SAN ANTONIO -- In my previous articles concerning the importance of ministry training I provided a summary of what ministry training was— comprehensive training of spokesmen for God. May God help us to support our ministry training institutions that are providing developmental Bible instruction and guidance concerning the full counsel of God.
Ministry training is vital to the health and welfare of the Lord’s Church. We commonly refer to those who occupy official ministerial staff positions in our congregations as “ministers” in general.
We also use terms like “evangelist” and “preacher” and sometimes other man made labels of significance. The assigned title most often depends on the role the staff person is assigned to perform. Biblically speaking however, the only designation contained in New Testament scriptures for a “spokesperson for God” are those found in the New Testament: apostles, preachers, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:7-13; Rom. 10:14-15). Space limitation does not allow for a lengthy discussion about the titles we give those we commonly refer to as “ministers” in this article.
Evangelist verses preacher; are they the same? Evangelism verses ministry; are they the same? Preacher verses minister; are they one in the same or is there a difference? What about a ministering preacher; or, vice versa?
According to Scripture those who proclaim the word of God—should be referred to as evangelists. This designation is given in the New Testament to those who publicly proclaim the good news (gospel) of salvation through Christ; those who are not apostles (Acts 21:8; Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5).
As such, they are messengers of good tidings. The process they employ to win those outside of Christ and mature those previously won is evangelism and/or preaching the word of God.
These men serve the needs of others on behalf of Christ (1 Cor. 9:7-14; 2 Tim. 2:2; 2 Tim. 4:1-2) and as such are ministering servants. The word for “minister” in Greek (the original language of the New Testament) was “diakonos” (Gk διάκονος.) meaning one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master (i.e., the Master…Christ), a servant, attendant, minister. “Diakonos” is also used to refer to deacons in the Lord’s Church.
Those who serve the needs of the Lord and His Church in any of his congregations should be ministering evangelists, ministering preachers, ministering teachers, ministering ministers. All are to minister.
Those charged with the responsibility of training people for ministry who are worth their salt should follow the teaching of Christ and at the minimum the teachings of the Apostle Paul, who was the paragon for setting the standard for ministry training within Christendom.
May God help us all to be ministering ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).