Born in the Heart of God

Some Examples

Many ministers are in and out of the vocational evangelism and a number of men are life time evangelists. Research into the lives of such men as Moody Adams, Hyman Appelman, Walter K. Ayers, Manley Beasley, Gary Bowlin, Clift Brannon, Wayne Bristow, Bill Britt, Van Capps, Sam Cathey, Charles Chatman, Clyde Chiles, Tom Cox, E. J. Daniels, Bob Davis, Delton Dees, Jerry Drace, Ron Dunn, Larry Ferguson, Keith Fordham, Freddie Gage, Mike Gilchrest, Phil Glisson, Michael Guido, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Donnie Guy, Steve Hale, Mordecai Ham, Vance Havner, Jack Hazlewood, Jesse Hendley, Junior Hill, Rudy Hernandez, Leo Humphrey, Rick Ingle, Benny Jackson, Larry Jones, Eddie Lieberman, Henry Linginfelter, Charles Massegee, Eddie Martin, Angel and Homer Martinez, Larry McFadden, James McKeithen, Joe Mobley, Perry Neal, Jimmy Nettles, Ben Peacock, Bill Penley, Percy Ray, Dale Riddle, David Ring, Arnie Robertson, Henry T. Roe, Bill Saur, Frank Shivers, J. Harold Smith, Jerry Spencer, Bill Stafford, Rick Stanley, Jack Stanton, David Stockwell, Larry Taylor. John Tierney, Ed Vallowe, Phil Waldrep, Larry Walker, Melvin Wise, Gene Williams, Jim Wilson, T.W. Wilson, Don Womack, and Jerry Young, to name a few preaching evangelists. Singing evangelists like David Akin, Bev Shea, Dick Barrett, Porter Barrington, Cliff Barrows, J. B. Betts, Jon Bos, Lee Castro, Alan Celoria, Price Harris, Ron and Claudia Henderson, Jimmy Hodges, Tom Larrimore, Lowell Leistner, John McKay, Jim McNiel, R.L. and Beth Sigrest, Bill Sky-Eagle, Felix Snipes, Ed and Bette Stalnecker, Jerry Swimmer, Steve Taylor, Connie and Allison Ware, Marion Warren, Leon Westerhouse, are also great men to study. Go to the website of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists and you will find a list of current Southern Baptist evangelists. Continue to read the lives of such evangelists as Dwight Moody, Sam Jones, Reuben Archer Torrey, J. Wilbur Chapman, Billy Sunday, Charles Finney, George Whitfield, John Wesley, Charles M. Alexander, Ira Sankey, Harry Vom Bruch and Homer Rodeheaver. Research into early evangelists such as Evangelist Patrick of Ireland though difficult to find are encouraging as well. His grandfather was a married Priest since what we know today as the Roman Catholic Church did not yet exist. The Apostles were evangelist in spreading the Gospel of Christ to the world. The Book of Matyrs reveals some evangelist as well.

Comparison with Old Testament Prophets

A Study in the call of God on the Old Testament prophets would be valuable as well. In his Book, Preaching From the Prophets, Kyle M. Yates listed the Marks of a Prophet. These Marks are extremely similar to the Marks of an Evangelist. In the following list of marks you will see the places where they are identical in regular print and the differences are listed in italics.

1. 
   He is always an uncompromising individualist. He cannot be bound by conventions or by public opinion or by the congregation or Deacons. That is why his ministry is itinerant.
   
2. 
   He is conscious of a divine call that holds him to the task set forth by God. Always he must realize he is God’s mouthpiece. The divine compulsion must be obeyed.
   
3. 
   He is conscious of the privilege of direct access to the inner counsel of Yahweh, in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is in immediate contact with God. He is the bearer of the precious Gospel of Christ from the throne of God to needy men.
   
4. 
   He is usually a man of action with a certain ruggedness of body and character that commands attention in any gathering. Being intense and keyed to a high pitch apt to stir up saints to get right with God and the sinner to be saved.
   
5. 
   He is conscious of God’s authority and backing at all times. It is usually true that he stands alone in being totally focused on revival, souls being saved and people getting right with God, right now! He is often challenged and criticized for his strange focus and therefore his methods.
   
6. 
   He is definitely a man of prayer and communion. Though he is often lonely and solitary in life, he has a desire to help the pastor and serve in fellowship with him and the people of God in reviving the saints and reaching the lost. This lifestyle causes him to be in constant prayer and emergency study of God’s Word.
   
7. 
   He is clean and consecrated in life and character... Each lived a separated life. Genuine evangelists should do the same.
   
8. 
   He is an outspoken critic of specific evils in the social order… He does not deal in abstractions. Guided by the will of God he raises his voice in violent protest against any person or institution meriting denunciation.
   
9. 
   He is God’s agent to reveal the future to the people. He states that there is a heaven and a hell and what you do with Jesus determines that destiny. He clearly lets the saint know that we suffer when we are not obedient and yielded to the Lord Jesus. Revival and evangelism centered in Jesus Christ and His will is the only door of blessing.⁵⁰
   

Consider the call of each of the prophets to learn how God calls men in general. Samuel heard God’s voice but had to have the old priest Eli, tell him to say “speak Lord, for your servant hears.” the next time God calls your name say speak Lord your servant hears. Amos heard the lion’s roar and God’s voice almost simultaneously. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and felt such conviction that he needed cleansing. When God asked “who will go for me?,” Isaiah answered “here am I, send me!” Jeremiah had fire in his bones and could hold back and had to speak God’s Word.

The lives and calls of the prophets give us examples of how God may deal with us and how we need to respond to the Lord’s call.

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