Thomas Kidd’s summary definition of an “evangelical”:
Historically, evangelicals are a subset of Protestant Christians. They see conversion and personal commitment to Jesus as essential features of a true believer’s life. They cherish the Bible as the divinely inspired Word of God. They believe that real Christians have a personal relationship with God, mediated by the guidance of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit. They aspire to act on those beliefs by praying, attending worship services, witnessing to the lost, studying the Bible, going and sending people on missions, and ministering to the “least of these.” Partisan commitments have come and gone. But conversion, devotion to an infallible Bible, and God’s discernable presence are what make an evangelical an evangelical.
