Preaching and Teaching
This is typically what most people think of as "evangelism". This is where an anointed preacher or teacher expounds the Word of God, presents the gospel message, and has a call for salvation. The anointing to preach and teach is one of the "five fold ministry gifts" and is a special gift by God to the body of Christ. With the anointing comes the fire of the Holy Ghost, and power. People hear the Word of God preached, and then "faith comes by hearing, and hearing, by the Word of God." As they continue to hear the Word, then faith rises up on the inside of them, and they believe and receive. "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9&10
It also says in Romans 10:14 "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"
Several leading examples of the preaching and teaching anointing in the past are Martin Luther, George Whitefield, the Wesleys, and D. L. Moody. One notable present day example of this type of evangelism is Billy Graham. Millions of people have been saved through his ministry. He stands in front of huge crowds of people in auditoriums all over the world, and preaches the word of God with a very simple message, and people get saved in huge numbers.
However, in one interview, Billy Graham talked about how he was uncomfortable talking to people one on one. God puts gifts in the body of Christ in different people for different purposes. Some people are uncomfortable in front of crowds, while Billy Graham is nervous talking to individuals. But where one person is lacking, then another fills the gap. When we all fit together as a whole, we get the work done.
Power Evangelism
This type of Evangelism is marked by signs and wonders and miracles. Examples of this type of evangelism are Smith Wigglesworth, Charles G. Finney, and Reinhard Bonnke. Incredible miracles and healings take place to show the power and glory of God, and bring people to a place where they cannot deny the presence and the goodness of God. Smith Wigglesworth had many people that were raised from the dead throughout his ministry. His watchword was "only believe." If you have faith in God, nothing is impossible to you.
The revivals of the 1800s, notably the revivals that marked Charles Finney's ministry were extremely unusual, but our God is an unusual God. Every time that he had a revival in a city, he would bath it in prayer. He would pray the most outrageous prayers, and he would contend with God, for that revival. And he would get it. There were times when he would be having a series of meeting on the coast, and people would come into shore and get off of their ships in tears, and fall on their knees, and cry out, "what do we have to do to get saved." They said that they came to a point as they came into shore, where they felt the power of God so strongly, that all that they could think of was to get saved. During the revivals of Charles Finney, and personally I believe it was because he was a man of prayer, these new converts did not backslide as many others did. They remained strong in their faith, and connected in the church.
Some of the "healing evangelists" come into this category, such as John G. Lake, Kathryn Kuhlman, A.A. Allen, Jack Coe, Charles Parham, Alexander Dowie, Oral Roberts and many more. Notable miracles occurred and have been documented throughout their ministries.
John G. Lake once was in Africa during a plague, and he was ministering to the people that were dying all around him. He would go out and bury the dead, and there was no medical help available until a ship finally came from England. The doctors then told him that he needed to take some precautions against this disease. He told them that he had no need of their healing measures. "The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." was the verse that he was standing on. He was also somewhat of an amateur scientist, and told them to take some of the froth that came out of the mouths of the people that died from that disease, and put it under the microscope. They did, and the germs were very much alive. Then he told them to put some of that on his hand, and then put his hand under the microscope. They did this, and to their surprise, every one of those disease germs were dead. He had a healing ministry in Spokane, Washington, and it was voted by the federal government to be the healthiest city in the nation, because of his prayer rooms.
Great Preachers of the Past
Want to learn more about these preachers?
Martin Luther
John and Charles Wesley
Dwight L. Moody
Billy Graham
Smith Wigglesworth
An Autobiography by Charles G. Finney
God's Generals of the Past
Todays great Preachers and Teachers
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