What's the difference between a missionary and a evangelist?

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Permalink Reply by Mary O on May 2, 2016 at 6:47am

Hi Jess, God bless you!

As far as I can tell, the Bible does not use the word "missionary". However, the Bible does use the word "evangelist". I've been around a few evangelists as far as in the crowd and talking face to face. They seem to know what to say to win people to the Lord. They have this Holy Spirit fire. You'll know when you're around an evangelist.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-15)

This is what I can glean: God gave them to us. It is His prerogative according to what is needed at that time. Their purpose is the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry, to edify the body of Christ. You can take the next part two ways, we have them until the Lord returns or is it until we grow up in Christ and have our own ministry and can help others? I'll let you determine that in your heart. But I can see that God does not want us to be like children tossed about with every wind of doctrine. He wants us to be in the know and to grow up in Him. God doesn't want us to be deceived. He wants us to speak the truth in love. We must ask ourselves: What is truth? We speak God's Word in love. We grow up into Him in all things,which is the head, Christ. He is the head of the body. An evangelist will preach Jesus Christ.

Please do not think for a second that I don't believe in missionaries. They are very brave and giving. They go into diverse areas to preach and serve all the time, and some of them are evangelists and other ministries. The Book of Acts shows many self-sacrificing people who gave that others might receive the Gospel. We still see it now. It's not easy to pick up your family or leave that which you know and be sent somewhere that God wants you to go to. Somebody has to do it, and there are people who love God who will serve Him and do it. God bless the missionaries!

God's love,

Mary

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on May 5, 2016 at 10:34am

Evangelism is speaking the gospel to everyone. Missions is going outside of your culture & learning new languages & ways of life. It's introducing them to something they've never heard of before. 

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