It’s time for us to rediscover our good news heritage. We cannot continue to stand by and watch as Christianity in general and evangelicalism in particular becomes increasingly associated with a political stance that is hostile, apathetic or nationalistic, or with a social stance that is judgmental and separatist.
More often than not when secular commentators talk about evangelicals, they are talking less about Christians that hold to a set of gospel beliefs and more about a demographic group who vote in a certain way in US elections. It is tragic that we are too often defined more by our views on sex, death and immigration than by our views on the resurrection and eternal life. We are, sadly, becoming better known for what we stand against than what we stand for.
This is why I believe it is time to reaffirm our gospel commitment to the good news of God’s offer of love, forgiveness, peace and welcome to all who will receive it. It would be almost revolutionary to become known once more for the good news that brings repentance, redemption, and reconciliation. The essence – and even the etymology of – evangelicalism, points to the fact that we are gospel people, which surely means both bringing and being good news.
