Has the E-Word lost it's meaning?

The USA Today has an interesting article on what it means to identify oneself as an Evangelical.

Who's an evangelical? Until last year the answer seemed clear: Evangelical was the label of choice of Christians with conservative views on politics, economics and Biblical morality.

Now the word may be losing its moorings, sliding toward the same linguistic demise that "fundamentalist" met decades ago because it has been misunderstood, misappropriated and maligned.

Evangelical: Can the 'E-word' be saved?

Also George Barna's most current report was referenced in the article. He just came out with a new survey exploring Who Qualifies As an Evangelical.

Barna looks at people who classify themselves as "Evangelical" and measures it against what are historically considered the 9 essential marks of an evangelical.

Here is an excerpt from his report:

Barna suggested that those who describe themselves as evangelicals more closely resemble a segment that his company has labeled the "born again Christian" population - a group that displays an above-average interest and involvement in religious activity, but whose religious fervor and commitment is nowhere near that of true evangelicals. (the whole report can be found here.)

The term evangelical has lost much of it's meaning and punch. The label has been so diluted and too often when the label evangelical is used it carries with it some negative baggage. That is why I prefer referring to myself as a "Follower of Christ". If I am counting my syllables correctly "Follower of Christ" and "Evangelical" each have 5 syllables (if you are an English teacher - please correct me), so it requires no more effort to identify myself as a Follower of Christ, but there is greater benefit by doing so. When I identify myself as a "Follower of Christ" I pointing to Christ as the total of my identity and not any political/social agenda or cultural identifiers. Who I am is totally bound up in Christ and Him alone.

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