Evangelical : Why I Am and Am Not One

With the term "evangelical" being thrown about so much these days I thought it might be a good time to update and re-post this blog....

When the "E" word is used it can bring up any number of thoughts and emotions, depending on the connotation it has in any given culture or society. In North America - that connoatation is getting branded in a  worse and worse manner. And sometimes rightly so.

However, we all must be careful of building a "Straw Man" argument against any group of people. That is, taking the most extreme ( and thus often the worst) examples and using them to label and portray what the larger group is really like. This will always result in a false reality, ignorance and often hate.

I know many who would fall under the label of “Evangelical”. Sure there are some that don’t really understand some of the modern issues we face and are opinionated about it but then again that describes most of our grandpa’s - but I still love mine.

Most of the “Evangelicals” I know though are well reasoned people, educated, and full of love for Jesus Christ and for their neighbours, the poor and needy and even their enemies. 

At the very least, they are no worse than anyone else.

My pastor recently recounted a story of when he was speaking to an Arab man in Israel. The man asked him  "What "variety" of Christian are you?" . My pastor answered "Evangelical" but when the Arab man said "O yes I know what kind that is..." and then proceeded to explain something that my pastor certainly was not nor desired to be  - well, my pastor started thinking maybe he should be careful about using that term.

At the very end of this article I’ve listed the statement of faith of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. I agree with it wholeheartedly -  You may not agree with it and that is your right.   But you need not hate them - because I know the vast majority do not hate you.  

It is possible to deeply disagree with someone and 
still deeply love them.

My real point though is this though -  although I firmly believe in that same statement of faith, I am very much an individual with freedom of thought, faith and reason.

I understand the desire to categorize and label everything but, although I am certainly not ashamed of what I believe,  I do not like to be pigeon-holed as “Evangelical”.

I simply believe in the Bible and believe in and follow Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  

I am simply a Christian, a disciple of  Jesus Christ. 

“So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”  Acts 11:26

Nothing more, nothing less.

I will most gladly be labeled as that!

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Affiliates of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada agree on the following statements:

• The Holy Scriptures, as originally given by God, are divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and constitute the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

• There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• Our Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh; we affirm his virgin birth, sinless humanity, divine miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, ongoing mediatorial work, and personal return in power and glory.

• The salvation of lost and sinful humanity is possible only through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, received by faith apart from works, and is characterized by regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

• The Holy Spirit enables believers to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ.

• The Church, the body of Christ, consists of all true believers.

• Ultimately God will judge the living and the dead, those who are saved unto the resurrection of life, those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

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P.S.   One depiction of an “Evangelical” on TV that I really enjoy is Sheldon’s mom off the Big Bang Theory. She, of course, is the ultimate stereotype, always reminding her Vulcan-like son to think about what Jesus would do.

“Leonard, the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. Luckily He blessed me with two other children who are as dumb as soup.”  

But I have to admit – its hilarious.  And at the end of the day, everyone turns to her when Sheldon’s really gone off the map.

But speaking of ultimate stereotypes (or strawmen) , that’s usually what I see in the media when they reference “Evangelicals”.  I especially notice that in the U.S.  ( especially the Southern U.S.), there seems to be a very great polarization and we often only see the extremes.

Canada is a little more laid back.