"If they wanted it to happen, if they put their minds to it, the word 'evangelical' could mean good news."
The backlash against the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent controversial Sharia lecture, meanwhile, was evidence of a society with "a serious vendetta against the idea of God", contended Mr Edwards.
It is within this society that evangelicals are challenged to present Christ credibly and uphold His uniqueness, according to the EA chief.
"We are in a very challenging landscape. It is a landscape in which Christ is one among a constellation of gods. We are allowed to have a Christ who is different, who is good for Christians, who may even be superior for Christians, but in popular discourse He is not allowed to be superior over anyone else's god," he said.
"In a liberal democracy, Christians have a right if not a responsibility under God to be able to say in any multicultural context Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
"Christ cannot be credible unless we tell people who he really is."
Mr Edwards concluded with a reminder to evangelicals that their highest call lay in serving others.
"Central to our understanding of Christian citizenship is a radical commitment to serve other people. But our greatest calling is not to change legislation. Our greatest calling is to serve the people. The Government and local authorities are desperate for help. Will we be ready and equipped to respond?"
Mr Edwards will embark on a 20-city tour to promote his book and start a conversation on the role for evangelicals in society today and into the future. For more information visit www.anagendaforchange.org.uk
Tour dates and venues confirmed so far:
23 April - Kings Church, Eastbourne
27 April - Emmanuel Christian Centre, London
06 May - All Nations Centre, Leicester
07 May - The King's Centre, Kings Community Church, Norwich
08 May - Great St Mary's, Cambridge
18 May - Vineyard Church, Sutton, Surrey
21 May - Cornerstone Church, Swansea
22 May - Glenwood Church, Cardiff
25 May - New Community Church, Southampton
29 May - Barnabas Community Church, Shrewsbury
2 June - Oxford Community Church, Oxford
3 June - Trinity Church, Cheltenham
24 June - St James, Carlisle
25 June - Kirkintilloch Baptist Church, Glasgow
26 June - St Paul's and St Georges, Edinburgh
30 June - St George's, Leeds
1 July - St Thomas Church, Philadelphia, Sheffield
2 July - Kings Church, Manchester
3 July - Frontline Church, Liverpool
