THE MINISTRY OF AN EVANGELIST AND OF TONGUES (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 02 DAY 39)

 Miracles and Gifts of Healings 

Those gifts of "miracles" and "gifts of healings" indicate a ministry gift — the office of the evangelist. The ministry of an evangelist is not listed at all here, except as "miracles" and "gifts of healings," indicating the office of the evangelist. Philip is our only example of a New Testament evangelist. We can see the working of miracles and gifts of healings operating in his ministry which indicate the ministry of an evangelist. ACTS 8:5-7 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, HEARING AND SEEING THE MIRACLES WHICH HE DID. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. Later on Philip was called an evangelist. ACTS 21:8 8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of PHILIP THE EVANGELIST, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. 

If a person is a New Testament evangelist, he will be equipped with supernatural gifts such as working of miracles and gifts of healings. In fact, it takes at least those two gifts to constitute the office of the evangelist. Many times we call people evangelists who are really exhorters. In other words, they just exhort sinners to get saved, but they are not really New Testament evangelists; they are exhorters. Exhorters do not have the gifts of healings or the gift of the working of miracles operating in their ministries. They are exhorters; that is their function in the Body of Christ. And they can exhort people to get saved, but there is no manifestation of supernatural gifts operating in their lives or ministries on a continual basis. Paul speaks of exhorters in the Book of Romans (Rom. 12:8). 

Helps 

The ministry of helps is included in this passage in First Corinthians 12:27-30 too. These are people in the Body of Christ who are divinely called and anointed by God to help those in the fivefold ministry. Verse 28 calls this ministry, "helps." Their function is as a supportive role to those called to the ministry. 

Governments 

Also, the ministry or the office of the pastor is not listed in this verse either, as such. However, the office of governments is listed which indicates the pastoral office because the pastor is the head of a church. He "governs" or shepherds the local body. 

Diversities of Tongues 

Another ministry gift we see listed in First Corinthians 12:28 is diversities of tongues. Paul has not changed his subject in this verse. He is still talking about ministry gifts, or fivefold ministry offices, not gifts of the Spirit. In other words, in this passage, Paul isn't talking about being filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking with tongues as a devotional gift because he said, "Are all apostles? [No!] are all prophets? [No!] are all teachers? [No!] are all workers of miracles? [No!] Have all the gifts of healing? ..." The answer is no (1 Cor. 12:29,30). Then Paul said, ". . . do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" (1 Cor. 12:30). The answer is no, all do not speak with tongues as a ministry gift. 

Paul was not talking about believers being filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking with tongues in their private devotional prayer lives. However, all believers are encouraged to speak in tongues to themselves and to God (1 Cor. 14:2,4). Paul was talking about ministering in tongues in a public assembly with interpretation as a ministry gift, and not everyone does that. Ministering in tongues in public assembly with interpretation on more of a continual basis denotes the ministry gift of diversities of tongues most closely related to the office of the prophet, and not every believer has that gift.

 This is not referring to a believer who is used in tongues or interpretation of tongues on an occasional basis. Of course, every believer can have the gift of speaking in other tongues for private devotion. The gifts of the Spirit are for all believers. But ministry gifts only refer to those who are called to the fivefold ministry. It is true that the laity are sometimes used in the manifestation of the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues — the gift of the Spirit listed in First Corinthians 12:10. But, actually, diversities of tongues listed here in First Corinthians 12:28 is not referring to lay members speaking in tongues; it is referring to an office — a fivefold ministry gift. 1 CORINTHIANS 12:28 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, DIVERSITIES OF TONGUES.

 1 CORINTHIANS 14:27,28 27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Paul was speaking here about one of the fivefold ministry gifts which is equipped with tongues and interpretation of tongues. This spiritual equipment of diversities of tongues is manifested on a consistent basis through one who is called to the fivefold ministry in the office of the prophet.

FFT: An Evangelist is known in deeds while an Exhorter is known in words.

ACTION POINT: Discover your spiritual gift(s) and office(s).

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