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The word "evangelical" really means "good news"; so, in many respects all Christians who want to share with others the good news of Jesus Christ are evangelicals. However, lately the word has become part of the coined phrase "evangelical right". I am not really certain what that means.

I am an evangelical because I believe that God is worth sharing. I belong to an "evangelical" church, which means that we invite all people to enter our church. We have an addiction overcomers group, a motorcycle club that files in every Sunday in their leathers, a self-proclaimed hobo, a wealthy owner of an arena football team who routinely brings his members, such as Quincy Carter, a former Dallas Cowboy who has suffered through some very hard times, doctors, lawyers, people who work on our city's casino boats, and a host of other "different" people.

My church is very large, and when people run for office, they come to our church to be recognized. My pastor has never told me for whom to vote. He introduces all candidates equally and that is how it stays. A few months ago, I voted for the first black mayor in the history of our city of 300,000. He is a democrat and I am a white Republican. I have no idea who my pastor voted for, but I voted for him because he is a godly family man, who puts education first, working with inner-city youth as a must, and transitioning our basic two races into the 21st Century.

Our congregation is about 25 to 30 percent black, and we only wish there were more minorities, including Hispanics. Never has anyone been turned away; our minister does preach the Bible, but he loves everyone as God does and tries to help them see a better way of making choices in their lves that may lead to peace and reconciliation. He preaches the whole Bible and believes it to be the inspired word of God because the precepts in the Bible work in everyday life as much now as they did thousands of years ago.

Finally, all people should be informed voters. All Americans need to know the candidates and find one that lines up most closely with their own views. However, one of the most sacred places in this country is the voting booth and never have I turned to a pastor or a political party to determine my vote.

I cannot speak for all "evangelicals" or for the powerful spokesmen who profess to influence their "Christian" voters. I also cannot speak for those who are labeled "far-left socialists" by some. I do not think that that label is fitting for all people who are liberal in some of their beliefs anymore than I believe "right wing radical evangelicals" is a fitting label for those of us who whole conservative views. I vote for people, not parties and I am still a spreader of the "good news". If that makes me an evangelical then I wear the name proudly.

Learn more about this author, Martha Ellis.
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