What is the Community of Evangelists?
The Community of Evangelists is a network of ongoing spiritual and practical support for Evangelists or those who are exploring a calling as an Evangelist. This community aims to raise up, challenge, and support theologically diverse Evangelists for our world today.
What does being part of the Community involve?
Equipping
Since there is such diversity in the way evangelistic ministry is carried out, the Community is less about prescriptive training, and more about offering relevant and robust opportunities for equipping members in their ministry. These opportunities are shaped by suggestions from Community members.
There are occasional short online events throughout the year offering high quality speakers on themes relevant to evangelism and opportunities for question and discussion. There are also two weekend residentials each year. These are retreats, offering spiritual nourishment and reflection time, as well as some training and developing for members’ ministry in evangelism. The events are open only to Community members.
Coaching
In members’ first year of being in the Community, they are offered high quality, monthly 1:1 coaching sessions free of charge. They will be matched with a coach who understands the dynamics of the context of their ministry. Regular coaching will help them move from practicing evangelism well to faithful intentionality and excellence as an evangelist. In subsequent years, funding is available for further context-relevant coaching and training.
Connecting
Through an optional WhatsApp group, and through the in-person and online gatherings, members will find mutual support with other Evangelists across the Methodist Church. They will be connected to a wider movement of evangelism and can learn, share and practice together.
You might be reading this guidance because you:
- Have somebody in your Church, Circuit or District who is exercising a ministry as an Evangelist and who wishes to join the Community of Evangelists.
- Have somebody in mind who you think is gifted and called to be an Evangelist and you’d like them to join the Community of Evangelists to help them explore this.
Either way, the following sections should be of assistance:
What is an Evangelist?
All disciples of Jesus are called to listen for, speak of, and live out the Good News from their own experience, perspective and relationship with God. While all are called to evangelism, some people have particular spiritual giftings as Evangelists.
Evangelist is not a formal office of the Church, and therefore the ministry of an Evangelist might happen differently in different contexts. They could be lay or ordained, paid or unpaid, working as part of a team or as an individual. Evangelists always work in partnership with Christian communities, both new expressions of church and inherited. We recognise a calling to evangelism as distinct from a calling to pioneering or church planting or preaching – although there is common ground for each of them.
An Evangelist in your church, circuit or district could be:
- Somebody employed in a role with a specific evangelism remit.
- Somebody in a role with a wider remit but for whom evangelism is an important part of their ministry
- Somebody involved in a particular project or initiative which is evangelistic or is seeking to be more so.
- Somebody simply with a passion for sharing the gospel in their every day life.
Guiding somebody through the application process.
Applicants can sign up to join the Community of Evangelists at any time – there aren’t ‘cohorts’ or an annualised application process. The Community is an ever-growing network of individuals in ministry as Evangelists.
Applicants are also encouraged to use the discernment guidance.
You’ll see applicants are encouraged to speak to a local leader as part of their discernment. Please be prepared to speak to individuals and pray with them as they explore and make this application.
If you are asked to provide a reference for someone wanting to join the Community, please use the online form.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please speak to Cameron Lee-Hume, the convenor of the Community at lee-humec@methodistchurch.org.uk
Considerations for local support
The Community of Evangelists offers support and encouragement amongst a network of people engaged in a ministry of evangelism in local contexts. Joining the Community does not offer formal commissioning or accountability. Depending on the context of the evangelistic ministry, the Circuit or District may wish to consider the following:
- Safeguarding. If the Evangelist carrying out ministry on behalf of a Church, have they been DBS checked and were they safely recruited?
- Role and responsibilities. If an Evangelist is formally representing the local church, their ministry should complement the vision or mission plan of that church – in what ways has circuit leadership been involved in discerning the direction of this role? In what contexts does this ministry take place and how can innovation, creativity and outreach be encouraged?
- Supervision and accountability. Should the Evangelist be supervised? How is their ministry overseen and who are they accountable to? Should they have a formal ministry agreement that can be reviewed regularly to help establish shared expectations for the ministry?
- Training, equipping and support. Although the Community of Evangelists offers these things, there may be additional contextual training required. Has the Evangelist been offered development or training opportunities? Who do they go to for support? Do they have or need spiritual direction or prayer support?
- Affirmation and Commissioning. Is the Evangelist affirmed in their ministry? Should they be commissioned as Evangelists within the life of the Church in any appropriate way? In what way is the wider Church or Circuit leadership involved in the recognition of an Evangelist? This should be considered regardless of whether the person is ordained or lay, paid or unpaid.
Some additional notes for Church, Circuit and District leadership:
If a person who is a member of the Community of Evangelists moves to a new church or circuit, it is possible their ministry may come to an end. In a new setting their ministry within the life of the church may be different. This does not imply that a person will ‘grow out' of an evangelistic ministry. It does, however, acknowledge that ministry is exercised according to context. If you have a person moving into your church or circuit who was an Evangelist elsewhere, or somebody who has been an Evangelist in your church or circuit moving away, and you would like to speak to us about this, please contact Cameron Lee-Hume at lee-humec@methodistchurch.org.uk