There has been great discussion in recent days about evangelicals and President Trump. I have been slow to respond and remark. Evangelicalism and evangelicals are two separate things in my mind.

I was saddened that the editor at Christianity Today, made his editorial about Mr. Trump. He could have made the same point by calling for moral and righteous leadership across the spectrum.

And when did evangelicals become so political? I know we are human and we have our opinions but we are doing ourselves a disservice by becoming divisive. Jesus said we were to be known for our love. In fact, He, Himself, prayed in His High Priestly Prayer (John 17) that we would be united.

In many ways Christianity Today helped define evangelicalism. To my understanding, it means that evangelicals believe one can have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. That simple.

It was further defined by great historic conferences in 1910 in Edinburgh. Again in 1960 in Switzerland. And another in Berlin in 1966. These conferences including leaders from the Orthodox churches and Synagogues – they were ecumenical – helped define the task of evangelism and evangelicalism. There followed regional conferences world-wide.

Dr. Art Johnson in his book, The Battle for World Evangelism wrote, “Evangelicalism could now be seen as a significant international body, capable of even greater evangelists expires, in an age of technology and population explosion.”

That does not mention Mr Trump, Republicans or Democrats. We need to keep in mind, as Christians, what the goal is. And it is to be a witness to the whole world. If we are only seen as a political voting block we have lost our effectiveness.

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