To be an evangelical, you must pray, read the Bible, go to church, and have the intentionality to convert others.
That’s from Billy Graham (one of his books).
Nothing else required.
Evangelical churches are supposed to have an altar call at the end. The church doesn’t have to call itself evangelical. In fact, that can be deceptive.
By the way, he didn’t use the word “intentionality.” That’s from Rollo May (Love and Will).
Protestantism and Evangelicalism are closely related, and somewhat overlapping terms. Many people distinguish them this way:
- Protestant Churches are the ones which sprang directly from the Reformation movements of 16th-17th century Europe "Protesting" Catholicism. That would be the ones also called "Mainline" Protestant, or the so-called Seven Sisters of American Protestantismthe United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), the Episcopal Church, the American Baptist Churches, the United Church of Christ, and the Disciples of Christ.
- Evangelical Churches did not spring historically from the 16th century, but were later offshoots of those churches (many, 19th century), or trace their historic development outside of the "Reformation Era" context altogether. That would be pretty much everybody else: Non-denominationals, "community Christian fellowships," those which call themselves fundamental or Bible churches, Evangelical charismatics, etc.
But this isn't a hard-and-fast thing. There's a lot splitting and reuniting, merging and emerging, interaction and overlap.
43 posted on
06/20/2017 4:57:19 PM PDT by
Mrs. Don-o
(What does the LORD require of you, but to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with your God.)