Who are evangelical Christians? What practise they believe? And what exercise they see as the boundaries of their faith? The survey contains several questions that probe how participants in the Third Lausanne Congress of World Evangelization identify themselves religiously, in what organized religion they were raised and what spiritual experiences they have had. Information technology finds broad understanding amid these Christian leaders on some beliefs and practices that are essential to being "a skilful evangelical." Most all the leaders surveyed, for example, say evangelicals must follow the teachings of Christ in their personal and family life. Simply the survey besides finds areas of substantial disagreement, including over biblical literalism and the consumption of alcohol.

A. Religious Identities

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The "born-again" experience is a defining characteristic of the evangelical movement, and one that is reported by nearly all of the leaders surveyed. More than than nine-in-ten (93%) say they have been born-once again, in most cases at a relatively young age. The average is 17, with nigh all of the leaders (86%) saying they were built-in-again earlier the age of 30. Ii-thirds (67%) say the experience occurred before they turned twenty. Even amongst those who were not raised as evangelical Christians, the average reported age of a born-once more experience is 20. Amongst those who were raised every bit evangelicals, information technology is 14.

Not surprisingly, an overwhelming majority of the leaders (90%) place themselves every bit evangelical Christians. Just a substantial minority too depict themselves as Pente-costal (25%) or charismatic (31%) Christians. Younger evangelical leaders are more likely to identify as Pentecostal Christians. Among those nether age 40, for example, 31% say they are Pentecostals, as practice 29% of those in their 40s, compared with 22% of those in their fifties and 16% of those age 60 or older. Younger leaders are also more than probable to identify as charismatic Christians (35% of those under 40, compared with 23% of those lx and older).

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As previous studies have emphasized, Pentecostalism is especially common in the Global South, and in this survey, leaders in the Global South are indeed more likely to say they are Pentecostals (33%) than leaders in the Global North (14%).ix Leaders in sub-Saharan Africa are particularly likely to identify with Pentecostalism (42%). When it comes to identifying as a charismatic Christian, however, there is footling departure between leaders from the Global North (30%) and the Global South (32%). Leaders from Europe (37%) and sub-Saharan-Africa (38%) are every bit likely to say they think of themselves every bit charismatic Christians.

For the purposes of this written report, those who identify themselves as either charismatic or Pentecostal Christians on these questions are grouped together and referred to every bit renewalist Christians, or simply renewalists. Iv-in-10 leaders at the Congress are included in this umbrella category. By contrast, only xi% of the leaders say they think of themselves as fundamentalist Christians.

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Half of the leaders surveyed say they were raised as evangelical Protestants, and an boosted 17% were raised equally non-evangelical Protestants. Roughly one-in-eight (thirteen%) were raised Catholic, and 5% say they were raised without any particular religion. Very few grew up as Muslims (3%), Buddhists (two%), Orthodox Christians (2%) or in a traditional, animist or new age religion (2%). Leaders age 60 or older are most likely to say they were raised as Protestants (80%). Amongst those raised outside of Protestantism, differences in childhood religion tend to reflect the predominant religion of the region in which they live.

B. What Does it Mean to be an Evangelical?

With near unanimity, the Lausanne leaders meet two practices as essential to being a adept evangelical Christian. Near all of the leaders surveyed (97%) say it is necessary to follow the teachings of Christ in i'southward personal and family life. Virtually every bit many (94%) say that working to pb others to Christ is part of beingness a expert evangelical.

Smaller only still substantial majorities of leaders also concur on several other essential behaviors. About three-quarters (73%) say working to help the poor and needy is essential for being a good evangelical Christian; 24% say this is important but not essential. At that place is widespread agreement most this activity amid leaders from all regions of the globe. Fully 74% of leaders from the Global N say helping the poor and needy is essential, as practice 72% of leaders from the Global South.

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Tithing – or giving at least a tenth of ane'due south income to the church – is deemed essential for being a good evangelical Christian by 58% of the leaders; 32% say tithing is of import merely not essential, and eight% consider tithing either not also of import or not at all of import. Leaders from Europe are less likely than those in other regions to say tithing is essential for being a good evangelical. Nigh a third of European leaders (36%) say tithing is essential, compared with 59% of North American leaders and 66% of leaders in the Global S.

Overall, a solid majority says that it is essential for evangelicals to have a public stand up on social and political bug when those issues conflict with moral and biblical principles; 56% call this essential, while 37% say it is important merely not essential, and v% say it is either not too of import or not at all important. In addition, about half of the leaders (49%) say that it is essential to take a public stand on social and political issues that could limit the liberty of evangelicals to practice their faith; 39% say this is important only not essential, and 9% say it is either not also or non at all important.

About one-3rd (36%) say working to protect the natural surround is essential for existence a good evangelical, while close to half (47%) say that protecting the surround is important simply not essential, and 16% say it is either not too or not at all of import. Leaders living in Hindu-majority countries, namely India and Nepal, are more likely than others (57% vs. 34%) to say that protecting the environs is essential for being a skillful evangelical.

There is stiff consensus among the leaders on the compatibility of some religious beliefs and practices with evangelicalism. More than 9-in-ten encounter no trouble, for example, with assertive that miracles can take identify today (94%) or believing in divine healing (93%).

At that place is also solid agreement amid the Lausanne leaders on some behavior and practices that are non uniform with existence a good evangelical, such every bit mixing Christianity with elements of other faiths, sometimes called syncretism. More than nine-in-10 of the leaders surveyed say that engaging in yoga as a spiritual practice (92%), believing in star divination (97%) and believing in reincarnation (96%) are incompatible with being a skillful evangelical. Well-nigh all the leaders surveyed (95%) likewise say that believing Jesus Christ is non the only path to salvation is incompatible with being a good evangelical Christian.

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Amidst the Lausanne leaders, 70% say that speaking in tongues is uniform with being a good evangelical Christian. Simply a sizeable minority (26%) considers this practice, which is normally associated with Pentecostalism, to be incompatible. Amongst renewalist leaders, 84% say speaking in tongues is compatible with existence a adept evangelical Christian, compared with 64% of non-renewalists.

The particular on which the leaders are almost evenly split is the question of whether consuming alcohol is compatible with being a skilful evangelical Christian. Roughly one-half (52%) of the evangelical leaders say drinking alcohol is not compatible with beingness a practiced evangelical, while 42% say information technology is uniform, and 6% are non certain or do not respond.

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Beliefs about this issue are related to the regional backgrounds of the respondents. A bulk (73%) of the leaders from the Global North consider booze consumption to exist compatible with beingness a good evangelical Christian. By dissimilarity, a similarly large majority of the leaders from the Global South (75%) say alcohol consumption is not compatible with being a good evangelical. Leaders from sub-Saharan Africa are especially probable to say this; fully 78% say consuming booze is not compatible with being a good evangelical.

These regional differences may likewise reflect the influence of other religious and cultural traditions in sure areas of the globe. More than eight-in-10 (83%) leaders living in Hindu-majority countries say consuming alcohol is incompatible with being a good evangelical; 78% of those living in Muslim-bulk countries accept the same position, as do 67% of those living in Buddhist-majority countries.

C. Beliefs

Nearly all of the Lausanne leaders (96%) believe that Christianity is the ane, true religion leading to eternal life. Just i% say that many religions can atomic number 82 to eternal life.

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This nigh unanimity contrasts sharply with the answers given by rank-and-file evangelicals on surveys in the U.South. and sub-Saharan Africa. Evangelical Protestants in the U.South. are divided on whether "my organized religion is the ane, true faith leading to eternal life," with 51% saying it is the sole path to eternal life and 45% saying many religions can atomic number 82 to eternal life.10 Opinions among evangelical Protestants in xv countries across sub-Saharan Africa vary widely on this question. The percentage of self-identified evangelical Protestants proverb "my religion is the one truthful faith leading to eternal life" ranges from a low of 25% in Cameroon to a high of 86% in Ethiopia.11

Nearly all of the Lausanne Congress participants (98%) believe that the Bible is the Discussion of God. Yet, at that place is an almost even split betwixt those who believe that everything in the Bible should be taken literally (50%) and those who do not (48%). Global Due south leaders are more probable than those from the Global Northward to say that the Bible should be taken literally, give-and-take for word (58% vs. 40%).

U.S. leaders participating in the Congress are evenly split betwixt those who take everything in the Bible literally and those who exercise non (48% to 49%, respectively). As a point of comparing, evangelical Protestants in the U.S. are more than probable to say they read the Bible literally; two-thirds (68%) take this view, while about one-quarter (27%) say that the Bible is the Word of God just that not everything in it should be taken literally, discussion for word.12

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By a broad margin, the evangelical leaders surveyed reject the idea that human beings and other living things take evolved over time due solely to natural processes. Virtually half (47%) believe that humans and other living things have existed in their nowadays form since the beginning of time, while 41% believe that a supreme beingness guided the evolutionary process. Only 3% say that humans and other living things take evolved over fourth dimension due to natural processes such as natural selection.

Leaders from the Global Due north are more likely than those from the Global South to say that the evolution of living things, guided by a supreme existence, has taken place. One-half of the leaders from the Global Due north (50%) take this position (including 49% of U.S. leaders), equally practise 34% amongst Global South leaders. Leaders from the Global South are more than likely than those from the Global N to say that humans and other living things have always existed in their present course (54% vs. 39%).

A slight majority of leaders (52%) believe that Christ will either probably (44%) or definitely (viii%) return in their lifetimes. Six-in-ten leaders (61%) also say they believe in the Rapture of the Church — the pedagogy that believers will be instantly caught upwards with Christ before the Great Tribulation, leaving non-believers behind to suffer on Earth.

When it comes to these beliefs about eschatology or the End Times, regional differences once over again are notable. Two-thirds of Global South leaders (67%) say Christ definitely or probably will return in their lifetimes, compared with a third of Global North leaders (34%). Renewalist leaders are also more than likely than non-renewalists to believe that Christ is likely to return in their lifetimes (60% vs. 47%). Among leaders from the Global South, 73% say they believe in the Rapture, compared with 44% of Global North leaders. But majorities of those surveyed from all regions except Europe believe in the rapture of the Church building; evangelical leaders from sub-Saharan Africa are especially likely to believe in the Rapture (82%).

D. Practices

The global evangelical leaders tend to be frequent church building-goers. The vast majority (89%) say they participate in religious services at least once a week, with ii-thirds (68%) maxim they attend more than once a calendar week.

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The evangelical leaders are likewise quite probable to say they participate in prayer or scripture written report groups on a weekly basis (75%). By comparing, they mind to religious radio or watch religious TV programs less often; about a 3rd (37%) do and so weekly, and 29% do so seldom or never.
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Leaders from the Global South are more likely than those from the Global North to participate in prayer or study groups and to melody in to religious media. For example, about half of the leaders from the Global South (47%) lookout man or listen to religious media programs weekly, compared with about 1-quarter of the leaders from the Global N (23%). Renewalist leaders are also more likely to appoint in these activities.

Almost all the evangelical leaders surveyed (94%) say they have received a direct reply to a specific prayer request at some point in the by.

Eastward. Renewalist Experiences

High numbers of the leaders surveyed also study having experienced or witnessed practices that are oftentimes associated with renewalist groups. For instance, roughly half or more of the evangelical leaders report having spoken or prayed in tongues (47%), experienced or witnessed the devil or evil spirits existence driven out of a person (57%), received a direct revelation from God (61%) or personally witnessed or experienced a faith healing (76%). A smaller but still meaning number (40%) accept given or interpreted prophecy.

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Non surprisingly, renewalist leaders (that is, those who identify as either Pentecostal or charismatic) are more than likely than other leaders to report having these experiences. More than three-quarters of renewalists say they have witnessed or experienced a divine healing (91%), a directly revelation (fourscore%), an exorcism (78%) and speaking in tongues (81%). And ii-thirds of the self-identified renewalists surveyed (67%) have given or interpreted prophecy. While not-renewalist leaders are less likely to say they take experienced each of these things, large numbers all the same claim some of them.

In particular, two-thirds (66%) of the leaders who do non identify every bit Pentecostal or charismatic say they accept witnessed or experienced a divine healing, and more than four-in-ten have received a directly revelation from God (48%) or witnessed or experienced an exorcism (43%).

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Some of these experiences announced to be more mutual in the Global S, where renewalist identification is higher. But fifty-fifty bookkeeping for identification as a renewalist Christian, leaders from the Global South are significantly more than likely than those from the Global North to say they have witnessed or experienced the devil or evil spirits being driven out of a person. They are also more than likely to say they accept experienced or witnessed a divine healing. And while renewalist identification is most important in understanding differences in rates of speaking in tongues, at that place is also a geographic difference amidst not-renewalist leaders on this particular, with those from the South twice as likely equally those from the North to take participated.

When it comes to the prosperity gospel – an issue that generates considerable controversy amongst Christians globally – the Lausanne leaders limited a clear consensus. An overwhelming majority rejects the idea that God will grant wealth and good health to all believers who take deep faith. Merely 7% of the leaders surveyed endorse the prosperity gospel, while 90% say that God does not always give wealth and skilful health to believers with deep faith. In that location is strong consensus on this betoken among renewalists and not-renewalists alike.

Footnotes:

9 See, for example, the Pew Forum's 2006 report, Spirit and Power: A 10-Country Survey of Pentecostals. (return to text)

10 Meet the Pew Research Center, Many Americans Say Other Faiths Can Lead to Eternal Life, 2008. (return to text)

11 For more details run into the Pew Forum'south 2010 written report, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010. (render to text)

12 See Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, U.Due south. Religious Knowledge Survey, 2010. (return to text)

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