The term "Evangelical" - A Poll

[Charles W Christian]

Do you like the term? Do you use it? It is generally positive or generally negative in your way of thinking?

Personally, I'm still OK with the term itself, but I find that I often have to define and clarify when I use it. If someone knows the term they asked, "Which KIND of evangelical are you?" Or, they ask, "What does that mean when you say that?"

Wesley has been called the "Father of Modern Evangelicalism" by some. I don't know if he'd like that term...unless he was able to clearly define what it meant to him, etc.

Thoughts???

Thanks,

Charles

[Brian Hammons]

I am not in a position where I need to use or define the term very often. However, I don't think I have any issues with it. If we did not use "evangelical" what term(s) might we use?

[John Kennedy]

I don't have a particular problem with the label. My minister refers to my church (1st Congregational, Redlands, CA, as being 'evangelical with a mainline label'.

I have referred, several times to the affirmation of faith we use most of the time:

"We believe in God, the Father, infinite in wisdom, goodness, and love;
and in his Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who, for us and our
salvation, lived and died and rose again and lives evermore; and in the
Holy Spirit, who takes the things of Christ and reveals them to us, renewing,
comforting, and inspiring our sould. We are united in striving to know the will
of God as taught in the holy scriptures, and in our purpose to walk in the
ways of the Lord, made known or to be made known to us."

For me that affirmation sums up what it means to call oneself an evangelical. I think I have the most trouble with the word when people tend to confuse it with fundamentalist.

[Martijn van Beveren]

Do you like the term? Do you use it? It is generally positive or generally negative in your way of thinking?

Personally, I'm still OK with the term itself, but I find that I often have to define and clarify when I use it. If someone knows the term they asked, "Which KIND of evangelical are you?" Or, they ask, "What does that mean when you say that?"

Wesley has been called the "Father of Modern Evangelicalism" by some. I don't know if he'd like that term...unless he was able to clearly define what it meant to him, etc.

Thoughts???

Thanks,

Charles

Labeling is soooo modern...:basic05

[Michael B. Ross]

Charles, it depends on to whom I am speaking. I use the term in some circles because I know they would interpret it as I would. In other groups, however, there are those who would understand the word differently. So, I don't use the term with them.

Do you like the term? Do you use it? It is generally positive or generally negative in your way of thinking?

Personally, I'm still OK with the term itself, but I find that I often have to define and clarify when I use it. If someone knows the term they asked, "Which KIND of evangelical are you?" Or, they ask, "What does that mean when you say that?"

Wesley has been called the "Father of Modern Evangelicalism" by some. I don't know if he'd like that term...unless he was able to clearly define what it meant to him, etc.

Thoughts???

Thanks,

Charles

[Ryan Scott]

For me the problem comes when some high profile congregations out there are defined primarily using the term "evangelical." I have no doubt that it is an appropriate descriptor for them, but it should not be the word most closely associated with them.

Basically, the popular understanding of the word "evangelical" is defined for most people by the actions of these high profile congregations.

I voted for "It's a great term and should be properly defined."

[Charles W Christian]

Labeling is soooo modern...:basic05

Modern...yet almost unavoidable, really. You know, like "postmodern", "anti-modern", "modern", etc., etc. ....

We work with the tools we have, I guess. :basic07

We will label ourselves eventually (in some way), or someone will label us, I guess. We don't have to like the labels, but there they are....

Up with non-labeling: label me a non-labeler....oh, wait...that's a label!:basic05

Blessings,

Charles

[Billy Cox]

Do you like the term? Do you use it? It is generally positive or generally negative in your way of thinking?

Personally, I'm still OK with the term itself, but I find that I often have to define and clarify when I use it. If someone knows the term they asked, "Which KIND of evangelical are you?" Or, they ask, "What does that mean when you say that?"

Wesley has been called the "Father of Modern Evangelicalism" by some. I don't know if he'd like that term...unless he was able to clearly define what it meant to him, etc.


I think that the definition of 'evangelical' is becoming a synonym for 'christian conservative'. It's a shame really because 'evangel' means good news. Handcuffing the good news to a politically conservative worldview places unbiblical limitations on the good news.

[Arthur Cherry]

When I first hear this term I think evangelist, I guess for logical reason. To me that has different meanings but the most prominent, for me, is the enthusiastic fire and brimstone preaching of the past. I say past because that is what I remember growing up. At the same time I think in a way we are all evangelist. As Christians we believe in sharing the word.

Evangelical, as I can see it best defined, is relating to or being a Christian church believing in personal conversion and the inerrancy of the Bible especially the 4 Gospels. However, as seen in many "evangelical" churches, sometimes we miss the very teachings of Jesus in those gospels but instead concentrate on the birth, death and resurrection for our beliefs. For me that is like reading a book with a great beginning and ending but skipping the middle part of the story.

For me, the term brings, I think, more negative than positive. Why don't we just use the term or label ourselves Christian? It seems like an adjective or division that is not really needed, one similar to catholic or protestant or postmodern or emergent.

[Jon Twitchell]

Evangelical, as I can see it best defined, is relating to or being a Christian church believing in personal conversion and the inerrancy of the Bible especially the 4 Gospels.

I don't mean to sidetrack the thread...

But I would say that inerrancy is a characteristic of fundamentalism, not evangelicalism.

Personal conversion, on the other hand, would be the hallmark of evangelicalism.

[Dale Cozby]

Labeling is soooo modern...:basic05

Yes, Martjin a true emergent should tear off all the labels on his canned goods. It would make meal preparation fun, diverse and exciting again as each can would be something new to open.:laughing

All this modern labeling....sad really. I can see it now...the post-modern clothing store( with no labels) ....who cares if it fits just take the one that looks good and try it on without reading the size label.

The old adage: "If the shoe fits" is a very modern expression.

we should all try everything on until we find the one that fits us....without any labeling.:basic05

Post modern ideas: All cans are created equal...who cares what is inside!
If it looks good wear it.....who cares what size it is!!!

[Scott Hilton]

Do you like the term? Do you use it? It is generally positive or generally negative in your way of thinking?

Personally, I'm still OK with the term itself, but I find that I often have to define and clarify when I use it. If someone knows the term they asked, "Which KIND of evangelical are you?" Or, they ask, "What does that mean when you say that?"

Wesley has been called the "Father of Modern Evangelicalism" by some. I don't know if he'd like that term...unless he was able to clearly define what it meant to him, etc.

Thoughts???

Thanks,

Charles

I find I don't really use these this term or "modern" or "post-modern" or "emergent" or "conservative" or "liberal" unless I get involved in a theological discussion on here or another site I frequent. In real life, those terms have no real application in my life that I have noticed. I don't use these terms in my conversations at work, even with other Christians.

When those terms do come up in discussion, it is normally in a way that someone can define them to dispute their beliefs in some way anyway, so I guess maybe I have just become dulled to these terms anymore. I know what a church wants to mean by using the term "evangelical", but how they practice and apply it seems to have a wide variety so really I think I have just become numb to assigning some kind of theological definition and belief to it when I see it in a name of a church or organization. So, I guess I have no idea how to vote, sorry Charles.

So in summary the word is great, but some people who have been related to it have been not so great.....but then they are people and they tend to be human.

blessings

[Gina Stevenson]

Yes, Martjin a true emergent should tear off all the labels on his canned goods. It would make meal preparation fun, diverse and exciting again as each can would be something new to open.:laughing

This reminded me of many, many years ago when one of the weddings I was in was my cousin's. Went to their apartment the day before the wedding with her mom [my aunt], short-sheeted the bed, tore labels off cans [so they could have fun, exciting dinners :basic05], & a few other little things ... at least some of it was nice, b/c we decorated, too. :p

[John Kennedy]

[QUOTE=Arthur Cherry;198270]When I first hear this term I think evangelist, I guess for logical reason. To me that has different meanings but the most prominent, for me, is the enthusiastic fire and brimstone preaching of the past. I say past because that is what I remember growing up. At the same time I think in a way we are all evangelist. As Christians we believe in sharing the word.

Is there a possibility you're confusing 'evangelical' with 'evangelistic'?

[David Parker]

Years ago, I once told a Nazarene pastor friend that I considered Evangelicals to merely be intellectual fundamentalists, and he replied that the term was an oxymoron. :basic01