buy some and send them to pastors!
A man that has never evangelized full time - usually has no clue the needs of an Evangelist. When I evangelized full time - it was the churches 75 - 150 that really appreciated the Evangelist. Those 200+ had seen and had every clown and his brother and all they wanted you to do was to pull more rabbits out of the hat.
I preached for a church of 100 in Louisiana and they gave me $500 for the night and then preached for one that had over 1000 there and they gave me the same. The first one really appreciated the ministry and the second one knew that they could get anybody they wanted for that. It was a set fee.

If you cannot pay an Evangelist or take care of him and his family - get a pastor friend to preach for you and trade off so it don't cost you - but don't get a Full-Time Evangelist and then preach to him that he needs to just trust the Lord and God will make it up somewhere else. I cannot tell you how many "building funds" I raised the offering for. One pastor would take his yearly vacation the week after my yearly meeting. I would raise thousands and he would take it and vacation on it!
I know I have been criticized for raising offerings - but the fact of the matter is - I never counted them or touched the money. I was usually when I was dropped off at the curb at the airport and the pastor would hand me an envelope and say - I wish it could have been more but ... We need to put a new roof on the church ... We have to do some remodeling .... We have been in a hole and this got us out of it ... There is a missionary with a big need that we are helping ... My wife had surgery and the offering really helped with her big bill ... and the BIG ONE that I will never forget - as I was handed the envelope with the check in it - the pastor said - now if you would like to double or triple that - I have and investment that you have to get into and you will make money like crazy - all you have to do is sign here and get three more and three more and three more and you will be a millionaire! LOL!

God bless all the Evangelists!

Spoken like a lady who knows.:rooting It can happen my suggestion tell your hubby to be more choosy about his evangelist.:thumbsup

And vis versa.

Hee heeeeeeeeee

I have NEVER understood that take another offering when an evangelist is there?? Sunday mornings are missionary here and tithes go into the box. But there should be a minimum NOT a maximum. I would never dip into an evangelist's offering I ALWAYS add to it but never take away from it. I have taken special offerings for travel trailers and trucks for them.
Now the untouchable subject the evangelist's tithe. An evangelist should offer to pay the tithe at the church he is preaching in. Most will not take them but rather give it back for expenses or tell him to send it back to his pastor or missions. But not to offer is bad form. I NEVER take it. I accept it then generally give it to the evangelist's wife for spending money. But pastors in some area of the country do not feel kindly to an evangelist who does not offer to pay the tithe there. Just a thought.

Elder - that is the norm among independents but it is not the norm in the UPC. When we traveled in the Ultra- Con churches - I always gave my tithe to the Pastor and most took them. It was almost and insult to the UPC guys and they really did not give me much of a chance as they would pay me at the curb at the airport! When I come and preach for you (I have shaved) I will give you the TITHE on what God blesses me with there! :thumbsup