Mutual Responsibilities
by Alex D. Ogden

The Local Congregation Can Expect The Evangelist To Do The Following:

-Preach The Word

"...preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." --2 Tim.4:1,2

See also 1 Tim.4:6,11; 2 Tim.2:14.

-Teach Local Saints

"Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers." --2 Tim.2:14

See also 1 Tim.4:6,12.

-Work With Erring To Restore Them

"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." --2 Tim.2:25

See also 1 Tim.4:6; 2 Tim.2:14.

-Train Local Members To Be Teachers Of The Word

"And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." --2 Tim.2:2

See also 1 Tim.4:11,12.

-Teach The Lost

"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." --1 Tim.4:16

See also 1 Tim.4:11.

-Help The Congregation Become Scripturally Organized

"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." --Titus 1:5

The Congregations Responsibilities To The Local Evangelist:

-Financially Support

"Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." --1 Cor.9:13,14

See also Lk.10:4-9; 22:35; Phil.4:10-20.

-Follow Example Of Evangelist

"brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." --Phil.3:17

See also 1 Tim.4:12.

-Pray For Them

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds." --Col.4:2,3

See also 1 Thess.5:25; 2 Thess.3:1.

-Help The Evangelist To Fulfill Their Work

"I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." --Rom.16:1,2

See also Phil.4:2,3.

-Submit To Them

"I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth." --1 Cor.16:15,16

(NOTE: This passage should be understood in light of Eph.5:21. No more, or less, should be concluded. In other words, this passage DOES NOT give authority to the local evangelist to "rule" the local congregation.)

-Encourage Them To Fulfill Their Work

"And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it." --Col.4:17

-Examine What Is Taught

"...they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searching the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." --Acts 17:11

See also 1 Jn.4:1.

Our Responsibilities To One Another:

-Submit To One Another

"submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." --Eph.5:21

See also 1 Pet.5:5,6; Phil.2:2-4.

-Love One Another

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another...by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." --Jn.13:34,35

See also 1 Jn.3:14; 4:7,11.

-Forbear One Another

"...forbearing one another in love." --Eph.4:1,2

-Encourage Weak & Discouraged

"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men." --1 Thess.5:14

-Restore The Fallen

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." --Gal.6:1

See also James 5:19,20.

-Provoke Unto Love & Good Works

"and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." --Heb.10:24,25

-Teach Others

"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." --Heb.5:12

See also 1 Pet.3:15; Mt.4:19; 1 Tim.2:2.


This page is © Copyright 1998 by Alex Ogden, All Rights Reserved.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, November 04, 1998.


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