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The term commonly also suggests a desire to evangelize, i.e. spread the message of the Gospel and make converts to [[Christianity]].

The term commonly also suggests a desire to evangelize, i.e. spread the message of the Gospel and make converts to [[Christianity]].

In recent decades the term has become a "catch-all" category used to designate a Protestant denomination that is not considered [[Mainline Protestant churches|mainline]], [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalist]] or [[Pentecostal]]/[[charismatic]], with virtually no agreement as to which of the denominations not in one of the prior categories should be included; the only denomination that is generally agreed to definitely be Evangelical is the [[Southern Baptist Convention]].

Evangelicalism is one of four major movements within Protestantism; the other three are [[Mainline Protestant churches|mainline]], [[fundamentalism]], and [[Pentecostal]]/[[charismatic]].  As the other three movements are more easily defined by denominations that clearly fit into one of the three groupings (e.g. [[United Methodist Church]] within mainline, [[Independent Baptist]]s within fundamentalism, and [[Assemblies of God]] within Pentecostal/charismatic), in recent decades the term has become a "catch-all" category used to designate Protestant denominations not in one of those three.  Even then there is virtually no agreement as to which denominations should be considered evangelical; the only denomination that is generally agreed to definitely be such is the [[Southern Baptist Convention]].

This article focuses on the United States and Canada since 1740, when the [[First Great Awakening]] launched the Evangelical movement.<ref>Thomas S. Kidd, ''The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Great-Awakening-Evangelical-Christianity-Colonial/dp/0300118872/ref=ed_oe_h excerpt and text search]; William G. McLaughlin, ''Isaac Backus and the American Pietistic Tradition'' (1967)</ref>

This article focuses on the United States and Canada since 1740, when the [[First Great Awakening]] launched the Evangelical movement.<ref>Thomas S. Kidd, ''The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Great-Awakening-Evangelical-Christianity-Colonial/dp/0300118872/ref=ed_oe_h excerpt and text search]; William G. McLaughlin, ''Isaac Backus and the American Pietistic Tradition'' (1967)</ref>