In 2 Timothy 4:5, Paul exhorted Timothy to "do the work of an evangelist." This command was given in the context of ministering in the "last days" (3:1). The last days were characterized by mounting opposition and deception from false teachers and by people who would turn from God's word and desire to have their ears "tickled." Therefore, Timothy's duty before God and the Lord Jesus Christ was to preach the word (4:2), which entailed doing "the work of an evangelist." Since, according to Friedrich, the work of an evangelist is both congregational (Ephesians 4:11-16) and missional (e.g., Acts 8:5-40; 21:8; 3 John 7), consider the following ways that pastors can practice this:

 

Since the Work of an Evangelist is Congregational​

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1. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by teaching the church to evangelize. Pastors can devote Bible studies, Sunday School lessons, Lord's Day messages, or other occasions to train believers to evangelize, which might include teaching how Christ, John the Baptist, and the apostles preached.

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2. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by exhorting the church to evangelize. Pastors should urge the congregation to fulfill its responsibility to evangelize.

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3. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by modeling how to evangelize. Pastors must model how to boldly, clearly, and compassionately proclaim the gospel to unbelievers in reliance upon the Holy Spirit. This follows the example of our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who modeled how to evangelize before His disciples. 

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4. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by encouraging the church's ministries to incorporate evangelism into their activities. Pastors can help the church's ministries to proclaim the gospel during its activities, events, and meetings.   

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Since the Work of an Evangelist is Missional​

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1. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by preaching the gospel to the congregation. Pastors must not assume that every person present is saved or, again, that believers need to be taught and exhorted to evangelize unbelievers they know and encounter. 

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2. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by doing what they are exhorting and teaching the church to do. As with the congregation, pastors, too, must evangelize their unbelieving children, family, friends, and others as a lifestyle. 

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3. Pastors can do the work of an evangelist by participating in the church's evangelistic efforts. While pastors must not neglect prayer and the ministry of the word, they can also participate in churchwide opportunities to reach unbelievers (e.g., community, convalescent/hospital, college, or juvenile center evangelism, etc.). 

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Pastors must champion, motivate, model, and lead the efforts to integrate evangelism into the life of the church. Although pastors must not shoulder the responsibility alone, they must be among the leading spokespersons, models, and persons to equip the saints.

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Source: Friedrich, "εὐαγγελιστής," in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, trans. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdsman, 1964), 2:737.