Can a divorced man be an evangelist

What do you mean by "evangelist"? Do you mean the biblical kind of spiritually gifted person who evangelizes or the modern church to church revival/crusade evangelist? (I certainly hope you're not talking about the television variety! )

If you're talking about the spiritual gift, I think anyone who is gifted that way should be an evangelist regardless of their background. (Even if a believer is not specially gifted that way, they should still share their faith!)

If you're talking about the traveling church to church folks, I'm not so sure there is a New Testament pattern for that... I have personally had few positive experiences with vocational evangelists.

 

I am assuming that you are speaking of the individuals referred to in Ephesians 4:11 (note the cross referrence to Acts 21:8 regarding Philip). If so, there is no divorce restriction specified in Scripture. But note that there are also no specific descriptions in Scripture as to the nature (or existance) of the "office".

What we do know is that Paul writes about how God has given Evangelists (and not a spiritual gift of 'evangelism'...notice that there is not Scriptural argument in favor of such a gift), that Timothy is urged to do the work of one, that Philip is described as being one, and that there are at least 4 instance where Philip's behavior is explicitly described (as proclaiming the Gospel).

There is no Scripture argument baring divorced folk (men or women) from proclaiming the Gospel. But note that to be an Evangelist must not be confused with being an Elder, Pastor, Bishop, etc...

 

A divorced man can be whatever God wants him to be.

 

I was going to chime in, but Jonathan already said everything I wanted to, so, bump!

 

1. Divorce is a sin under some circumstances and such a sin after the fact, is a past sin.

2. Sin is always a sin under all circumstances.

3.In all circumstances a man who has sinned in the past can be an evangelist, therefore a divorced man can be an evangelist.

 

Why not. Most TV evangelists are.

Therein lies the Problem.

 

I wish certain individuals would quit bashing all ministers based on what Televangelists do or do not do.

Those men and or women televangelists who are divorcing their spouses just to get them a younger
or prettier or handsomer spouse is committing sin.

There may be a few who keep accepting their ministries but not many.

As I posted just recently in the other thread, all the leaders of the reformation, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli and on and on believed in divorce and remarriage. Luther and Calvin and Knox believed a person could remarry if there had been adultery committed. They also believed a person could still be part of the ministry if they divorced because of sexual impurity.
They believed this is what Jesus taught and so did Paul.

 

I think a divorced man could be an evanglist. This is different from Bshops and deacons as mention in the Bible bishops and deacons are required to be married. But of course God can will forgive people for divorcing and allow them to continue as long as the divorce was for the right grounds which is adultery.

In Jesus,

David

 

Really? Which ones? Just curious.

 

What do you mean by "evangelist"? Do you mean the biblical kind of spiritually gifted person who evangelizes or the modern church to church revival/crusade evangelist? (I certainly hope you're not talking about the television variety! )

I believe that would be a televangelist. No, I am speaking of the one`s that go church to church for revival/crusade.</font>[/QUOTE]I have a former pastor who is divorced from his wife, remarried a student from the Bible college he was president of, and is an evangelist now. I don't see where there is anything Biblical to stop him from doing so. I don't endorse it, but it's more a conviction I feel. Having been a pastor, he shouldn't have been put himself in a situation where it would end in a divorce. God can still use divorced people.

AJL