What In The World Is "Evangelical?"

In delving into the topics related to the Kingdom Triangle, I keep coming up against this strange word, "Evangelical." People use this word to describe certain kinds of Christians, and even some Christians are willing to self identify as "evangelical." 

     From Wiktionary: evangelicalism - 

          1. (Christianity) (historical) Lutheranism

          2. (Christianity)Protestant movement basing its theology almost entirely on Scripture, which is held to be inerrant. 

          3. Christian fundamentalism. 

So, there you have it. Reading between the lines we have this: "Evangelicals are those angry, cranky (dare I say it, probably white), fundamentalists, who have an old idea that there is some kind of a God, and they also believe that the books about Him and his Son are without error and not a cultural myth!" And since Wiktionary was being nice that day, I'll add what else they left out "- and are the people that refuse to see the light of modern evolutionary and biological truth, being also responsible for every form of evil on the planet." I also forgot to mention handling snakes, falling on the ground and shaking ecstatically, speaking in tongues in loud screams, and Robert Tilton!

Man, it's tough to be an evangelical! 

Even those open minded people at the Religious Tolerance website (www.religioustolerance.org) can't figure out what an Evangelical is:

"Evangelical" was derived from the Greek word "euangelion" which means: "gospel" or "good news."
People in our office once believed that everyone has a favorite meaning for the term "evangelical." We also believed that there were many definitions in use that stressed various features of evangelicalism.
In the fall of 2008, we had a rude awakening. A public opinion poll by Ellison Research showed that 36% of American adults have no idea what the term "evangelical" means. 1,2 This includes:

• 32% of men;
• 39% of women;
• 46% (almost a majority) of those under 35 years-of-age;
• 27% of those who define themselves as conservative;
• 45% of self-defined moderates;
• 34% of self-defined liberals;
• 38% of Democrats;
• 37% of independents; and
• 29% of Republicans.

The poll showed that even 14% of people who call themselves evangelicals don't know how to define the term! 

Is this funny or what? 

So here is my definition of an Evangelical, and let's see if you agree:

     Evangelical - one who as a Christian:

•  believes the basic tenets of the traditional creeds and beliefs of the Christian faith; 
• the truth, accuracy and historical veracity of the Scriptures, that is the Old and New Testaments; 
• and seeks to live a life of faithful witness of these beliefs in word, thought and deed, seeking to share these beliefs with others for the benefit that they may also receive from a naturally supernatural life, both now and into eternity. 

Now, if we begin with this definition, then I can say that "I am an Evangelical." How about you?