A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

A History of Christian Doctrine
Evangelicals are the moderate heirs of the Fundamentalists.
The word evangelical comes from the Greek word
for “gospel,” and historically it has been synonymous with
Protestantism. Even today, in continental Europe and in
Latin America the term generally refers to all Protestants.
In the twentieth century it came to be associated with a
definite, identifiable conversion experience—accepting
Jesus as one’s personal Savior or making a decision for
Christ—coupled with efforts to spread the gospel to others.
In our context, it denotes “the movement in modern
Christianity, transcending denominational and confessional
boundaries, that emphasizes conformity to the
basic tenets of the faith and a missionary outreach of
compassion and urgency.” 238
The modern Evangelical movement became a recognizable
force in 1942 in the U.S. with the formation of the
National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). The three
major leaders who spearheaded the development of the
NAE were J. Elwin Wright, Harold Ockenga, and Carl F.
H. Henry. A subsidiary, the National Religious Broadcasters
(NRB), was formed in 1944.
The NAE was an alternative to the ACCC that was less
sectarian and more inclusive. Notably, the ACCC excluded
all Pentecostals, while Trinitarian Pentecostals participated
in the formation of the NAE.
In 1987, the NAE had a membership in its constituent
churches of 5 million, 60 percent of whom were
Pentecostals. In 1999, the NAE consisted of 49 denominations,
individual congregations from 27 other denominations,
several hundred independent churches, and 250
parachurch ministries and educational institutions. These
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