I had a lady call the office a couple of days ago--not a church member, but someone who watches our TV ministry--who wanted to know if I could explain to her what the word "Evangelical" means. She'd heard the word so much in the news in connection with the current presidential election that she figured she needed to know what the media were talking about.
I thought there might be others who share her confusion.
The short answer to the question “What is an Evangelical?” is “a more so
cially conservative born-again Christian.” But since I’m not prone to give short answers, here’s more information—“Evangelical” is a term that describes a sub-category of Christianity. The word “Christian” doesn’t mean the same thing to everybody who uses the term. What Catholics believe differs considerably from what Protestants believe. But the beliefs of an Episcopalian differ considerably from the beliefs of a Baptist.
We sometimes distinguish between “Christians” and “born-again Christians” because not everyone who calls himself/herself a Christian believes in the necessity of conversion for salvation. Catholics and Lutherans, for instance, believe in more of a “community of faith” than a “conversion of faith.” In other words, you’re Christian if you belong to their faith community.
“Evangelical” actually describes the smaller, more socially conservative subset of born again Christians. Evangelicals represent about one-fifth of all born again Christians, according to George Barna. He defines “Evangelical” in this way:
“Born-again Christians,” for the sake of clarification, are Christians who say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their lives today and who believe they’re going to heaven when they die because they have confessed their sins and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. “Evangelical Christians” are Christians who are born again plus seven other conditions. Those include:
- saying their faith is very important in their life today;
- believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians;
- believing that Satan exists;
- believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works;
- believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth;
- asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches;
- and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.
And just so we're still on the same page, "Evangelical" doesn't mean the same thing as "evangelistic." "Evangelistic," "evangel," "evangelist," and "evangelism" are English words that come from the Greek word for gospel, "euangelion," which literally means "good news."
I hope this helps...and, by the way, the TIME Magazine cover image that I used is from the February 7, 2005, issue.
1 comment:
Your TV ministry reaches far more individuals than you think!! I know many that watch your service – one – my husband’s very disabled elderly sister. Furthermore, another one of his sisters just recently started watching. He enjoys your televised services, also.
I agree that television is a god to many. However, I’ve, also, noticed that many are upset with the contents of the programming, but have grown up staring at the tube as their form of relaxation. Our household is going to use the February ’09 (the date of which the new signal waves are going to take effect) as a time to turn off the tube.
I’ve often thought that the time of which I’m having the most fun is with productive conversation (rather than sitting on the couch in front of the TV). T.V. is like everything else in this “world”. For instance, to a mind of a person on the edge, one might relate so well to what their watching that the individual wants to act out the same scenario of circumstances. However, no one thinks their going to be on the edge “someday”; thus, they “assume” it takes a crazy person.
I’ve found that “everything” in this world is trying to brainwash us – from our TV, to our music, to our movies, to our friends and co-workers. We, now, even have advertisers on TV allowing its viewers to choose the best advertisement for the selling of their product.
We been surveyed so much that product manufactures know us better than we know ourselves – and they know it. The world says to know your enemy; whereas the Bible tells us to love them. The world doesn’t know how to “love” (because they use the word “love” for lust). Furthermore, not to be blaspheming, the world has, likewise, heard the word “Christian” over-used. If it weren’t for the implications, I would prefer to be called a peacemaker; but for now, I guess, I’ll call myself an “eye witness to the beast of religion”. It takes “faith” and the Holy Spirit to believe that my testimony could make a difference.
I’ve read that God gives us our faith.
**For your information, I’ll not be offended should you choose not to post my response. I undertand and just want "somebody" to understand the spiritual side of me. My husband (age 59) doesn't; but my son (age 29) does. Plus, I respect your stance and appreciate the abilities that God has given you.
Post a Comment