We do not need more sermonizers, organizers, and motivators. We need more evangelists. Not just the kind who travel from place to place preaching in meetings. Our world is in desperate need for gospel consumed, Spirit-controlled, eternity conscious believers. People passionate about reaching souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. Evangelists.

The work of evangelism is not just for evangelists. In fact, most evangelism will never be done within the confines of a church building or in the structure of an evangelistic crusade. The gospel is most effective one on one…just like Jesus deals with every sinner.

Evangelism is one recipient of the good news sharing that good news with someone else. The word evangelism is rooted in the word “evangel,” literally, good news! The evangelist is not the message; he simply carries it. The evangelist is not to receive the praise; only the Evangel, Jesus Christ, is worthy of glory.

Pastors are commanded to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4:5). This is evidence that the work of evangelism cannot be restricted to those who are called to be evangelists. It is the work of Christ! It is the work we all must do. “To seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:10).

Recently I gave a message to our sending church on “Our Part in His Plan.” Ephesians 5:11-12 explains that God gives ministers to the church “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Why are the saints to be perfected? What work are they to do? How does the body of Christ function? The chapter goes on to explain that every member of the body has a work; “every joint supplieth” something to the body!

A few days ago I had the privilege of speaking to a number of fellow evangelists and pastors in a conference on revival and evangelism. In one of the sessions I testified to them that my goal in meetings has changed. Without a doubt I long to see sinners come to Christ. Yet more and more I realize that the long-term effectiveness of a meeting is not in how many new converts we leave behind, but in how many new evangelists we leave behind.

My mission as an evangelist is not just to reach the lost, but to recruit others to do the same! This was our Lord’s heart, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38).

Just this afternoon I spoke with a man by phone who has such a burden for his city. Churches are closing. Buildings for sale. Congregations without a pastor. They need more than an evangelistic meeting; they need laborers.

Some of us are called to be full time evangelists, some are to be pastors, some are to be missionaries, but ALL of us are to be witnesses. Yes, pray for the evangelist, but participate where you are in the work of evangelism!

We need more evangelists!