The word evangelical seems to have fallen out of favor, and perhaps for reasons that are understandable. Where the word once had a distinct Christian meaning, in recent years it has come to be conflated with politics as much as religion, with civil issues as much as spiritual. Many wonder whether the term is worth salvaging or if we should simply move on. Many wonder whether Christians should still consider themselves evangelical or whether it would better serve Christ’s cause to find a new self-description.

Michael Reeves has wondered this as well and has written Gospel People: A Call for Evangelical Integrity to address the issue. “This is a book about being people of the gospel,” he says. “In other words, this is a book about what it means to be evangelical. I believe that there is a biblical case to be made for the importance and the goodness of being evangelical.” This is not to say that he will defend everything that calls itself evangelical since “across the world, swathes have come to self-identify as evangelical without holding to classic evangelical beliefs. And then there is the problem of how being ‘evangelical’ has become associated with particular cultures, with politics, or with race.”
He believes that modern-day evangelicalism is facing a crisis of integrity in which many of those who consider themselves evangelicals “are being defined—and even defining themselves—by agendas other than the gospel.” The only solution is to go back to the foundations upon which evangelicalism was founded, “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” To be people of the gospel, we must begin with the gospel. Evangelicals, after all, are people of the gospel or, as the title of the book says, gospel people. “Evangelicalism, then, must be defined theologically. To be evangelical means to act, not out of cultural or political leanings, but out of theological, biblical convictions.”
So what are these theological, biblical convictions? Reeves traces how the Apostle Paul defines the gospel and says that any teaching that will be consistent with his must be “Trinitarian, Scripture-based, Christ-centered, and Spirit-renewed.” He condenses this down to three r’s: revelation, redemption, and regeneration. Thus at the heart of true evangelicalism are three essential heads of doctrine:

The Father’s revelation in the Bible
The Son’s redemption in the gospel
The Spirit’s regeneration of our hearts

These headings serve as a kind of “table of contents” for the book, with each of them receiving a chapter-length treatment. Having examined each closely, Reeves writes about the importance the Bible places on being gospel people. When we understand this, we’re equipped to know that “with the gospel as our anchor, evangelicals are able to see that not every issue is a gospel issue, and not every error (or departure from our view or practice) is a soul-killing heresy. Some doctrines are more essential and foundational than others.” This means that evangelicals ought to define themselves by the most central, gospel-related issues, not the peripheral ones as is too often the case.
The final chapter is a call for gospel integrity—for those who call themselves evangelical to be evangelical indeed. To display such integrity we will need to examine ourselves and be willing to critique ourselves. Yet we can and must do this. “It runs against the very grain of the gospel we cherish for us to indulge in self-justification. Instead, the evangelical way is not to condone or to flee but to repent and to reform. For evangelicalism, being a gospel movement, is and always has been a renewal movement: we seek to renew ourselves and the church around the gospel (and never vice versa). It is a reformation movement, about adhering ever closer to the gospel in thought, word, and deed. On that reformation hangs the future of evangelicalism.” Only when we have great clarity on the gospel will we unite around the gospel and eagerly promote and defend it.
In the end, Reeves determines that evangelical is too good a word to lose and too significant a term to abandon. Thus it falls to us to embrace it and then ensure we are living worthy of it. “The word evangelical has centuries of pedigree for a good reason. It may have lost some of its value in some places, but that can be regained through reinvestment. And where else can we people of the gospel go? There really is no acceptable and viable alternative with anything like the historical weight or the descriptive simplicity.”

I tend to agree with Reeves that evangelical is a term worth embracing rather than abandoning for, as he says, there is simply no great alternative. There is no other word that has the historical pedigree and the depth of meaning. Hence, it falls to us to continue to use it and, even more importantly, to continue to ensure we are living as people of the gospel. There is lots to commend in Gospel People and it’s a joy to recommend it to you.

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Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Crossway has a new list of Kindle deals for you.
(Yesterday on the blog: Looking Back on a Finished Lifework)
More than Music: How the Congregation Plays a Part in Every Element of Worship
The point of this one is really important: The congregation has a role in every element of the Sunday morning gatherings (not just the singing).
Why Christianity is Both Less and More Narrow Than you Think
“I had an atheist friend ask me how I could live with the narrow claims of Christianity. ‘How do you feel about being so narrow minded?’ he asked me. I was a bit amused by the irony of his question.”
Our Unlikely Allies
“If you want to turn the world’s wisdom on its head completely, this is it—” that we boast in our weaknesses.
Split or Stay? Encouragement for Anglican Pastors
John Yates: “A few days ago, church leaders representing the majority of Anglicans worldwide broke communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Church of England’s recent decision to bless same-sex unions. This situation has put many of my English friends in a difficult position. Many others are or have been in similar circumstances—whether Methodist or Presbyterian or other affiliations.”
Weep with Those Who Weep
Kevin Carson: “One of the benefits of being in the family of God relates to the fact that God both told us to weep with those who weep, but also, in the love of Jesus Christ and as part of His family, we naturally desire to weep with those who weep.”
His Grace is Sufficient!
“Have you ever felt distressed so grievously that you thought your heart would burst? Did you feel like the pain you were experiencing was uncontrollable, and there seemed to be no boundary to the heartache you were suffering?” I think we all have at one time or another.
Flashback: Cheer Up, Men and Women of Unappreciated Services
Many people feel unappreciated or underappreciated at times. Many feel as if they serve more than they are served, give more than they are given. And often that is exactly the case.

Though my natural instinct is to wish for a life free from pain, trouble, and adversity, I am learning to welcome anything that makes me conscious of my need for Him. —Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Grace and peace to you on this Reformation Day.

There is a very substantial list of Kindle deals today (in honor of Reformation Day).
(Yesterday on the blog: How We Worshipped on One Sunday in October)
Toxic
I appreciate this look at the use and over-use of the word “toxic.” “It’s a word that has invaded Christian speech, but could I suggest a moratorium on this adjective, please?”
Strategies for Preaching to the Polarized
This article provides some pointers on preaching at a time of great polarization, even in churches. There are some good suggestions here.
Free eBook: The Legacy of Luther
Today marks 505 years since Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses, effectively sparking the Protestant Reformation. How did an obscure Augustinian monk become the man God would use to set the world ablaze? Today, Ligonier Ministries is offering a free download of the ebook The Legacy of Luther, edited by R.C. Sproul and Stephen Nichols. Read this volume to explore Luther’s life, teaching, and enduring influence. (Sponsored Link)
Clear your desk!
Meanwhile, I think it would be useful for church leaders to read this article and see whether they see themselves described in it, perhaps especially in the description of “armchair elders.”
Reconciled to the Remainders
“I went into ministry and church planting thinking that every problem I encountered would yield a neat solution. Whether through diligent application of scriptural principles, prayer, divine intervention, my Irish charm, or persevering efforts—there would be no remainders to haunt me…”
Something in the Darkness: A Horror Story
Doug has a short story meant to provoke some meditation.
Anthropomorphism?
This article considers the ways we speak about God and whether they are truly anthropomorphic. “Let us never go beyond what is written, but with child-like faith, take God at His Word. When God tells us he is displeased, pleased, angry, reconciled, and so on, He is speaking truth.”
Flashback: When Calvin and Wesley Shake Hands
It’s Reformation Day today, and the occasion got me thinking about some words I had run across earlier this year when reading the works of De Witt Talmage and Theodore Cuyler.

All of God’s mighty men and women have been mighty in prayer. —Theodore Cuyler