"Hello, this is Evangelist..." : Do you let them come preach?

[ChicagoPastor]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

Again, we have that in common. In 8 years of full time Evangelizing I never made one call looking for a place to preach. In fact, my Pastor would have come unglued if I had as he taught us strongly against it.

I evangelized for 4 years and I never called someone out of the blue and asked if I could preach for them.

The ONLY time I'd call a Pastor is IF the Pastor told me to call them if I was in the area, and even those calls were uncomfortable to make sometimes.

Originally Posted by Mrs. LPW

I'm not a pastor, I stated that before and I think it's pretty obvious lol..
but
Having seen firsthand the damage that can be done (by an evangelist coming and preaching who hasn't heard from the Lord first) to babies in the Lord... I can completely understand churches who are careful who they have preach.

Is what we call an Evangelist in modern day, what the Bible referred to as Evangelist? Someone who comes, preaches, leaves? Or was an Evangelist something a little different in Bible terms?

We had an evangelist that came 'highly recommended' one time to my home Church in Indiana. My Pastor's stance on wedding rings was 'a plain, simple, thin band' was not a problem. This Evangelist got up, with a house full of new converts in the room, and screamed out in the middle of his message (for no logical reason as it didn't seem to fit in his message at any point) and said, "ANY man who wears a wedding band has secret homosexual tendencies!" and then pressed the fact that you were to keep them away from your little boys.

Sadly, we lost two great new families who had been in the Church only a few months over it.

NEEDLESS to say, his revival was short lived and there were a LOT of fireworks in the office that night after Church.

Originally Posted by Apprehended

Tell the evangelist that since he has some time to spare, come mow the church's lawn. In fact, there are some other chores that needed to be attended too like sweeping the parking lot for instance.
On the other hand, let's hope the Pastor is a little more tuned to the Spirit of God than to listen to some jack-leg looking to pick up a few bucks by strutting in his pulpit. No one is profited by it.

Whatever happened to the idea of servanthood?

That may well be the shortest telephone conversation in the history of the Apostolic movement!

[Apprehended]

Originally Posted by RevDWW

Why do you appear to assume the worst?

Why?

Because I've learned to expect less than the best. Almost always, I am not disappointed. But then, when the best is shown, I am ecstatic with joy and bounding pleasure that refreshes my soul, sending my spirit to the heavens.

Tell the jack-leg that since he is in the area and nothing to do, come sweep the parking lot and take care of a few chores for the Pastor.

Do you think that will TRY his spirit. Bet your sanctified hanky it will. After all, aren't we told to TRY the spirits to see if they be of God.

Say, these are the principles that I was taught.

If you felt called to be a missionary, brother Wynn Stairs would DEFINITELY TRY your spirit and let you know that you were not called and was not worthy to even be in the pulpit much less be a missionary. Often he would watch that very disheartened man and wife walk away with bowed heads. He then would go to God in earnest prayer for that man and his wife that if they really are called, that they would come back to him. Sometimes they didn't. He then assumed that they were not really called in the first place. But if that man and his wife came back to him and told Bro. Stairs that the call will not leave, brother Stairs would jump out of his skin to get that couple appointed to the field of their calling.

TRYING THE SPIRITS is a lost art. We need to return to it.

[Apocrypha]

I think some folks don't see it from the viewpoint of a unconnected young evangelist who comes from a smaller church that doesnt fellowship much or who isnt related to the ministerial dynasties in the apostolic movement. There is nothing wrong with contacting a pastor and asking if you could send him a copy of a CD along with some commendation letters and articles and then following up in a week.

Also there is nothing wrong with bi-vocational evangelists who work a regular job, help their local church in soul winning and go out every few weeks to speak out. It tends to force them to be more regional since they have to be back at work on monday morning, but theres nothing wrong with that approach to getting started. Its a pity that people can't see it from the view point of a young person getting started with few connections and a desire to expand into that ministry gradually rather than get fustrated and quit since the doors seem to be hard to open since alot of mythology of how to get started is out there like "just pray and the doors will open" since we should be teaching new evangelists that...

..faith without works is dead.. so do a couple of local sermons, burn them on CD and pick up the telephone... its a good way to start

[Apprehended]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

We had an evangelist that came 'highly recommended' one time to my home Church in Indiana. My Pastor's stance on wedding rings was 'a plain, simple, thin band' was not a problem. This Evangelist got up, with a house full of new converts in the room, and screamed out in the middle of his message (for no logical reason as it didn't seem to fit in his message at any point) and said, "ANY man who wears a wedding band has secret homosexual tendencies!" and then pressed the fact that you were to keep them away from your little boys.

Sadly, we lost two great new families who had been in the Church only a few months over it.

NEEDLESS to say, his revival was short lived and there were a LOT of fireworks in the office that night after Church.

Not only a lot of fireworks in the office afterwards but a very distintive impring of a number 12d boot print left indelibly in the south side of the north bound evangelist.

The pastor should have stood up right when he said such a dumb remark, "folks, that is not right. It is now time for our little brother to sit down, learn from this experience while we, the church of God will continue to love, help and seek to guide him in his Pilgrims Progress, praying that he will not climb the fools' mountain in the future.

[Apocrypha]

Originally Posted by Apprehended

Why?

Because I've learned to expect less than the best. Almost always, I am not disappointed. But then, when the best is shown, I am ecstatic with joy and bounding pleasure that refreshes my soul, sending my spirit to the heavens.

Tell the jack-leg that since he is in the area and nothing to do, come sweep the parking lot and take care of a few chores for the Pastor.

Do you think that will TRY his spirit. Bet your sanctified hanky it will. After all, aren't we told to TRY the spirits to see if they be of God.

Say, these are the principles that I was taught.

If you felt called to be a missionary, brother Wynn Stairs would DEFINITELY TRY your spirit and let you know that you were not called and was not worthy to even be in the pulpit much less be a missionary. Often he would watch that very disheartened man and wife walk away with bowed heads. He then would go to God in earnest prayer for that man and his wife that if they really are called, that they would come back to him. Sometimes they didn't. He then assumed that they were not really called in the first place. But if that man and his wife came back to him and told Bro. Stairs that the call will not leave, brother Stairs would jump out of his skin to get that couple appointed to the field of their calling.

TRYING THE SPIRITS is a lost art. We need to return to it.

sounds more like a flawed method of interviewing potential missionaries and it has the very real possibility of hurting good people that could otherwise win souls. why not use common sense and kindness when reviewing a missionary for the foreign field?

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

I confess that I saw a thread similar to this on another forum and thought I'd like to see the responses to the question from some of the AFF crowd.

Every Pastor I know has, at some time or another, had a telephone ring only to answer it and hear, "Hello! I know you may not know me but I'm Evangelist (Insert name here) and I just wanted you to know that I'm in the area with some time off and wanted to know if I could come preach for you while I'm in the area?"

QUESTION: Do you let them come or do you generally turn them down?

QUESTION: What is your philosophy of dealing with those calling wanting to preach for you?

QUESTION: Have you ever been 'burned' by someone and wished you hadn't let them come?

This ought to be interesting and I'll hold my viewpoints for a little while to see what others think...

Let's hear your answers!

NOPE I do NOT preach anyone I don't know unless they have been recommended by a reputable person. And yes I do call and ask about them.
My Dad says "It cost as much to have a good meeting as it does a bad one." Besides the aggrevation and the aftermath. I just don't do it never.

[Esther]

I can certainly understand the pastors point of view here. And indeed the Bible does say know them that labor amoung you.

I don't see how an evangelist can make it to get started today. Unless they are the son of a pastor, they have very little chance of getting a chance to have a reputation.

Someone mentioned that coming from a small church is a great hindance. I beg to differ, I think you might have a better chance. I go to a very large church and in the last six years I can only remember two young men who has strong family inflence given the opportunity to preach. What about the others that go to that church who left and was able to get revivals on their own? As much as I love my pastor I don't understand his decisions here. Seems like showing favorites to me. But I'm sitting in the cheap seats.

My other complaint is when we do have an evangelist it is the same one from the year before. That is okay occasionally as well. But variety is the spice of life is it not?

But as difficult as it is for men to get revivals for a woman it would be neigh impossible.

So as others have said, go preach in the nursing homes, go preach on the street corners.

Now one more point I want to make. If the pastor is as spiritual as you would like to believe they are why can't the evangelist call and the pastor be spiritually senstive enough to know what the will of God is in this situation. I beleive the old timers could do that?

Seems like there are no winners and no easy solution to this problem.

[rrford]

Originally Posted by Steadfast

I confess that I saw a thread similar to this on another forum and thought I'd like to see the responses to the question from some of the AFF crowd.

Every Pastor I know has, at some time or another, had a telephone ring only to answer it and hear, "Hello! I know you may not know me but I'm Evangelist (Insert name here) and I just wanted you to know that I'm in the area with some time off and wanted to know if I could come preach for you while I'm in the area?"

QUESTION: Do you let them come or do you generally turn them down?

QUESTION: What is your philosophy of dealing with those calling wanting to preach for you?

QUESTION: Have you ever been 'burned' by someone and wished you hadn't let them come?

This ought to be interesting and I'll hold my viewpoints for a little while to see what others think...

Let's hear your answers!

What do you think about a guy who is invited to preach and then leaves the service before it is over without ever preaching because of a powerful move of the Holy Ghost?