3270–3295

2. Evangelists

3270. Functions. An evangelist is an ordained minister or commissioned or licensed minister who devotes time to traveling and preaching the gospel without any specific pastoral assignment, and who is authorized by the Church to promote revivals and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ abroad in the land. The Wesleyan Church recognizes three levels of evangelistic service to which a district conference may appoint ministers: associate general evangelist, general evangelist, and reserve evangelist.

3275. Examination. Before appointment as an evangelist, the candidate shall be examined carefully by the district board of ministerial development relative to personal Christian experience, full personal commitment to and support of the Articles of Religion and Guides to Helps and Holy Living, to the government, institutions and best interests of The Wesleyan Church, gifts and aptitudes for the work of an evangelist, and the intention to devote time to the work of evangelism.

3280. Associate General Evangelist. An associate general evangelist is an ordained minister, commissioned minister, or licensed minister appointed by a district to serve in the field of evangelism. An ordained minister so appointed shall be placed upon the appointed list (1240:1:A:3a). A commissioned or licensed minister so appointed shall be listed under “B. Other Appointments” (1240:2:B; 1240:3:B) and is a nonvoting member of the district conference (1090:3). To receive such an appointment, the minister must devote a major portion of time to do the work of evangelism. Those entering the field of evangelism will serve in this category for at least two years. To be continued in this appointment the minister must conduct at least forty services devoted to evangelism each year after the first year of appointment.

3285. General Evangelist. A general evangelist is an ordained minister appointed by a district conference to the field of evangelism and recommended for service to the church. An ordained minister so appointed shall be placed on the appointed list (1240:1:A:3b). Appointment as general evangelist is subject to the following conditions and procedures:

(1) Upon completion of two years of service as an associate general evangelist, the district board of administration may recommend that person to the district conference as a general evangelist. The two-year requirement may be waived if, in the judgment of the district board of administration and the district conference, an ordained minister is uniquely qualified to serve the General Church in this capacity. Endorsement of the district conference, the General Superintendent, and the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship shall be required for appointment as a general evangelist. Upon approval for appointment to the category of general evangelist, a certificate of such appointment shall be issued and signed by the district superintendent, the district secretary (6340), and the Executive Director of Church Multiplication and Discipleship.

(2) Appointment and certification as a general evangelist shall only be continued in subsequent years if the evangelist reports to the district conference at least eighty services each year devoted to evangelism. At the time this requirement is not met, the general evangelist shall be reclassified as an associate general evangelist or reserve evangelist.

3286. Reserve Evangelist. An ordained minister who, due to age or physical disability, is limited in activities may be appointed as a reserve evangelist (1240:1:A:3c). Appointment and certification as a reserve evangelist shall be by the district. To qualify for renewal of the appointment, the reserve evangelist shall be required to conduct a satisfactory level of evangelistic service each year as determined by the district board of ministerial development.

3295. Evangelistic Reports. Each associate general or general evangelist shall file an annual service/statistical report with the district statistical committee, the district board of ministerial development, and the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division on forms approved by the General Superintendent and made available by the Communication and Administration Division.