Is there a Scriptural basis for ‘assembly outreach’?

Every Christian ought to be supportive of endeavours to reach souls for Christ, and the godly will always want to have “fellowship with the gospel” (Phil. 1: 5), even if they are not particularly active in that line themselves. I do not see, however, that it is taught in the Word of God (either by precept or example) that the local gathering, as a company, ought to be occupied with evangelism. Evangelism is the work of individuals, though often in partnership with similarly minded companions, as Paul worked with Barnabas, and later Silas (see Acts 13: 2; 15: 40 etc.). The one gifted as an evangelist (see Eph. 4: 11) is given, not in view of what is local, but “with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ” (v12)—the Assembly as one universal whole. This does not mean that the ministry of the evangelist is primarily aimed at Christians, but that the purpose of the gift is to bring in the new converts which the “shepherds and teachers” (v11) can nurture “until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at [the] full-grown man …” (v13). The work of an evangelist is therefore outward in scope with a view to supplying members for Christ’s “body, which is the assembly” (Col. 1: 24). By contrast the word assembly (ekklhsia) means a called-out company, and its focus and business as a company is not outward, but inward in ministry to the saints and upward in praise and worship to God. Certainly, every local company of believers ought to have at least some (even if not distinctly gifted as evangelists) who “do [the] work of an evangelist” (2 Tim. 4: 5). However, I do not see that the company itself works evangelically—even though what we are collectively ought to be a testimony (see John 13: 35; 1 Cor. 14: 25 etc.). It is not without significance that 2 Tim. 4: 5 was written, not to an assembly, but to an individual. Of course, such individuals, if working rightly, will bring converts to the assembly where they can grow spiritually—and the assembly, if its attitude is right, will do what it can to facilitate the work of the evangelist, but each must remain within the rails that God has set them.

   If we talk of ‘assembly outreach’ then it often means that the ‘assembly’ (or prominent individuals in it) decides what should be done evangelically, and there is a danger of the Spirit being quenched (see 1 Thess. 5: 19) and the Word of the Lord not running as it should (see 2 Thess. 3: 1). What I see in Scripture is that the labourer in the Gospel is answerable to the One who gave him the gift as to how he uses it—not the assembly. The assembly may wish to express its fellowship with an evangelical work (as those in Antioch laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul—see Acts 13: 1-4) but it has no say in what that work should be. That is the Lord’s prerogative. Nowhere do we read of an assembly formulating a collective ‘plan’ for evangelism, but there were numerous individuals who “went through [the countries] announcing the glad tidings of the word” (Acts 8: 4). Contrary to what is commonplace around us, the assembly does not preach or evangelise, and nor does it organise or regulate preachings and evangelism. Such things may be very ingrained in today’s ecclesiastical culture, but they are not found in the Bible. The evangelist must work as he sees fit before the Lord, untrammelled by the thoughts of others, however well-intentioned.

   It also ought to be remembered that evangelism is about bringing souls to Christ. This might seem to be stating the obvious, but there is an undoubted tendency when speaking of ‘assembly outreach’ to be motivated not purely by love for souls but by the thought of ‘keeping numbers up’—particularly when many local gatherings are struggling numerically. When Philip was sent “southward on the way which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza” (Acts 8: 26), was adding to the numbers of those in Jerusalem uppermost in his mind? Indeed, the one he was used to bring to salvation he seems never to have seen again (see v39)! Philip, of course, was operating in a day when the local assembly was distinctly visible—now we are surrounded by a confusing plethora of competing ‘gatherings’, none of which can really make any claim to have an ecclesiastical standing before the Lord. For many of these, “one body” (Eph. 4: 4) is a mystical concept, and for all practical purposes their vision is restricted within the bounds of either what is ‘sectarian’ or what is local. The evangelist acting according to Scripture, however, goes out, not to recruit to his own ‘circle’ (although that may well happen), but to reach souls with the Gospel and to add them to the Assembly (see Acts 2: 47)—the body of Christ.   

   In conclusion, if there are any in the local gathering who have a desire to reach souls with the Gospel then they ought to simply get on with it. The ‘assembly’ does not need to organise anything—and, indeed, is acting outside its remit if it assumes to be able to organise. None of this prevents an evangelist from seeking advice or help from others, but it is his own work as given him by the Head in heaven, and it is “to his own master he stands or falls” (Rom. 14: 4).