What Does It Mean To Be Evangelical?
That Good Fight Podcast - Episode 1
What does it mean to be an evangelical, and why should we care?
Some will remember a time in which the term “evangelical” was often used in a derogatory manner. One might want to dissociate from it, or barely admit they were one, or used to be one at some earlier point in their life before they became “more nuanced” about things. These days, however, the term “evangelical” is far more popular. Some might even say it has been colonised and broadened out to include so much “breadth” that it is at risk of losing all meaning.
This is episode 1 of our new podcast (the vision for which I first introduced here). In this first “proper” episode, Nathan Paylor and I talk through some of our own story as evangelicals over the last two decades, including the influence of various movements and figures that have arisen within evangelicalism in the time we’ve known one another, and the different issues that arise when wrestling with the problems evangelicalism (and evangelicals!) may introduce.
Here's some of what we got into…
- Is "evangelical" overused?
- Is "evangelical" still helpful?
- Guarding *and* proclaiming the truth
- Emerging Church toxins
- Exvangelical deconstruction
- TGC-centredness
- The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill
- The state of British evangelicalism
- Leadership cowardice and compromise
- Defensiveness and offensiveness
We talk through the need for a more robustly evangelical approach in the years ahead, concerned not merely with "guarding" the truth, but going on the offensive in "proclaiming" the truth when and how it needs to be proclaimed.
I’m told the podcast is now available on various podcatchers, but here’s the video:
Aaron (and Nathan and Tom), I want to thank you for all that you have done and are doing to reform Christianity in the UK. It's absolutely essential that we return to biblical truth and learn what it means to once again shine confidently and brightly in a dark world.
I first became aware of you on twitter, through you being suspended from Cliff College. It was extremely encouraging to see someone in the UK standing firm for biblical truth in the face of such strong opposition. Consequently, I then followed Pod of the Gaps and have subsequently subscribed to That Good Fight as well. I'm making my way through all the material!
Both these podcasts have been wonderful blessings to me and my family. It's so important that cultural and theological topics are discussed clearly from an unapologetically biblical position, where trust in God and his good design is first and foremost.
As Nathan said in one of the podcasts, these videos are building a repository of truth and witness for future generations.
I've personally seen the slide into compromise and egalitarianism in my own church and it's been a personal blessing (and relief!) to know I'm not the only person seeing what is happening at these times.
A few ideas:
1) You could put a post here for each Good Fight podcast so the community can comment on them - they often raise questions with me that would be interesting to explore.
2) I'm not far from Derbyshire, so would be very interested in any future in-person meetup/conference to discuss how to develop this work in the UK.