EVANGELIST ē văn’ jə lĭst (Gr. εὐαγγελιστής, G2296, one who announces good news). The twin words euaggélion, “gospel,” and euaggelistēs, “evangelist,” came into Biblical use with the advent of Jesus. “Good news” merited “a messenger of good news.” The word “evangelist” appears three times in the NT, with reference to the person, the work, and the calling.

Philip is the typical example of an evangelist. Paul and his party, after returning from his third missionary tour, “entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him” (Acts 21:8). Earlier, Philip had conducted a successful evangelistic campaign in Samaria, and converted and baptized the Ethiopian official, sending him back home with the Gospel (Acts 8:4-40). Philip was the first of “the Seven” (deacons) elected by the Church to serve the widows, and was not an apostle or ordained minister. But he was an evangelist, for “he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (8:12). So, whoever is “a bringer of good tidings” is an evangelist. Therefore God Himself is an evangelist, for “he preached beforehand to Abraham” (Gal 3:8). And so were the announcing angel (Luke 2:10), Jesus Himself (20:1), and the apostles and early converts in general (Acts 8:4).

Paul admonished Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5). Primarily, the work of the evangelist is to “proclaim good tidings” in new areas. It is the vanguard of Christianity, announcing the good news of the kingdom and of Christ where it has not been heard before. Paul, like Philip, did this kind of work, as did Timothy and other traveling Christians. They planted Christianity (1 Cor 3:6), then moved on to other virgin soil. The preacher-pastor and teacher were to shepherd and teach the flock, while the evangelist went from place to place enlisting new converts. Later, the authors of the four gospels were called “evangelists,” because they were the first to proclaim the good news through writing.

The vocation of the evangelist is distinct. Paul said that Christ’s “gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipment of the saints, for the work of ministry” (Eph 4:11). Divine wisdom foresaw the growth of the Church and consequent need for workers of diversified gifts (1 Cor 12:28). Special talent is needed for pioneer proclamation of the Gospel, founding new missions, and building new churches. The evangelist is endowed with appropriate spiritual gifts to unlock pagan, heathen, and sinful doors and admit the saving Christ. See Ministry.

Bibliography W. Walker, “A History of the Christian Church” (1959), 454-472, 495, 507; D. Moody, “God Is Really Among You” in “Professor in the Pulpit” (1963), 67-75.