(RNS) Four in 10 Americans identify themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians, but a significantly smaller percentage of Americans actually subscribe to “core evangelical doctrine,” the Gallup Organization has found.

In a mid-April poll, 42 percent of respondents said they consider themselves to be born-again or evangelical. But in a similar poll taken in early May, only 22 percent agreed with all three beliefs that Gallup said “most evangelical leaders would say are core evangelical doctrine.”

The questions were about evangelism, the authority of the Bible and a turning point in one’s life that related to Christian commitment.

The poll found:

• 52 percent said they had encouraged someone to believe in Jesus Christ.

• 32 percent said they believe the “Bible is the actual word of God.”

The percentage of Americans who say they have had a born-again experience increased the most over the last few decades. In 1976, just 35 percent said they had had such an experience.