What does it mean when (CC)

[kalanamak]

a woman says that she and her husband want to be "evangelists" ? A nice person with a homeschooled only talked to me in the park, and since our boys got on well, I could tell she wanted to start some playdates. I agreed, and since they are doing NO science, I ended up inviting them to come for some chemistry fun. She says that she and her husband want to be evangelists and that she helps at the alter one night a week. They go to church M-W-F evenings and Sunday.

 

Can you translate this for me? I have already, since she seemed so eager to talk about church, warned my son to "pass the bean dip" if her son starts talking about religion, but I'd like to know what type of religion/ religious ferver I might be dealing with. (They also like lots of video games and TV, and that might be more estranging...but that is another story.)

 

Thanks.

[HayesW]

Evangelizing is just sharing Christ. Some folks put more meaning behind it, thinking of it as a position in a congregation.

[Hedgehog]

I think "evangelist" means someone who talks to non-Christians about their faith, either one-to-one or preaching to a group. A very similar word, "evangelicalist" is one who has a personal conviction of Christian belief and the authority of the Bible.

 

I'm saying "I think" because my church doesn't use the phrase, but I've heard others use it in those contexts.

 

HTH.

[kalanamak]

Evangelizing is just sharing Christ. Some folks put more meaning behind it, thinking of it as a position in a congregation.

 

She said she was homeschooling because her son would "have to go with them". Can it be like missionary work?

[Hedgehog]

If they're travelling evangelists, then yes. Some evangelize in their home area, others move about, preaching as they go.

[cjzimmer1]

In our church, an evangelist would be someone who travels around speaking at other churches, often including special services. Yes it would be like a missionary except for us a missionary would be someone in another country verses an evangelist would be someone who travels/speaks/ministers primarily in this country,

[Lily of the Valley]

It sounds like she means they want to be traveling evangelists. They will probably be traveling to various cities throughout the U.S. and preaching at different churches. Often, an evangelist will preach a week-long "revival" at a church before moving on to another city.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Helping at the altar, means that they go up to pray or talk to people who have gone up for prayer or because they want to convert to Christianity.

[Sophia]

Is helping at the altar one night a week part of being an evangelist? I have never heard of the term used with altar service and going to church four times a week.

Maybe it's specific to a certain denomination?

I always thought an evangelist was someone who evangelizes...kind of like a missionary, I guess.

Hmmm...now I'm curious, lol!

Edited September 15, 2010 by Sophia
sp

[MamaSheep]

It kind of depends. "Evangelist" is a term that is used differently in different denominations/religions/faiths/traditions. For some people it just means a person who makes a conscious effort to talk about Christ and His teachings with others, especially those who do not yet "know Christ". For others it's more of an actual employment position, usually dealing with either missionary work or community outreach programs. Other groups use the term to refer to part-time or itinerant preachers. In Mormonism "Evangelist" is another word for "Patriarch", which is a priesthood office, but from your description of the context in which you heard the term used, this is very clearly not what she's talking about.

 

You might have to just ask her what she means. If it were me, I'd probably do that--just say something like, "I remember you saying you and your husband want to be evangelists for your church; what exactly does that mean in your church?" I would try and use about the same tone in my question that I'd use in asking about someone's job. I might ask some follow-up questions if that seemed appropriate. Then I might say something like, "I really respect you for being so passionate about your beliefs. I can understand that because I am passionate about my beliefs too. I am sure you and your kids will respect my family's beliefs the same way you would want us to respect yours. It's so great that we can be friends even though we have different beliefs. Being respectful of others' beliefs is really important to me." Then if there were a problem down the road, I might remind her that mutual respect of each other's beliefs is really important to me in friendships. Then I'd gently point out whatever the problem behavior was and let her know that this seemed disrespectful to me, and I genuinely hope it would not happen again--and that I would appreciate it if she let me know if I did or said anything that made her feel disrespected. If it continued to be a problem I might reconsider the friendship. But I really think that most people are willing to stop objectionable behavior if it's pointed out to them kindly by a friend.

 

(ETA: Just thought I'd mention that the reason I would take this approach is that I am aware that people of my faith have been specifically targeted by some "evangelical" programs, so for me having a new acquaintance tell me she wanted to be an evangelist would be a potential red flag for the relationship. I would just want to know up front if what she wanted was a friendship or a convert. I am happy to be the one, but not the other, and would not want to waste my time or hers.)

Edited September 15, 2010 by MamaSheep

[Barry Goldwater]

Sounds like they have a calling to 'specialize' in visiting Christian Churches for special events, such as youth rallies, revivals, vacation bible school, etc. It can be a full-time or part-time ministry. Support typically comes from the hosting church. Their training and skills will revolve around delivering public Gospel messages geared toward the unsaved, the un-churched, and/or newly saved Christians. In general but not always, they are not typical pastors, i.e. they don't act as administrators of a fixed- location church, and don't shepard a flock at a permanent church, doing the things you might think typical of a full-time pastor (sermons, sunday-school/bible teaching, counseling, visiting the ill, administrative church duties, etc.)

 

HTH.

[kalanamak]

Thanks all. I feel sorry for her son because he's never had any science, and I'm betting she feels sorry for me because we are not saved. So, we have something in common: we feel sorry for each other's son's. :lol: Here's hoping this doesn't get uncomfortable. I will avoid earth and bio.

[Jean in Newcastle]

You don't have to avoid all earth or bio. Studying rocks - identifying, collecting and polishing rocks is fun. Learning about the body's skeleton, muscular system etc. if fun too (though I would avoid the reproductive system because you don't know how open they are about that).

[BeckyFL]

If they are helping at the altar when there is an altar call, they are helping people who want to become Christians, and listening while they pray a prayer of repentance to ask Jesus to be their savior. It sounds like they hope that one day they can be more than the altar workers. They would like to be the evangelists that preach the gospel, telling others how to be saved and what the Bible says about what God has done for them in offering His only son as a sacrifice for their sins. Billy Graham is an example of an evangelist.

 

A few of the many verses that may help....

 

Romans 3:23 (New International Version)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 

John 3:16 (New International Version)

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 (New International Version)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

They want to help others to receive the gift that God has already purchased for them. That usually involves traveling and preaching so they may not want to be tied down with their schooling choices. It would be great for them to have help with science and her ds would probably love someone to have a friend to do some school with if he is the only child.

 

Sometimes Christians assume that everyone has an idea of what they are talking about. I hope this might help explain???

Edited September 16, 2010 by BeckyFL

[MamaSheep]

You don't have to avoid all earth or bio. Studying rocks - identifying, collecting and polishing rocks is fun. Learning about the body's skeleton, muscular system etc. if fun too (though I would avoid the reproductive system because you don't know how open they are about that).

:iagree:

 

You would also probably be fine studying volcanoes, earthquakes, earth's structure (just don't talk about how it got that way or how long ago that happened), as well as plant and animal classification (as categories rather than as the result of evolution), what plants and animals need to live, etc. As long as you stick to "this is how things are" and leave out the "this is how it came to be that way" part, there would most likely not be any conflict. :)

[....]

Well, they're not Catholic or Lutheran (Lutherans don't do "altar calls" and traditionally - in Lutheran churches - women don't help with the service), so that narrows it down. :tongue_smilie: It also sounds like they want to do missionary work - could be domestic or international. Could they be some sort of Calvinist or Baptist?

 

I would just avoid the religion topic with them and put up some tactful boundaries if it gets uncomfortable with you. They probably mean well and if they really want to be friends, your religion shouldn't be a factor.

 

FWIW, my BFF is a fundamentalist/Calvinist and it almost sounds like a whole 'nother religion to me sometimes. But, we get along very well and know each other well enough to get into some hefty religious debates. :D

 

But, boundaries...it's all about boundaries...:tongue_smilie:

[kalanamak]

You don't have to avoid all earth or bio. Studying rocks - identifying, collecting and polishing rocks is fun. Learning about the body's skeleton, muscular system etc. if fun too (though I would avoid the reproductive system because you don't know how open they are about that).

 

Well, I'm doing chem and physics this year, and since he's not had any science at all, I'm just going to do the fun demos to light a bit of a fire (in both of them...also, she made a couple comments about not having enough money for the Y, and the science kit ("Chemistry Bits") has enough material to share). I really don't want to spend time trying to figure out how "not to offend them", so I'll focus on science fun and a pair of boys playing tag.

 

I'm really hoping she is just looking for an only to have a chance to play, rather than practicing her evangelism on us. (There is no fingers crossed smiley). I was raised with the belief that one's personal religion is private, and repeatedly wedging yours into conversation is infra dig. I recall inviting one bubbly homeschooler in from the park, and she immediately picked out my science books in the living room and expressed real dismay at my choice, with a direct comment on how dangerous this was for my son. Not a pleasant moment.

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

I'm really hoping she is just looking for an only to have a chance to play, rather than practicing her evangelism on us. (There is no fingers crossed smiley).

 

I hope so too. I think I've developed a bit of a teflon exterior over the years that lets me set boundaries while at the same time brushing off the initial boundary crossing with a laugh.