During the XVI^th century, Christians who, such as Farel and Lefèvre d’Etaples, preach a return to the Gospel call themselves evangelical. Evangelical is synonymous to “protestant”.

During the XIX^th century, the term is adopted by members of the Revival Movement.

Nowadays, the Lutheran and Reformed Churches are referred to as historical churches, while the term evangelical is applied to churches that have their origin in the Revival Movements of the XIX^th and XX^th centuries.