ANSWERS: 10
  • Have you ever heard of Jesus, or John the Baptist?
  • I don't know if you mean Evangelical Christinaity as a denomination or division within Christianity, or if you mean the practice of preaching and teaching in public and private, from door to door and in the streets, for free. My limited understanding of the term simply means that it is people who believe the Bible, try to apply it in their dialy lives and try to teach it to others. If it is a division, then it might be as recent as the last hundred years or so. The term was not really put into regular use until even more recently, probably just in the last few decades that it has become familiar to the majority. As for the status given to any specific group as a religion, that varies depending on the territory you are in. Even if a denomination is recognized legally in one country, another may not give it the same consideration, others may even imprison someone for affiliating themselves with such a group, so legal recognition as a religion is ambiguous. As for the first one to use it as a noun or to describe a specific group of people, that is likely to be 1910 to 1920, but it could have been uttered closer to 1700 years ago or more, but not recorded or put into common use. If you mean when did people start holding to the philosophy now associated with the term Evangelical Christianity, that is a little more specific. It would have to be after Christ arrived and began his ministry, in about 30AD, or when Jesus became an adult at the age of thirty, dedicated himself to serving God and symbolized this dedication by water immersion at the hand of John the Baptizer. From that time onward he went about preaching, gathering disciples and teaching everyone he met about the Kingdom of the Heavens. This ministry ended at Pentecost 33AD when he was tortured and killed by the Roman courts at the urging of the Pharisees and Saducees and their followers. This preaching work continued after he was gone, even though some of the disiples were similarly persecuted. In fact shortly after Christs execution the disciples were anointed with Holy Spirit, and given the ability to talk in tongues, and went preaching to a large crowd of foreigners in the street. Each of these foreigners heard and understood the discourse in their own tongue, and were so amazed that thousands ere baptized that day. So in short, evangelizing, or the practice of teaching and preaching, making disciples and freely talking about the Kingdom of the heavens really began in 30AD, when Christ set the pattern for us to follow, and indeed commanded us to do the same. This work was very prosperous for about 40 to fifty years, but gradually declined as the knowledge was inreasingly horded by a few who lorded it over the masses, not allowing the word of God to be published except by them and for them. Tis continued until about 1914, when modern printing methods allowed the message to be published en masse, and more recenlty computer technology has made it possible to translate it into hundreds of languages and distribute it world-wide, free for all people. The information age has again made the word of God free for all men and renewed evangelism.
  • I think that the problem here is that "modern" religious organizations have suceeded in politicizing the word "evangelical" and here we see that the light of truth and reality are having trouble in shining through. Xanderman's answer is accurate and useful. Jefflovstrom is just as accurate and very succinct. Here is why we have trouble with the word, or even the concept of "evangelical". Meriam Webster's Main Entry: 1evan·gel·i·cal 1 : of, relating to, or being in agreement with the Christian gospel especially as it is presented in the four Gospels 2 : PROTESTANT 3 : emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual 4 a capitalized : of or relating to the Evangelical Church in Germany b often capitalized : of, adhering to, or marked by fundamentalism : FUNDAMENTALIST c often capitalized : LOW CHURCH 5 : marked by militant or crusading zeal Consider also it's modern history. "The term "Evangelicalism" is a wide reaching definitional "canopy" that covers a diverse number of Protestant groups. The term originates in the Greek word evangelion, meaning "the good news," or, more commonly, the "gospel." During the Reformation, Martin Luther adapted the Greek term, dubbing his breakaway movement the evangelische kirke, or "evangelical church", a name still generally applied to the Lutheran Church in Germany. In the English speaking world, however, the modern usage usually connotes the religious movements and denominations which sprung forth from a series of revivals that swept the North Atlantic Anglo American world in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Key figures associated with these revivals included the itinerant English evangelist George Whitefield (1715-1770); the founder of Methodism John Wesley (1703-1791) ; and, the American philosopher and theologian, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). These revivals were particularly responsible for the rise of the Baptists and Methodists from obscure sects to their traditional position as America's two largest Protestant denominational families. Indeed, by the 1820s evangelical Protestantism was by far the dominant expression of Christianity in the United States". Source: Merriam Webster’s and Wheaton College Web Site http://www.wheaton.edu/isae/defining_evangelicalism.html "God's will for Jesus Christ was that he be a preacher of the “kingdom of God,” and Jesus faithfully did this work in the face of mounting opposition that eventually claimed his life. (Luke 4:43; 8:1) Later Jesus commanded his followers: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) This command to preach is applicable to all Christians today. In fact, it is especially urgent now that Christians preach, for Jesus foretold that ‘this good news of the kingdom must be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness before the end comes.’ (Matt. 24:14) Little wonder, therefore, that Satan the Devil is concentrating his efforts to make it difficult for God’s servants to obey this command”. This means that the solemn charge: “Preach the word, be at it urgently,” poses a real test of faith for Christians”. See 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Cor. 9:16. Quote taken from 2/15/71 Watchtower. Certainly, Jesus not only commanded his followers to continue this “evangelical work”, but he even provided training to his disciples so that they would continue to carry out this work after his death. Also, remember the works of the prophet. They included Ezekiel, who prophesied from Babylon concerning Jehovah’s judgment against apostate Jerusalem, a judgment that was executed in 607 B.C.E. The seriousness of Ezekiel’s commission is made clear by the “word of Jehovah” that came to him on a number of occasions. It was: “ ‘Now as regards the watchman, in case he sees the sword coming and he actually does not blow the horn and the people itself gets no warning at all and a sword comes and takes away from them soul, for its own error it itself must be taken away, but its blood I shall ask back from the hand of the watchman himself.’ Now as regards you, O son of man, a watchman is what I have made you to the house of Israel, and at my mouth you must hear the word and give them warning from me.” (Ezek. 33:6, 7; 3:17-21) Finally, We remember that Noah was a righteous man. He proved himself faultless among his contemporaries. Noah walked with the true God.” (Genesis 6:8, 9 But Peter tells us more. At 2 Peter 2:5, Peter reveals that “God “kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness, safe with seven others when he brought a deluge upon a world of ungodly people.” So we see that besides building an ark, evidentially Noah found time to warn his neighbors, to preach to them of the coming great deluge. Sadly, none of his neighbors responded. So actually AntigoneRising, while not meeting the full meaning of evangelical and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the act of God empowering His servants with a message of salvation goes back a very long time and is nothing new. I really liked this question, because the meaning and answer are deeper than what initially appears, and I think that I will name it “Perryman’s Pick of the week for Best Question”.
  • Again, you are hopeless, your fingers are in your eyes and ears.
  • In the Middle Eastern areas such as Israel with Christ. -In the Master's service. Thank you and God bless you!
  • An Evangelical is someone who lives their life in accordance with the Christian gospel. Using this definition, evangelical Christianity began about 33 C.E. Some groups like to redefine words like Evangelical into much narrower terms and claim that many Christians are not Evangelical. Current popular usage of the term chich is often synonymous with conservative Protestant Christians is very recent. With love in Christ.
  • 1-31-2017 It is not useful to talk in code words if you don't know what the words actually mean. Greek eu- or ev- means "true" and angel means a messenger. So evangel is a true message or true messenger. "Evangelist" and "evangelical" are Americanized forms with extra meanings tacked on to indicate various stereotypes. So you can't get a straight answer until you choose which of these several meanings you are talking about. If you drop the crap you have heard from random preachers and just read the bible, the story is a lot simpler than you thought it was. Read a chapter of Proverbs every day. Proverbs has 31 chapters so you can keep your place by just looking at a calendar. There is no religion or nothing in Proverbs and you don't have to believe anything. Just read to find wisdom. When you are comfortable with that, then read the bible from Romans to 2 Thessalonians over and over until you start to remember what it says. That is the part that applies to Christians.
    • Jewels Vern
      Ephesians 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" Please notice that all the ministries were given for internal purposes, not for dragging in new believers.
  • The ministry of Jesus Christ.
  • An evangelizer is a preacher of the gospel or good news; a messenger of good. Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity was an evangelizer. All the disciples of Jesus took part in the public ministry of declaring the good news and were therefore evangelizers.
  • To ' evangelise" is to teach people...Jesus started it. And what he was telling them is this... (Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. So the system we live under is ending... That he warned us two thousand years ago is so that many people have been given the chance to change their ways...and be ' saved'...providing they remain loyal... (Zephaniah 2:3) Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, Who observe his righteous decrees. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you will be concealed on the day of Jehovah

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