What makes someone an evangelical? Why?

[Minoosh]

I see so many churches that appear to be entities unto themselves. They have individual names, most of which escape me right now, and seem to establish themselves individually - i.e., they become a brand unto themselves.

So what if a family moves? Does it look for another freestanding big box church called "Glory" or "Calvary" or whatever? A storefront going in the opposite direction, with a tiny congregation and its own cryptic name?

To the extent that I had religious indoctrination as a child, it was in the Church of Christ, and ecstatic born-again experiences weren't part of the repertoire. It had very little central structure, if any, and doctrine literally varied from church to church - sharing a communion cup or not would be one example. Mine banned instrumental music. I always felt that the implication was, "Those other Churches of Christ (or churches of Christ) are doing it wrong."

When I researched the Church of Christ for a biography I wrote of my mother, I learned it had earlier been associated with the Disciples of Christ. They separated, and the Disciples moved well to the left, as far as I can tell, so that locally, a church branded "First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)" would actually be quite liberal, something like the Congregationalists, who likewise seem pretty tolerant to me. Mom is 90, living in an apartment on a well-regarded "campus of care" under the Congregationalist banner. Its directory features gay couples, without any fanfare or commentary. One entry I noted said something like, "Jim and Larry were legally married in California in 2008." (This is all based on what residents told campus officials).

These days, I don't see how these large charismatic congregations really relate to each other. They may all be united under a general "evangelical" tent, but there must be local and regional distinctions and I don't understand how people pick a church. Personally I would feel hypocritical attending any church whose doctrine I did not completely accept. So no church so far has proved to be a comfortable fit for me. Early on I figured the probability of "getting it right" was pretty small. The Church of Christ doesn't baptize infants, and by the time I was of age - 12 or 13 - I chose not to be baptized because I had recently become aware of the hypocrisy of some church members.

 

[JoeMorgue]

Evangelical is simply a term used to describe various loosely affiliated Protestant churches that believe in the necessity of being "born again" for salvation.

 

[Minoosh]

Evangelical is simply a term used to describe various loosely affiliated Protestant churches that believe in the necessity of being "born again" for salvation.

If it really is that simple, what drives so many pastors to form their own churches/congregations? If they disagree with, say, Baptists, or Southern Baptists, does that imply each new, unique congregation is getting it right while others get it wrong?

 

[JoeMorgue]

Because religions have been fractioning over the simplest and stupidest of reasons since pretty much day one.

 

[Beanbag]

The Evangelicals claim to have the correct number for angels that can fit on the head of a pin.

Good an answer as any, I suppose. I tend to look at folk who assume the title of evangelical as "being slightly more bat-crap crazy than the 'average' bible-thumper."

Beanbag

 

[The Greater Fool]

I've always thought of evangelicals (generally) as those Christians that aren't content with preaching to their own congregation, but 'spread the gospel' to everyone. The sort that are always praising Jesus all over the place. I tend to include fundamentalists in the evangelical crowd.

I think there are also Christian sects / denominations with 'Evangelical' in their names.

 

[Minoosh]

I think there are also Christian sects / denominations with 'Evangelical' in their names.

There are - but they aren't necessarily part of the freestanding "evangelical" contingent.

The Church of Christ was not evangelical, as far as I could tell, even though they were very strict. Being "born again" did not get you off the hook; you were always under judgment.

Could it be there are many absolutely loathsome people who knew they could never be "forgiven" any other way?

 

[Trakar]

I see so many churches that appear to be entities unto themselves. They have individual names, most of which escape me right now, and seem to establish themselves individually - i.e., they become a brand unto themselves.

So what if a family moves? Does it look for another freestanding big box church called "Glory" or "Calvary" or whatever? A storefront going in the opposite direction, with a tiny congregation and its own cryptic name?

To the extent that I had religious indoctrination as a child, it was in the Church of Christ, and ecstatic born-again experiences weren't part of the repertoire. It had very little central structure, if any, and doctrine literally varied from church to church - sharing a communion cup or not would be one example. Mine banned instrumental music. I always felt that the implication was, "Those other Churches of Christ (or churches of Christ) are doing it wrong."

When I researched the Church of Christ for a biography I wrote of my mother, I learned it had earlier been associated with the Disciples of Christ. They separated, and the Disciples moved well to the left, as far as I can tell, so that locally, a church branded "First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)" would actually be quite liberal, something like the Congregationalists, who likewise seem pretty tolerant to me. Mom is 90, living in an apartment on a well-regarded "campus of care" under the Congregationalist banner. Its directory features gay couples, without any fanfare or commentary. One entry I noted said something like, "Jim and Larry were legally married in California in 2008." (This is all based on what residents told campus officials).

These days, I don't see how these large charismatic congregations really relate to each other. They may all be united under a general "evangelical" tent, but there must be local and regional distinctions and I don't understand how people pick a church. Personally I would feel hypocritical attending any church whose doctrine I did not completely accept. So no church so far has proved to be a comfortable fit for me. Early on I figured the probability of "getting it right" was pretty small. The Church of Christ doesn't baptize infants, and by the time I was of age - 12 or 13 - I chose not to be baptized because I had recently become aware of the hypocrisy of some church members.

Generally "Evangelical" is a modifier signifying that a group holds one particular, generally unique, set of interpretations of scripture to be absolutely correct and that this group actively tries to convert others to accept their particular beliefs.

 

[fuelair]

Because religions have been fractioning over the simplest and stupidest of reasons since pretty much day one.

Thus Swift's Bigendians and littleendians : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilliput_and_Blefuscu

 

[bruto]

I was under the impression that traditionally, "evangelical" simply denoted the desire to convert others to the faith, whatever it is. Christianity in general is considered an evangelical faith, the duty to convey the "good news" more or less inherent. Missionaries and the like have been around forever. Of late it seems to have been narrowed down to a more obtrusive and exclusive sense, though clearly there's always been a sectarian edge, and a certain degree of meddlesome desecularization has always lurked.

 

[Sciwoman]

If it really is that simple, what drives so many pastors to form their own churches/congregations? If they disagree with, say, Baptists, or Southern Baptists, does that imply each new, unique congregation is getting it right while others get it wrong?

Power. If he (and in evangelical circles, it is almost always he) can convince people to follow him and his interpretation of the bible, he gains power and a certain amount of control over people's lives. And yes, many of them do think that they are the ones who finally got it completely right even if their doctrine differs only minutely from the church down the street.

 

[Ladewig]

Personally I would feel hypocritical attending any church whose doctrine I did not completely accept.

I suspect many many evangelicals agree with this concept

Why does the idea of attending a variety of different churches and talking to members and clergy seem like an unlikely method of choosing a church? Or simply talking to a pastor outside of a service? Or talking to new neighbors about where they go to church?

ETA
Maybe I a misinterpreting your thread.
Are you asking why people become evangelicals in the first place?
Why they desire to remain evangelicals when they move?
How they remain evangelicals when they move?
Why do evangelicals sometimes follow a church leader away from an established congregation into a newly-defined congregation?

 

[steve s]

Because religions have been fractioning over the simplest and stupidest of reasons since pretty much day one.

There's a single-panel comic that has a teacher in front of a classroom. There's a large chart on the wall showing how the various denominations have branched over time. The teacher points to one of the many branches on the tree and says "And here's where we got it right."

Steve S

 

[Ladewig]

Power. If he (and in evangelical circles, it is almost always he) can convince people to follow him and his interpretation of the bible, he gains power and a certain amount of control over people's lives. And yes, many of them do think that they are the ones who finally got it completely right even if their doctrine differs only minutely from the church down the street.

Sometimes it is less about the minutia of doctrine and more along the lines off Pastor Bob's eldest boy became a homosexual. At that point, half the congregation decides that Pastor Bob is unfit to lead a church, so they go off and found a new church.

 

[Ladewig]

Short answer to the original question:
You know you have found the right denomination when the clergy explains that God hates the same people that you hate.

 

[Minoosh]

ETA
Maybe I a misinterpreting your thread.
Are you asking why people become evangelicals in the first place? ...

Basically, I was asking how you go from one unique congregation to another. Do you look for one that contradicts your old church the least?

There is a long drawn-out joke about this - how two Christians find they are more and more alike, until it turns out they were on the opposite sides of the latest schism, then it's "Die, infidel!"

I have a friend who goes to the neighborhood United Methodist Church even though the Resurrection means nothing to her. I had an Episcopal priest boyfriend who espoused virtually no dogma. And on these boards, quite a few admit to being churchgoers in order to appease their spouse. I would have a problem with that. Too literal-minded, I guess.

 

[bruto]

Basically, I was asking how you go from one unique congregation to another. Do you look for one that contradicts your old church the least?

There is a long drawn-out joke about this - how two Christians find they are more and more alike, until it turns out they were on the opposite sides of the latest schism, then it's "Die, infidel!"

I have a friend who goes to the neighborhood United Methodist Church even though the Resurrection means nothing to her. I had an Episcopal priest boyfriend who espoused virtually no dogma. And on these boards, quite a few admit to being churchgoers in order to appease their spouse. I would have a problem with that. Too literal-minded, I guess.

I can see being a churchgoer to please a spouse, and even to please oneself if one finds the church socially useful. I can even see going along with something you doubt, on the presumption that others know better. But what I could never manage was belief itself. Some people seem able to decide to believe something based on some criterion other than actually believing it to be true. It's unfathomable to me, but one sees references often to the idea that people believe something because it's comfortable or comforting. Deciding not just to go along with something but to believe it is utterly mystifying to me.

 

[Rincewind]

Maybe it's similar to "Democratic" being included in certain country names?

 

[fromdownunder]

I am actually quite surprised that nobody has mentioned $$$$$

Create a shism, take your congregation with you and have no obligation to the parent Church...

Norm

 

[Rum]

I was an evangelical, briefly, in my late teens. Luckily my family moved to a different country and I managed to 'de-programme' all by myself. I'm an atheist these days..

..however, a much overlooked point is that of doubt. Evangelicals often cite 'fellowship' as a boost to their faith, by which they really mean mutual brainwashing. Any time away from the herd which is telling you that by the grace of god you happen to have stumbled on the one true way to worship that god and common sense starts leaking in. A few of my old teenage friends who were part of the same cult went through the same process as I did. I'm still in touch with a couple of them - atheists all!