"In The Evangelistic Field"
A staff writer for the Gospel Advocate in a recent issue of that paper relates some incidents that occurred last year during "the seven months" that he spent "in the evangelistic field." Wonder what "field" this writer and preacher was in the other five months? Some more loose talk. If a preacher is doing the work of a preacher he is "in the evangelistic field" all of the time. Is not the "local" preacher an evangelist? Does he cease to be an evangelist when he accepts "local work?" Paul said to Timothy: "Do the work of an evangelist; fulfill thy ministry." Was Paul telling Timothy to leave "local work" for awhile and spend a few months "in the evangelistic field?" Or rather was not Paul telling Timothy what to do locally—where he was that is, do the work of an evangelist where you are. All of the evangelistic work that I have ever done has been local in some local place. At least, I was local, and tried to make the preaching local in some effective spot on the hearer.
The distinction that is being made between "local work" and "evangelistic work" is a false distinction if the preacher who lives and labors with a congregation does what the New Testament teaches: "Do the work of an evangelist." If he is not doing the work of an evangelist, then he is not doing the work of a preacher.
Traveling on the highways we frequently enter the corporate limits of a town where there is a highway sign that reads: "State Maintenance Ends." Then on other side of the town, leaving the corporate limits, another sign is seen, which reads: "State Maintenance Begins."
Since the brethren are putting up signs for the churches at the approach to the towns, suppose we add: "Evangelistic Field Ends—Local Work Begins!" The same apostle who told the preacher Timothy to "Do the work of an evangelist" also said to the same preacher: "Speak thou the things that befit sound doctrine" and "sound speech that cannot be condemned."