New generation of evangelists responding to God’s call in Texas, beyond

Longtime members of Southern Baptist Evangelists fellowship group pray over younger-generation evangelist Kolby King and his wife, Mary Beth, at a 2019 Oklahoma Evangelism Summit. COURTESY PHOTO

At least 15 Southern Baptist evangelists have died within the last 10 years.

The list, according to the Southern Baptist Evangelists fellowship group, includes Roy Fish in 2012; Freddie Gage and Larry Walker in 2014; Rick Ingle, 2015; Gene Williams, Sam Cathey, and Vernon Stephenson, 2016; Billy Graham, Leon Westerhouse, Tom Cox and Ron Herrod, 2018; Bailey Smith, 2019; Joe Allbright and Joe Murray, 2020; and Eddie Middleton, 2021.

The remaining 62 members of Southern Baptist Evangelists actively look for the next generation of evangelists ā€œthrough personal contact, mentorship, one-on-one relationships and encouragement,ā€ Amy Stockwell told the Texan recently. The high-soprano vocalist and her preaching husband, David, from Katy both are long-time members of Southern Baptist Evangelists and members of Second Baptist Church in Houston.

ā€œThe worth and work of the evangelistā€”a unique and specific calling in the body of Christā€”is rarely taught, encouraged, or presented in our churches, colleges, and seminaries as a calling to ministry that has validity, priority, or importance,ā€ Stockwell said.Ā ā€œIt is vital that we as Southern Baptists decide that Godā€™s priorities in this area should also be our own.Ā It is our responsibility to win people to Christ, but also to train them to reach others with the gospel, and to teach, train, encourage, equip, support, and send out the next generation of God-called evangelists.ā€

Preston Nix, professor of evangelism and evangelistic preaching at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, said that while pastors are shepherds of one flock, evangelists ā€œhave a passion for souls but also a passion to train others how to ā€˜draw the netā€™ or lead people to faithĀ in Christ. Also, as recorded in the book of Acts and throughout Christian history, evangelists tend to want to go where people have not heard the gospel message. They want to give everyoneĀ an opportunity to be saved.ā€

While pastors receive income from the church and perhaps one or more other sources, ā€œevangelists have to build a base of support and become ā€˜expertsā€™ at all aspects of ministry and business, build a board, and put together functioning ministry offices,ā€ Stockwell said. ā€œThis takes a great deal of money, for staff, travel expenses, living expenses, health insurance and more.ā€

International evangelist and Southern Baptist Sammy Tippit of San Antonio agreed.

ā€œIn many ways itā€™s harder to be an evangelist than a pastor,ā€ said Tippit, now in his 51st year in vocational evangelism. ā€œIt requires solid faith, trust that God will provide everything, from finances to speaking engagements to effectiveness in ministry, and to a spiritually, mentally and physically healthy family.ā€

Tippit suggests the new evangelists he mentors first set up as a 501c3 non-profit, with a board of directors for ideas and accountability. His core group has been with him for at least 30 years.

ā€œCombining the boardā€™s and Sammyā€™s ideas has been very helpful,ā€ Tippit said. ā€œWe have the kind of relationship that enables me to receive them when they speak into my life honestly and truthfully.ā€

Who are some of those God has called out more recently in this field?

Ryan Fontenot

Ryan Fontenot, 45, a member at BT Church in McAllen, started RAGE Ministries in 2003, an acronym for Reaching a Generation Endangered. Reared in church and a Christ-follower since age 18, Fontenot was 27 when he responded to a call to vocational evangelism during Amsterdam 2000, a nine-day conference for preaching evangelists heā€™d unexpectedly been invited to.

ā€œWe go after the next generation, Gen Z,ā€ said Fontenot, who serves as personal and event evangelism consultant for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. ā€œWe preach the gospel and we prepare the next generation to do the same.ā€

Gen Z refers to middle school and high school students. Fontenot leads weekend conferences, camps, and ministers online, as well.

ā€œWe partner with churches, associations, camps, conferences. Sometimes Iā€™m there to give the gospel; other times itā€™s how to share their faith.,ā€ he said. Fontenot usually is invited to nine camps during the summer and about 25 other engagements throughout the year.

ā€œItā€™s a passion of ours,ā€ Fontenot said of his family, which including his wife Heather and their three children. ā€œIf we donā€™t tell the generations after us about Jesus, well, theyā€™re the real endangered species in the world.ā€

The Wagoner family

Garrett Wagoner has served in ministry 18 years, the last two as discipleship pastor at Fivestone Community Church in Garland. Last year, Wagoner responded to a call to full-time vocational evangelism despite the fact he and his wife Rachel are parents to 1-year-old twins and a 4-year-old, all boys.

ā€œI had a good friend, a vocational evangelist, who died of COVID,ā€ Wagoner said. ā€œWeā€™d have conversations years before about my passion, my desire, for telling people about Jesus. The day he died God started stirring my heart. The Lord made it very clear: ā€˜The time is now.ā€™

ā€œWhen I preach I see people respond, a physical response,ā€ Wagoner said. ā€œOver time I realized I always wanted to be intentional in sharing the gospel, giving an invitation when I preach.ā€

His pastor, Jerry Zucha, and Fivestoneā€™s leadership team recognized his evangelistic giftedness, encouraged him to pursue vocational evangelism, and gave him a launch plan.

ā€œThe Lord has blessed,ā€ Wagoner said. ā€œWeā€™re living on faith and we havenā€™t missed a meal. Heā€™s given us a full schedule through spring.ā€

Wagoner is setting up a donor/partner team, heā€™s in the process of legalizing his 501c3 non-profit status, and heā€™s ā€œlearning how to run the non-profit with integrity, in a way to honor God.ā€

ā€œAnd, as evangelists, weā€™re there to encourage leaders, so Iā€™m learning the ins and outs of that, too,ā€ he added. ā€œGod has brought the right people around us to help us.ā€

Wagoner preaches in churches, at camps, and at youth events. With 57 million teens who donā€™t have a relationship with Jesus, there is a great need for people to respond to Godā€™s evangelistic call on their life by walking faithfully with Jesus, serving in their local church, and in Godā€™s timing, surrendering to full-time ministry, Wagoner said.

ā€œIf you think about lost people all the time, think about how you can get them to respond to the gospel, and want to train others to share their faith, to mobilize believers to articulate the gospel to people in their lives, then God is probably calling you into full-time evangelism,ā€ Wagoner said. ā€œPray about it. Read John 15, Ephesians 4. Find mentors.

ā€œWhat weā€™re seeing is a hunger for Godā€™s word,ā€ the evangelist continued. ā€œThey respond to authenticity. Theyā€™re hungry for the truth. Engage them with stories of your life that connect with Scriptures and they respond.ā€

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