Grace for Evangelism vs Grace for Teaching

By Charles P. Mawungwa

Introduction

If you are a Christian, then you need to hear this. One of the major reasons for divisions in churches today, is the lack of understanding between evangelists and teachers. Some evangelists view bible study as a waste of time, and some teachers view evangelism as a waste of time. We have ministries led by evangelists who have no appreciation for teaching, and ministries led by teachers who have no appreciation for evangelists.

This teaching is aimed at highlighting key differences between the two offices, and how they are supposed to work together for the sake of the kingdom of God.

Wired Differently

Just as a hand is wired to function in a different way to a kidney, so are teachers and evangelists designed and wired differently. They have different graces and are made to operate in different ways.

An evangelist is designed to work with unbelievers, a teacher is designed to work with believers. So, when an evangelist sees 1000 unbelievers, his heart and spirit is moved at the amount of work that needs to be done. He will preach the gospel to them and if all 1000 receive the gospel and are baptized, he considers it a job well done and completed.

He moves on.

When a teacher sees these 1000 newborn believers, he thinks, oh my goodness, there’s so much work that needs to be done. He will say to himself, ‘why is this preacher going out there, and abandoning the work that needs to be done. These people know nothing.’ The evangelist meanwhile is thinking, why is that preacher bothering with believers when there are so many unsaved souls out there.

In this day and age where everyone can start their own ministry, we find ministries run by teachers who have no appreciation or maybe access to evangelists. The churches are small but have people who are mature in Christ, strong in doctrine, walk in victory over the enemy, and are filled with the fruit of the spirit. But there are no new converts. New members are usually people coming from other churches.

Then we have ministries run by evangelists who have no appreciation or access to teachers. They have large churches with many branches, and millions of people coming to Christ. But they are babies, with baby pastors and baby prophets. Casting demons and healing the sick, but struggling to find sustaining freedom from oppression, freedom that comes from knowing the word. They are also susceptible to false prophets and many doctrinal errors.

So, clearly teachers need evangelists, and evangelists need teachers.

Their Job Descriptions

The apostle Paul likens the church to a field.

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 (NKJV)

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

Paul was an apostle, but, in this particular case, in Corinth, Paul planted meaning he did the work of an evangelist, and Apollos watered which means he did the work of a teacher. And it is God who gave the increase.

Evangelists are planters, they prepare the ground, monitor the seasons, and plant the crop. Teachers are cultivators, they are designed to water and nature the plants until they bear fruit..

Both are necessary.

Evangelist are necessary for HORIZONTAL GROWTH, teachers are necessary for VERTICAL GROWTH.

Without evangelists, churches don’t grow. Without Teachers, believers don’t grow.

Evangelists

If you are an evangelist you find that your heart is not so much interested in reaching out to the people who are already in the church, your heart is mostly interested in reaching out to people who are in the world. And it is difficult for you to understand why some ministers are focusing on people who are already in Christ whilst there are many people out there who don’t know Christ. If this is how you feel, it’s because you have the grace for evangelism. But not everyone is meant to be an evangelist.

Evangelists are designed to deal mainly with unbelievers and so they usually have a lot of grace in casting demons and certain signs and healing miracles. These are important tools for them as they preach the gospel and introduce people to who Christ is.

When you look at the ministry of Jesus, you will find that he was casting out demons and performing healing miracles to people who were outside. He wasn’t repeatedly casting out demons from his own apostles. His disciples were already set free from oppressions and were now being taught the kingdom lifestyle.

A good example of a pure evangelist is Philip one of the seven deacons.

Acts 21:8 (NKJV)  8 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him

We first hear of this Philip when he goes to Samaria to preach the gospel.

Acts 8:5-8 (NKJV)

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

So, Philip moved in much grace in casting demons and healing in order to demonstrate the power of God. As a result, the people believed in Jesus. If you are an evangelist, it is natural to find yourself more drawn and interested in demonstration of power, than in deep study of the word.

So these graces were necessary for Philip’s office. When Peter and John later came, they did not have to keep casting more demons, because that work had already been done. They imparted the spirit and dealt with the doctrinal error of Simon the Sorcerer.

Teachers

Any person can teach whatever they know. However, many people don’t know what to do with believers once they are in the church. Teachers are responsible for bringing believers into maturity so they can bear much fruit.

The bible says, every man must be presented as mature/ or perfect before Christ.

Colossians 1:28 (NKJV)

28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:13-15 (ESV)

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Teachers are designed to raise young believers to mature manhood, until they come to the stature of Christ. Paul says, so that they may no longer be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

A church without teachers, is like a room full of newborn babies, who are born and left to take care of themselves. It’s like a field that is planted but without a laborer to cultivate and water the plants or put fertilizers and pesticides. The plants wither and die, and are eaten by the birds and animals.

You can’t bring people into maturity if you don’t know what maturity is. If you are a teacher, you are mostly moved by the spiritual state of believers. Your heart is moved when you see Christians who are not walking according to the truth, and who are failing to walk in the life of Christ because they have known real knowledge and experience of who Christ is, his nature, his character and his mind.

Teachers teach Christ, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore Teachers are designed to understand how Christ is manifests in how the kingdom works, how God works, how the spirit works, how demons work, how the world works, how heaven works, how the devil works, how forgiveness works, how sin works, how judgment works, how deception works and how salvation works. And it is through this knowledge that they can dominate these areas, and teach others to dominate also.

Part of the growth of a teacher, therefore requires a lot of bible study, a lot of discussions of the word, a lot of arguments, and obsessions over topics that most average people can not see their use. But all that knowledge and exercise of the word, helps them understand how to represent Christ and dominate every area of life.

A good example of someone who was purely a teacher is Apollos.

Acts 18:24-25 (ESV)

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.

27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, the body of Christ needs Horizontal and Vertical growth. We need Evangelists for church growth and teachers for believer’s growth. We need more children in the kingdom, and we need the children to be nurtured to maturity. Teachers should benefit from the gift of evangelism and evangelists should benefit from the gift of teaching.

Teachers should understand that not everyone is a teacher, and there are some people whose main tool is casting demons and preaching the ABC’s of the gospel. Evangelists should appreciate that not everyone is an evangelist, there are some people who are not called to plant churches, but will establish and raise those who have already believed.

Let’s appreciate our different roles and learn from one another.

9 Reasons why the Gospel of JOHN May Have Been Written by LAZARUS

The fourth gospel, which is referred to as The Gospel According to John was written from the eye-witness testimony of an unnamed disciple who is referred to as The Disciple whom Jesus loved, or The Other Disciple.

Though no name is actually given, the common assumption is that it was written by John the apostle because of the similarities in language with the letters of John.

John 21:20, 24 (WEB)

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved,the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ breast at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”

24 This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true.

From verse 24 we can see that there are two people involved in the book compilation of the gospel of John. There is the Disciple whom Jesus loved, who testified and wrote down his testimony, then we have the person who is saying, “We know that his testimony is true.”

Careful analysis of the text itself reveals that the gospel was most likely written by Lazarus, who is the Disciple whom Jesus loved, and then compiled and given to the church by John the apostle. And it is John who is authenticating the testimony of Lazarus and saying, we know that his testimony is true.

Here are seven reasons why I believe this is so.

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH

This question concerning the role of women in the church is one of the most divisive within the body of Christ. Some denominations have split and others founded based sorely on the role of women in the church.

When approaching a doctrinal issue like this I like to employ two main principles.

The Whole Counsel of the word – This means that we don’t build a doctrine on a single verse. We must first go over the whole bible from Genesis to Revelation and consider everything that God says and does, and all the examples that God gives us in relation to that doctrine.
Preserve the harmony of the scripture – The bible does not contradict itself so we never interpret one scripture in a way that contradicts other scriptures. We must maintain the harmony of the scriptures.

The Virtue of Suffering

(By Charles P. Mawungwa)

Introduction

Is it God’s will for us his children to go through poverty, trials, tribulations, sicknesses and different forms of suffering on earth, and if so, why? This is the main question that we shall answer in this teaching.

In the most absolute sense God does not want for any of us to go through any pain at all, but as we go through the scriptures, you will see that there are times when God will bring and allow different forms of suffering in our lives in order to save our souls and grow our spirits; in order to build us, to protect us and to perfect us.

We are going look at 5 reasons why God allows his children to go through suffering: 1) To save your Soul, 2) To build your character 3) To Destroy the refuge of lies 4) To discipline those he loves and 5) To reveal himself to you.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH – CAN YOU HAVE SALVATION WITHOUT ANY INHERITANCE?

Introduction

The bible is clear that people who are unrighteous will not have any inheritance in the kingdom of God. So the question is simple, does not having an inheritance mean you can still be in heaven but with no rewards at all.

Was Caleb a ‘Gentile’ or ‘Israelite’

Joshua 14:14 (NIV)

14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.

Caleb, is recorded as the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite: Considering that in Genesis 15, Abraham is given the Kenizzites as one of the Canaanite tribes that must be removed, does that mean Caleb was actually a Canaanite?

New Covenant Law

Introduction

The New Covenant in Christ is a very unique covenant that works in very unique ways. In my teaching on the four Covenants of the bible, I looked at the Noahic Covenant (A covenant of Grace), the Abrahamic Covenant (A covenant of Faith), The Mosaic Covenant (A covenant of Works) and finally the New Covenant (A covenant of peace.)

This presentation aims to address questions concerning the New Covenant Law.

The New Testament clearly tells us that we are not under the law, yet we find the apostles telling us not to commit adultery, and not to steal. If the old covenant law is not relevant for people under the new covenant, how are they determining what sin is and is not? In the midst of much contention and disputes among churches, the ordinary believer wants to know, what exactly is God’s standard for righteousness? How do I know and live the life that pleases him?

A Summary of Church History

Introduction

There is nothing new under the sun. Quite often we find that many of the ‘new’ revelations arising today, are not new at all, and many of the problems faced by the church today have been faced before. The bible warns time and again, that in the last days the church would fall away, so it is therefore necessary to look back and gain an understanding of where the church started and how it as arrived to where it is.

In the following presentation I am going to give a summary of the history of the church. I will try and include source references to the information so that whoever is following can verify the information for themselves.

The Covenant of Christ vs The Previous Three

There is a common misconception that Abraham lived according to the new covenant or (New Testament). There is also a tendency by some people to treat the New Covenant as an extension of the Old. This comes from a misunderstanding of firstly what a covenant is, and secondly what The New Covenant is.

In order to show the difference more clearly, I have to show the four main covenants of the bible.

The Foundations of the Church

The question often arises of when exactly the church of Jesus Christ started. To some the answer is simple, but we still need to lay a bible based foundation of when the church started.

Some believe the church started in Eden, and all righteous people who lived by faith in the coming Christ, upto today, were part of the church. Some believe it started with Moses, and the New Testament only grafted the gentiles into a church that was already there. Then we have others who believe the church started after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, most popularly, at pentecost when the baptism of the spirit came.

These different views stem from different understanding of what the church is, what the New Testament is and what salvation is. This can lead to a lot of error, and so it has become necessary for me to write this teaching, on the foundations of the church.