Evangelism in Modern Britain by Bebbington<\/p>\n
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Bebbington took on the task to share the history, or the growth of a movement in Britain. He stated that he wanted to present it in two-folds. \u201cto consider the influence of Evangelicals on society; and explore the ways in which Evangelical religion has been molded by its environment.\u201d (location 31,33) He believes the core of evangelism was \u201cconversionism, the belief that lives need to be changed; activism, the expression of the gospel in effort; biblicism, a particular regard for the Bible; and what may be called crucicentrism, a stress on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross\u201d. (2) \u00a0Bebbington made many references by Max Warren as he explains these characteristics. He quoted him saying, \u201cI am \u2018in Grace\u2019 because I have been converted\u201d (7); and \u201cWe evangelicals are Bible people. Secondly, Evangelicals possessed a gospel to proclaim.\u201d (4)\u00a0 A scripture relating to conversion, Ephesians 2:8-9<\/a> states, \u201cFor by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God.\u201d \u00a0We as believers are commanded to share the gospel to the world. The Evangelicals believed they were biblically sounded in their views and beliefs.<\/p>\n It was interesting to learn the evangelical\u2019s views when the Holy Spirit was experienced during a Charismatic Worship. \u201cWilliam Arthur had been encouraging his readers to seek an experience with the Holy Spirit.\u201d (153) \u00a0\u00a0The leaders discussed this experience and they all agreed that speaking in tongues was not the first sign of baptism in the Spirit. (229)\u00a0 But their viewpoints did not stop or deter the experience. \u201c George Forester, Vicar of St Paul\u2019s, and a group of parishioners received \u2018the baptism of the Holy Spirit\u2019, started speaking in tongues and began to hold weekly fellowship meetings for the exercise of spiritual gifts.\u201d (153) The scriptures speak about two baptisms: water and the Holy Spirit. \u00a0The scripture Acts 2:4 states, \u201cAnd they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.\u201d<\/p>\n In my reading other\u2019s reviews, I found a research paper written by Garry J. Williams, titled \u201cWas Evangelicalism Created by the Enlightenment?\u201d His main focus was to challenge Babbington\u2019s position that the \u201cEvangelism activism of the 1730\u201ds was only possible because of a novel doctrine of assurance.\u201d He utilized the writings of John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, and John Newton as his evidence. In his conclusion, he believed the Reformation and Puritanism were the authentically Evangelical movement. That movement was a difference of accidents rather than substance.[1]<\/a>\u00a0 Adam Szabados, views were similar to Williams\u2019 paper. He too expressed that one could easily argue that the \u201cReformers and the Puritans were just as much activist as the later Evangelicals because of their strong understanding of Assurance.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a0 They both do not agree with Babbington\u2019s position that Evangelism was the \u201cnovelty\u201d.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Garry J. Williams, Was Evangelicalism Created By The Enlightenment?,<\/em> http:\/\/www.tyndalehouse.com\/tynbul\/library\/TynBull_2002_53_2_08_GWilliams_Evangelicalism.pdf , accessed January 18, 2017, 283 and 313.<\/p>\n