What's in an Evenagelical Label



I just read an article about Evangelicals in The Christian Post by Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter, dated Wed, Jan. 17 2007 10:30 AM ET. According to this survey based on a random sample of 4,014 adults conducted in January, April, August and October of 2006: "Most 'Evangelicals' Do Not Meet Criteria," and so goes its title. A substantial number of people label themselves as evangelicals. But new research found a much smaller number of people actually fit the criteria. For two decades, The Barna Group has been measuring the characteristics of evangelicals based on a 9-question set of criteria; and labels them "9-point evangelicals." The 9-point evangelical criteria are derived from the belief statement of the National Association of Evangelicals and are as follows:

  1. Have made a personal commitment to Jesus.
  2. Believe they will go to heaven because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus.
  3. Believe their faith is very important in their life.
  4. Believe they have a personal responsibility to share their beliefs with non-Christians.
  5. Believe that Satan exists.
  6. Believe that salvation is available only through grace, not good works.
  7. Believe that Jesus lived a sinless life on earth.
  8. Must assert the Bible’s accuracy.
  9. Must describe God as the all-knowing, all-powerful perfect deity that created the universe and still rules it.

Reminder, 8-point evangelical is still not 9-point evangelical; we are talking about the latter.

About 38% of US population accepting this label "Evangelical" are the folks the media refer to when reporting on their political and social influence, but when measured using these nine questions to categorize evangelicals, only eight percent of the adult population fit the criteria. The difference is "staggering," the report stated. Self-proclaimed evangelicals would number 84 million versus 18 million 9-point evangelicals.

Differences are apparent in their beliefs. Those who claim to be evangelicals (not the 9-point variety) are less likely to believe that Satan is real; less likely to believe that salvation is based on grace, not works; less likely to say they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others; less likely to list their faith in God as the top priority in their life; less likely to believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; less likely to contend that the Bible is totally accurate in all of its teachings; and less likely to say that their life has been greatly transformed by their faith.

On another note, the study found that 27 percent of those who say they are evangelicals are not born again and they are also less likely to read their Bible and attend church during a typical week. "Over time, people have become sloppy in the measurement process, as evidenced by the fact that one out of every four self-proclaimed evangelicals has not even accepted Christ as their savior." Said the researcher.

If you consider yourself a 9-point Evangelical by the criteria listed above, then you are one person in every 16 people in a population of 300,000,000, the current USA population.