So, are you like almost every other person out there, or every other 10th person?

George Barna and his group for a long time have attempted to identify the true evangelical. I am sure most of you can attest to the fact that the word has been marginalized — or maybe you don't. Please look with me at the criteria Barna Research uses to identify the "true" evangelical:

1. Personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
2. When they die they expect to go to heaven — because they have been "born again."
3. Their faith is important in their life today.
4. Believe they have a responsibility to witness and share their faith with non-Christians.
5. Satan does exist.
6. Eternal life is possible only through grace, not works.
7. Jesus was sinless on earth.
8. The Bible is accurate in all it teaches.
9. God is an all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.

This criteria had nothing to do with church attendance or organizational affiliation. I am sure I have watered the nine items down a bit, but I think you get the point. Although 38 percent of Americans call themselves evangelicals, only 8 percent actually agree with Barna's key evangelical beliefs. Barna's group even goes so far as to say, according to their research, one out of every four self-identified evangelicals has not even accepted Christ as their Savior.