By the Holy Spirit, the apostles and prophets performed their work of revelation. They and the evangelists (like Philip) spread the gospel, confirmed and strengthened the souls of new saints for various lengths of time but moved on to other areas to spread the good news. It is said of them that they were “itinerant” teachers, but this may imply that they didn’t stay long. Though we do not have exact data on the length of their stay, it would seem that like Paul, they stayed as long as it took to accomplish their task. The length of time was not as critical as the fulfillment of their task. The New Testament shows Paul and his traveling companions moving from place to place, where the amount of time varied. Some would be left or sent somewhere else by Paul and others of his traveling companions would continue their journey. These are described as “evangelists,” who worked among saints in the absence of an apostle, but with the intent of staying just long enough to “set in order what was lacking and ordain elders.
An early example of this role is given by Paul and Barnabas. Luke tells us that when they went to other areas, they left behind them elders in every city (Acts 14:23). This same work would be repeated by the evangelists so that further guidance would continue to equip saints for service that the body may be edified and grow. Their instruction implies that once they had completed their task of ordaining elders, they would move on where the same need existed. Until these elders were selected, the implication is that the evangelists were doing similar work among brethren. The “elders” and “evangelists” were committed to the building up of the disciples who lived among them.
1.” Minister”
We find this term in the Bible that is often used today to describe a preacher or “minister of the gospel.” However, it does not describe a special class among God’s people associated with a local church preacher/pastor. The minister is a servant and the area of service is dependent on which gift he or she had received. Verse 12 of Ephesians 4 describes their purpose, along with the other gifts, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (ESV). The King James translates it, “for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry.” This is another of many examples where the King James Version is attempting to model the institutional church. This is understandable since the Church of England is built on that model. “The ministry” depicts a field of work that describes a profession wherein one is called to work with a church and/or be supported by a church to preach, teach, or evangelize. However, the use of the word here and throughout the New Testament supports a very different view and one that is shared by all of God’s people. All saints are “ministers” because they minister to the needs of the body and serve one another. When we give ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, we have entered a ministry. Our function is to minister or serve in whatever capacity that God has chosen that we fulfill. Speaking of the gospel, Paul writes,
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power (Ephesians 3:7).
There can be no doubt that Paul is alluding to the power of the Holy Spirit, here. Because he was sent on a commission by the Lord (“Apostle”), he views himself as a slave or bondservant (Gr. doulos). He again explains his ministration of preaching when he writes, “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister (verse 25).
As a servant and apostle, he was only the messenger, the earthen vessel that carried the precious treasure or a servant through whom others believed (2 Cor. 4:7; cf. Acts 20:24; 1 Cor. 3:5, 4:1). The word appears to be a subheading under one’s stewardship (1 Cor. 4:1-2, 1 Tim. 4:6, 2 Tim. 4:5, cf. Acts 12:24). Not all stewards had the responsibility to fulfill the task of an evangelist (Acts 12:24) as not all ministers are evangelists. Yet, all evangelists are ministers as is every other gift because they are designed for the work of service/ministering. Some had taken on the work of sending aid to Judean brethren (1 Cor. 16:15) or showing hospitality, like Gaius (2 John). As ministers, we are all under charge to fulfill our individual work. However, the concept of a minister being a paid church official in a church organization is foreign to the Bible. No apostle or evangelists was ever hired to preach for a church. The pulpit of a local church organization was not the place of employment.