Craig Bennet, you said:

G’day Ken,

Perhaps you are missing the point that God has called those pastors to be just that, Pastors.

There are some great evangelists in Sydney who can and do easily bring others to the Lord.

Craig, are pastors not called to evangelise also? Are there two distinct categories here? I think every pastor should learn to evangelise as best they can. Can the pastor say “no, evangelism is outside of my job description?”

I was not hoping for evangelists of a global status. Good local evangelists in every bible based church would be great though.

Hope things are well with you Craig, sounds like it. Actually I was working out at The Oaks and Oakdale recently. Is your church located somewhere around there? I was wanting to pop in for a yarn, and meet you, perhaps. (sorry, not for a personal exorcism on myself though, I hope)

blessings,

Ken

G’gay Ken,

come for a cuppa any time.

Very rarely do I do spontaneous exorcism, so you will be right. ;)

i’ll pm yo my phone numbers, we are only 15 minutes away from oakdale.

What do you make of Eph 4:11.

Blessings craig b

Hi Ken,

I don’t know enough about Billy Graham to know about his technique.  I am currently reading a bio by Pollock about him, so hopefully will learn more.  I did study his preaching style and success for a uni essay, but as that was years ago......

I am just wary of the term ‘professional’ in reference to ministers and I’m sure you would agree, God can use anyone, be they ‘skilled orators’ or otherwise to spread his word.  I also think it’s more important that they are godly than that they are ‘great speakers’ - cause some ‘great speakers’ just aren’t worth listening to.

Both of these great men used every inch of their abilities and efforts to tell people about God’s plans.... The trouble is, that many leaders, pastors, etc do not put in that effort. Many bludge, or don’t go about it effectively.

I know lots of ministers, and I must say I don’t know many that I would say bludge, but I do agree that effort needs to be put into sermons and evangelitic talks - because we always need to approach teaching God’s word with care and attention. 

I do hope that preachers are effective - and I pray that God would make them so - and that they will not fall into the trap of laziness.

Ruth

Hi Craig,

Ephesians 4:11
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

“Christ has given certain gifts to certain leaders (those with different types of teaching gifts) to promote growth and to ensure cohesive unity.”
(from my commentary book)

I’m sure that even the basic all-rounder would know a bit about all parts of the general requirements of leading, and also calling people into the church. A pastor should know something about evangelism, and an evangelist should know a bit about pastoring - without it really being his special gift.

And this verse was written for that time, when apostles were live on the hoof, and prophets were not that long gone either. (e.g. John the Baptist)

Ken

G’day Craig S.

Rienhardt may be German, I thought he was a dutchman, but a South African one? Certainly the majority of his ministry is done in Africa, our minister was a missionary in Nigeria for over 12 years and he speaks highly of his ministry, saying he is well respected by all the denominations and missionary groups in Africa.

Blessings craig b

G’day Ken.

And this verse was written for that time, when apostles were live on the hoof, and prophets were not that long gone either. (e.g. John the Baptist)

From the sound of it you are a cessationist?

The prophets mentioned in this verse are not talking about prophets gone by, such as John the Baptist, it is talking about the gifting of individuals in that time who were prophets, such as Agabus, Phillips daughters, and all the other prophets mentioned through out the scriptures.

Eph 4:11 is still current for today, there are still some called to the Apostolic ministry, some are still called to the Prophetic ministry, some to the Evangelistic ministry and some to the Pastoral / Teaching ministry.

The Bible does not speak of any person being an all rounder and any one who tries will fall flat on their face, as the church is supposed to be a body with all working together to build up the body. Sometimes it is far better for a pastor to get a evangelist into the church to help with the evangelising strategy.

Blessings craig b

[quote author="Ken Austin"]
I was working out at The Oaks and Oakdale recently.

Sorry for the sidetrack, but…

I must say of all the places I have lived, I like that area very very much.

We are having a “Decoding Da Vinci” evening at church as an outreach event. There will be dinner and a talk, and it will be on a Monday evening.

The invitation looks sensational - http://www.christiansinthemedia.org/images/060415DaVinciSeminar.gif

Bear with me - this won’t be exactly short, but please pray!

1.  This Saturday night the women’s fellowship at my church has organised an evangelistic dinner at which I have been asked to sing.

* Pray for the speaker (a lady from Evangelism Ministries), that in speaking on “What women really need” she will be faithful to God’s gospel
* & that people’s hearts may be opened by His Spirit so they may believe & be saved
* & that I will be diligent in rehearsal & preparation & give the glory to God (even though I am so tired these days)

NOW I SWITCH TO “CAPSLOCK” SO I DON’T HAVE TO FUSS ABOUT PUNCTUATION!

(AND BECAUSE IT’S SUCH EXCITING NEWS...!)

2.  WENT TO VISIT SOME FORMER STUDENTS LAST WEEKEND.
HAD REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION WITH ONE STUDENT, YR.9 2005 NOW YR.10 2006....

* HAVING TAKEN 3.5 YEARS OF COMPULSORY RELIGIOUS STUDIES CLASSES AT HIS SCHOOL (I TAUGHT HIM THIS SUBJECT MYSELF, LAST YEAR), HE IS MULLING OVER EVERYTHING HE’S BEEN TAUGHT SO FAR.
* HE DESIRES A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, HE SAID, BUT HAS BEEN TO DIFFERENT CHURCHES/YOUTH GROUPS & HASN’T FOUND IT.

IN OUR DISCUSSION HE RAISED THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:
* HOW DO WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
* JESUS BORN JUST TO DIE FOR US?
* WHY JESUS A SACRIFICE?
* WHAT ABOUT SIN & HELL => WILL PEOPLE WHO ‘CAN’T HELP BEING HOMOSEXUAL’ GO TO HELL?

THESE QUESTIONS LED NATURALLY TO ME SHARING MY FAITH & ABOUT
* THE RELATIONSHIP I CAN HAVE WITH GOD ONLY BECAUSE OF JESUS
=> ROLE OF PRAYER & BIBLE-READING
* THE DIVINITY OF JESUS - “BORN” AS A MAN YET FULLY GOD EVEN AT THE BEGINNING (cf. Genesis 1, John 1 etc.)
* HOW O.T. SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM WAS FULFILLED BY JESUS
* GOD HATES ALL SIN & NO SIN (TO HIM) IS WORSE THAN ANY OTHER…

Thank God for:
- leading this boy to seek Him, think seriously about Him and want to know Him
- choosing to work in this way through the Religious Studies department at this boy’s school
- His love for the world
- the fact that He is so patient, wanting none to perish but everyone to come to repentance & a knowledge of the truth
- the faithful Christian men working hard to present the gospel of Jesus in this school
- the opportunity I had to share about the work of Christ in my life
- God’s grace which gave me the right words to say…

Please pray not only for this boy but all the others I taught at that school:
- that they will know and accept the truth and that it will set them free
- that God will keep their hearts soft and open to His gospel as it is preached to them each week
- that God will have mercy on them and turn their hearts to Him, pouring out His Spirit on them and removing the veil that they may understand and believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and be saved!

Thanking you all in advance for your partnership in prayer & in the gospel!

I’m speaking evangelistically on Sunday, titus 3:3-7, at Cumberland Uni church, and would appreciate prayer. Thanks!