7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
A second division, we could call the gift of evangelising. Once again this is the privilege of everyone; we are all to be witnesses. We should be better and more courageous witnesses than we are. But it is a simple fact of both Scripture and experience that there are some of God’s people who seem to have a special burden for evangelism. The Spirit as it were has put his hand on certain people in an unusual way.
They have a Spirit‑given concern for the lost, which is more than many of their fellow believers, which moves them toward outreach. That is how they are made or remade. That is how they think. They move into the mode of the evangelist very naturally and very characteristically. It is something about who they are. They have unusual reserves of sensitivity, patience, and love. They are able to explain the gospel simply. They work at building relationships of trust and affection with people. They take time. They communicate genuine concern, and that concern impresses unbelievers: this person is interested in me; this person cares for me; this person has time for me. Over time God uses these people to bring others to faith in Christ.
One of my main prayers for the church would be that God would bless us with more gifted personal evangelists. More men and women whose hearts he has moved, upon whom he has put his hand. It is a gift that can easily be lacking. I believe above all we need church planters who are natural personal evangelists. We need God to bless us with men who have this unusual burden and facility. I encourage you to pray for such men. Men who can go with a small group into a new community, make contacts, build friendships, and reach people with the gospel. We have men who can preach to people if people are brought to them. We do not always have so many who can go out into the highways and the hedges. Pray earnestly for the gift among us. The gift of evangelists. The gift of people for whom it is a burning passion, a delight, their meat and drink—they love to do it. Many of us know we ought to do it, we do it, but sometimes as a consensus of constraint or obligation. I notice the difference when I meet the real evangelists—you cannot stop them; you cannot distract them; you cannot silence them.
I have a friend who is just one of the most passionate and gifted personal evangelists I have ever met. He is in his eighties, but he is still doing it. Ten or fifteen years ago, he rang us from America, and said:
Ted, I have had a wonderful witnessing opportunity.He said,I had a heart attack yesterday, and as they were taking me into the hospital, I was able to speak about the gospel to the people who were bringing me into the hospital.That is an evangelist! That is something that only the Spirit of God can do.Therefore, pray dear reader, pray that God will bless people. There are people who have not yet discovered and used that gift. It might be yours. You do not need a huge amount of knowledge. You do not need tremendous experience. Pray for evangelists and teachers.1
Edward Donnelly
11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.