What Is “The Work of an Evangelist”?

The apostle Paul’s final charge to Timothy is among the most solemn and stirring passages in all of Scripture: “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). Those words, written from a Roman prison cell shortly before Paul’s death, were not merely personal advice but the Holy Spirit’s call to all who would take up the sacred responsibility of preaching the gospel. The work of an evangelist is not a career choice, nor is it a platform for self-promotion. It is a divine trust, a sacred stewardship, and a continuation of the Lord’s own mission which is to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

The term evangelist comes from the Greek euangelistēs, meaning “a bringer of good news.” It is closely tied to the word euangelion, “gospel.” An evangelist, therefore, is one who proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ. The word appears only three times in the New Testament: in Acts 21:8, referring to Philip the evangelist; in Ephesians 4:11, where evangelists are listed among those Christ gave to equip the saints; and in 2 Timothy 4:5, where Paul charges Timothy to do the work of one. These occurrences reveal that the office of an evangelist is not self-appointed but divinely instituted. The evangelist is not an innovator but a transmitter of divine truth. His mission is not to create new doctrine but to faithfully proclaim what has already been revealed through the apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:5).

When Paul wrote to Timothy, he reminded him that the Scriptures are sufficient for all teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Immediately after affirming that sufficiency, he commanded, “Preach the Word.” The authority of an evangelist comes not from his own wisdom or personality but from the Word of God that he proclaims. He must never preach himself or his opinions, for “we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord” (2 Corinthians 4:5). The evangelist is a servant of the Word, not a master over it. His message must always be “sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1), and his life must demonstrate the purity and consistency of that doctrine.

Paul also told Titus to “speak these things, exhort and reprove with all authority” (Titus 2:15). The authority of an evangelist is not personal but scriptural. He is to stand firmly upon the foundation of revealed truth, declaring it with conviction and humility. He must not shrink from exposing sin or confronting false teaching, yet he must do so in love, with patience and gentleness. The preacher’s tone must never be one of pride or harshness, but of one who genuinely desires repentance and salvation for those who hear him. To “do the work of an evangelist” requires both courage and compassion—courage to speak the truth even when it is unpopular, and compassion to weep for those who resist it.

In the New Testament, evangelists worked closely with congregations, helping to strengthen and organize them. Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to charge certain men not to teach false doctrines (1 Timothy 1:3), and he left Titus in Crete to set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5). From this we learn that evangelists help establish congregations in sound teaching and scriptural leadership. Their role is not to rule over the church but to serve it by the ministry of the Word. Oversight belongs to the elders (Acts 14:23; 1 Peter 5:1-4), while the evangelist labors to equip the saints and to promote unity through the truth. When preachers seek to control rather than teach, they violate the very spirit of their calling. But when they humbly labor alongside elders and members to build up the body in truth and love, they fulfill the pattern revealed by God.

The heart of an evangelist’s mission, however, is reaching the lost. The book of Acts presents Philip as the model evangelist. He went to Samaria and “preached Christ” to the people (Acts 8:5), bringing great joy to the city. Later, at the Spirit’s direction, he approached the Ethiopian eunuch on a desert road, “opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35). That personal teaching led the eunuch to immediate obedience through baptism. Evangelists must therefore be both public preachers and personal teachers. The pulpit is one tool, but so is the home study, the hospital visit, the private conversation. The gospel spreads not only through sermons but through souls on fire with the message of salvation.

To do the work of an evangelist is to live with a consuming concern for lost souls. Paul wrote, “Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). The true preacher cannot rest while men and women remain outside of Christ. He is driven by love for God and compassion for humanity. His aim is not applause but repentance, not fame but faithfulness. His reward is not in this world but in hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). Every sermon, every study, every act of service is performed with eternity in view.

The message of the evangelist must remain pure. He is not a salesman, a philosopher, or an entertainer. His power lies not in style or innovation but in the gospel itself, which is “the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). Modern culture may demand novelty, emotionalism, or compromise, but the preacher must resist every temptation to alter the message for popularity’s sake. The souls of men depend upon his fidelity to Scripture. The preacher’s duty is not to please the world but to persuade men to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:11, 20).

To fulfill this calling, the evangelist must be a diligent student. Paul commanded Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The preacher cannot feed others if he does not feed himself. His study must be deep, consistent, and prayerful. He must know the text, understand its meaning, and apply it correctly. The difference between a shallow sermon and a powerful one is not eloquence but depth of conviction born from time spent in the Word. The preacher who handles the Scriptures carelessly will mislead others and bring shame upon his ministry, but the one who handles it reverently will illuminate hearts and glorify God.

An evangelist’s life must also reflect the message he preaches. Paul warned Timothy to “pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16). The power of preaching is inseparable from the preacher’s character. A man who preaches holiness must live it. A man who calls others to repentance must show repentance in his own life. The greatest sermons are often not heard from pulpits but seen in the daily conduct of a faithful preacher.

Doing the work of an evangelist means enduring hardship. Paul told Timothy to “endure afflictions.” The gospel preacher will face criticism, rejection, and sometimes persecution. Yet he must not lose heart. The message he bears is eternal, and the God who called him is faithful. The evangelist must remember that success is not measured by numbers or popularity, but by faithfulness to the charge entrusted to him. He is to plant and water, trusting God to give the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).

To do the work of an evangelist is to stand where prophets and apostles once stood and to declare God’s Word with boldness, humility, and love. It is to bear the good news of salvation through Christ, to teach sound doctrine, to train others in righteousness, and to guard the church from error. It is a labor of faith, a life of service, and a sacrifice of self. When Paul neared the end of his ministry, he could say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Every evangelist must labor with that same resolve, knowing that the crown of righteousness awaits those who remain faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10).

Such is the work of an evangelist: to preach the Word in season and out of season, to love the souls of men, to uphold the truth without compromise, and to bring glory to the God who called him. It is a calling not of ease but of eternal consequence, for through faithful preaching, heaven’s message is carried into the hearts of men, and the church of Christ continues to grow in truth, purity, and love.