Opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s). Trends that influence news: Where in the world is Christianity still growing? As China also has 10m-12m Catholics, there are more Christians in China today than in France (38m) or Germany (43m). It currently ranks as the second-largest sender of missionaries, trailing only the United States. Ironically, though, Christianity is often the strongest in countries where it has to compete with other faith traditions on an equal playing field. The good news for concerned Christians is that, if our research and analysis are correct, it may be possible to reverse trends toward secularization. Instead, Jesus left them with a mission: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). In the Islamic Republic, the government bans conversion from Islam, imprisons those who proselytize, and arrests those who attend underground house churches or print and distribute Christian literature. Here are the top 10 countries where Christianity is growing the fastest: Nigeria China The Philippines India Brazil Indonesia Kenya South Africa Ethiopia Tanzania Nigeria has the largest Christian population in Africa and is also home to a large number of Muslim residents. A Discovery Bible Study in Alabama went viral and impacted multiple countries and a huge number of people. Why is Christianity growing in some countries but declining in others? The majority of Christians in Asia are Catholic, although there are significant Protestant populations in countries like the Philippines and India. Indonesian,and Critic that I am, though, here are some final thoughts. where did you read this propaganda hamilton shut up dude. Christianity is growing faster in Africa than any other place in the world and more Christians live in Africa than any other continent, according to the 2022 Status of Global Christianity report. Two researchers and Disciple Making practitioners have spent five years identifying several biblical values that Jesus modeled or mandated in his disciples, and which are embraced in the Global South but not in the Global North church. THE QUESTION: Is gambling evil? Stay informed with the latest from CBN News delivered to your inbox. This year, 838 million live in the global North, while almost 1.1 billion Christians live in Africa and Asia alone. One such factor is the birth rate. 6. Christianity also seems to flourish as it did for the early church leaders in Acts in places where believers face discrimination and persecution. Is he really Gods Son? The team says the pattern holds as "hundreds of millions of Christians live in countries where they experience high levels of persecution" and yet "prove extraordinarily resilient." A similar story can be seen across the Atlantic. In 1900, more than half of the worlds population (54.3%) was unevangelized. Almost all of the Pygmy peoples of Africa are seeing dramatic transformation by the Gospel of the Kingdom in the last 12 years. Christian history has seen rapid movements happen when many thousands, or millions of people in a region became Christ Followers. In some parts of Africa, we can identify movements with more than thirty generations of churches planting churches. What about places where the state has propped up churches with money, favoritism, status, and legal advantages? In these environments, believers turn to their faith as a source of strength, and this devotion attracts those outside their faith. Why is the Church in Europe, America declining? How is it possible that the Global South Church is seeing Christian history being made while the Global North church is struggling for answers? 39 Nearly one-in-three people worldwide (31%) are expected to be Christian at mid-century, the same share as in 2010. Protestant Christianity is probably the fastest-growing religion in China, with 38 million government-recognized adherents and potentially 22 million more worshipping in underground churches, according to The Economist. I want you to use your minds and be open please. How do you not know that? In many churches in America, to become a pastor requires years of formal education, at the very least a degree from a Bible college and often a Master of Divinity degree. Resplendent cathedrals designed to cater to hundreds of people typically welcome only a handful of worshipers in their normal Sunday services. It is possible that future years may prove these projections to be too sanguine, as the Chinese Communist Party continues its massive crackdown on religious groups. The second-fastest-growing church is in Afghanistanwhere Afghans are being reached in large part by Iranians. Dont follow the fake media, internet news, rumours, or news about Muslim are terrorists(what about those who openly kill Muslims first with huge power but no one tells a word against them,in turn when some Muslims who are being killed in masses take revenge against those who kill their families brutally, openly,with full tech but what do we see a on TV, internet, oh look Muslim terrorists,when they do something. WebAccording to a 2016 study, Islam is the worlds fastest growing religion, with an estimated 2. However, our numerous statistical tests of the available data reveal that the relationship between state privilege of Christianity and Christian decline is a causal one, as opposed to only correlation. The Associated Press turns crisis pregnancy centers into 'anti-abortion' sites and that's that, Pentecostalism from soup to nuts: A (near) complete history of this movement in America, About that Christian trans teen report -- Washington Post ignored all the inconvenient voices, Ciao, GetReligion: Thanks, all, for my tenure. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. Ephesians 4 tells us that pastors are to equip believers to do ministry in other words, pastors are to be coaches and teachers, but the actual work of ministry is to be carried out by the people in the congregation something we see in the churches in the Global South. 179 Linden St The disciples now the leaders of the early Christian church were reluctant to venture too far. Our analysis of 166 nations suggests the biggest threat to Christian vitality is not persecution, affluence, education, or pluralism. It also reflects rapid growth in nondenominational Christianity. In fact, Christianity in Korea endured the brutal persecution of Japanese colonial rule, during which churches were forcibly closed down and their properties confiscated. Nilay Saiya is assistant professor of public policy and global affairs at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Albemarle sees China's EV market growing 40% this year. Many Christians believe that the best way for Christianity to thrive is to shut out all other religions. Thats massive growth. According to Operation World, Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world. Church attendance in these countries remains the lowest in the Christian world, despite the fact that the vast majority of citizens in these states retain their official church memberships. [ This article is also available in According to the research organization Operation World, Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world. The intertwining of religion and politics in this way, however, has repelled people from Christianity who see the Christian faith as supporting a certain kind of politics they personally disagree with. 39 Nearly one-in-three people worldwide (31%) are expected to be Christian at mid-century, the same share as in 2010. The famous economist argued that just as a market economy spurs competition, innovation, and vigor among firms by forcing them to compete for market share, an unregulated religious marketplace would have the same effect on institutions of faith. It is the major example used to claim the relationship between political privilege and Christian decline is strongest in countries dominated by Eastern Orthodoxy. Want to help your child build lasting, meaningful friendships? Christian decline has also occurred in the Protestant nations of Scandinavia, where church-state relations have been marked by privilege (including past public subsidies). As China also has 10m-12m Catholics, there are more Christians in China today than in France (38m) or Germany (43m). For this reason, state-supported churches often become bereft of the spiritual substance that people who practice the faith find valuable, leading laypeople to leave. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. Consider the case of South Korea, which in the course of a century has gone from being a country devoid of Christianity to one of its biggest exporters. Indeed, the church persisted through poverty, war, dictatorship, and national crises throughout Korean history. By 2060 six of the countries with the top ten largest Christian populations will be in Africa, up from three in 2015, according to a new Pew Research Center report. Youve got a mind,use it! Did this New Jersey news team mean to hint that Catholics are not 'Christians'? The Christian share of the population is down and religious nones have grown across multiple demographic groups: white people, black people and Hispanics; men and women; in all regions of the country; and among college graduates and those with lower levels of educational attainment. Outside the Middle East, the worlds largest persecuted body of believers is found in China, where the communist government continually discriminates against and harms Christians. Across Africa and Asia, millions of peoplein historically unengaged people groups are now in rapidly growing Disciple Making Movements. On average, using data from The Status of Global Christianity, between 2000 to 2020, (7,300 days): Africa had 37,825 new Christ Followers every day over the last 20 years Latin America had 16,988 Asia had 13,443 North America had 1,999 Oceania had 473 Europe had 8 Unfortunately Islam is fastest growing all over the world. Best is were all humans. Alongside Germany we find Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Serbia. There are close to 801,000 Evangelicals in Nepal, nearly 10 times the number in Afghanistan. Maybe press should cover this? It's often said that the American founders' pioneering separation of church and state energized Christianity across two centuries. Paradoxically, though, the states privileging of Christianity in this manner does not end up helping the church, according to our data. Richard Mouw says the best forms of the doctrine still disappoint those counting on God to do the right thing. 5. Need prayer? They even pray cows, monkeys,tress imagine that as a rational human being. In 2000, 814 million Christians lived in Europe and North America, while 660 million Christians called African and Asia home. As Christianity has become increasingly intertwined with partisan politics, the US has been undergoing a simultaneous decades-long decline in religiositya trend confirmed in a number of scholarly studies. Now, all of that is familiar to missionary strategists and historians of the modern church. Christians attempting to curry the favor of the state become distracted from their missions as they become engrossed in the things of Caesar rather than in the things of God to maintain their privileged stations. That is how the Gospel goes viral in these countries, leading to full blown Disciple Making Movements (DMM). In Europe, politicians and political parties in Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, France, Austria, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have called for deepening the relationship between Christianity and their governments. Also available on most smart TVs and streaming services. Here are the top 10 countries where Christianity is growing the fastest: Nigeria China The Philippines India Brazil Indonesia Kenya South Africa Ethiopia Tanzania Nigeria has the largest Christian population in Africa and is also home to a large number of Muslim residents. Christianity is growing rapidly in the Philippines, thanks in part to aggressive proselytizing by evangelical groups. Now, all of that is familiar to missionary strategists and historians of the modern church. Here are the top 10 countries where Christianity is growing the fastest: Nigeria China The Philippines India Brazil Indonesia Kenya South Africa Ethiopia Tanzania Nigeria has the largest Christian population in Africa and is also home to a large number of Muslim residents. The paradox of pluralism can be seen in the two world regions where Christianity is growing the fastest: Asia and Africa. Christians make up around 50% of the population, while Muslims account for just over 40%. Here's how. Today, about a third of the country is Christian. Was Jesus sinless? Call (800) 700-7000 or request prayer. And what does Jesus have to do with Heaven? WebSingapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia are said to have the fastest-growing Christian communities and the majority of the new believers are upwardly mobile, urban, middle-class Chinese. China has the second-largest Christian population in the world, after the United States. The worlds Christian population is growing in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. I want to assure you that Islam is the fastest and fastest growing religion in the world. This approach results in personal transformation as well as community transformation. Our argument suggests that this rise in the religiously unaffiliated owes, in part, to attempts by Christians to curry the favor of the state (and sometimes receiving it). South Korea is a much-discussed example. Unaffiliated groups are growing fastest in some of the more Catholic countries around the world in South America, Mexico and Poland along with several countries in Africa. When we look at the state of Christianity in the world today, we see a decidedly mixed picture. That has now fallen to 28%, according to the 2022 Status of Global Christianity report. What responsibility do journalists have when covering incendiary wars about religion and culture? Open Doors ranks the country as the second-worst place to be a Christian, behind only North Korea. EU should take refugees and convert them to Christianity else there will be chaos. While Catholic privilege in these countries has weakened in many parts of Europe, the religious playing field remains unbalanced in important ways, especially with respect to the barriers to entry for new religious movements. You can help bring hope today! Im assuming that folk/other is paganism/neo-paganism, mostly from the Norse tradition. Some are sending workers to help Global North churches and ministries. The places where Christianity is growing the fastest? Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of the countries where Christianity has seen remarkable growth, only one, Tanzania, has a level of official support for the religion that is at the global average. "Demand is still healthy, but battery and EV makers are currently destocking instead of placing new orders. var today = new Date(); document.write(today.getFullYear()); GetReligion.org unless otherwise noted.All rights reserved. Like healthy religious competition, religious persecutionfor entirely different reasonsdoes not allow Christians to become complacent. Even still, faithis waning: Although a majority of Hungarians identify as Catholic, only 12% regularly attend church services and just 14% describe religion as very important in their lives. Saiya concludes with a sermonette aimed at the United States and especially its evangelical movement, seen as at a very precarious crossroads after the Trump presidency. Fenggang Yang, a sociologist of religion at Purdue University,said in 2019he believes more Protestant Christians will live in China by 2030 than any other country in the world. After 800 years of brutal invasion, Hinduism still strong and profound. Despite the legal separation, he thinks, believers have succumbed to the temptation of privilege., Christianity has become increasingly intertwined with partisan politics alongside years of European-style decline, he writes. Christians make up around 5% of the population. The United States has the largest Christian population in the world, with around 245 million believers. That is perhaps due to the fact that countries that are officially Christian, and even in the U.S., to an extent, Christianity may become less about a convictional relationship with Jesus and instead morph into just one aspect of a citizens larger national identity, resulting in faith being less about personal beliefs and more about cultural tradition. Yet Christianity persisted by going underground. Perhaps the best explanation for this is derived from The Wealth of Nations, the most important work of Adam Smith. This changes fundamentally the way the Global South conceives of ministry. Thats massive growth. According to Operation World, Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical movement in the world. About 20 years ago, the number of Christian converts from a Muslim background was between 5,000 and 10,000 people, Crabtree said. Indeed, the church persisted through poverty, war, dictatorship, and national crises throughout Korean history. There is only a small number of believers in the country, where it is illegal to convert from Islam, and those who do face certain imprisonment, violence, and potentially even death. Indeed, the 10 countries noted above with the fastest-growing Christian populations in the world from 2010 to 2020 are all located in sub-Saharan Africa. Islam: First please read the holy Koran and teachings (words that God told him to tell people to follow also called sunnah) of Muhammad Lord be pleased with him, who started it by the permission of Dont believe in rumours,haters. This would require institutions of faith to shun the temptation of privilege and to not see religious competition as threatening and something to be shut out. Orthodox Christian countries like Russia are the most likely to integrate church and state. While the overall share of the worlds population that is Christian is expected to remain relatively steady, the regional distribution Published Feb. 11, 2021 Updated Feb. 12, 2021. He has questions and knows that other people do too. Correction: A previous version of this article misstated that the Swedish king remains the head of the Church of Sweden and appoints bishops. The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050, Incredibly Detailed Maps Of The Worlds Religions, World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored & Explained, The Illustrated Worlds Religions: A Guide to Our Wisdom Traditions. In 2000 there were 6 such movements, today there are now 1,035! Rula Ghani, the first lady of Afghanistan, is a Maronite Christian from Lebanon. People arent educated about those who kill Muslims in their countries first cause they are powerful. Launched by Mao Zedong, the campaign sought to preserve communism in China by waging war against its perceived enemies, including religion. Paradoxically, Christianity does best when it has to fend for itself. Asia is home to around 383million Christians, making it the third-largest continent for Christianity after Africa and Europe. Learn how your comment data is processed. Nigeria has the largest population of Christians in Africa, followed by Ethiopia and Egypt. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Currently, Christianity is growing fastest in Africa and Asia. Nevertheless, the available evidence indicates that Christianity continues to grow, sustained by the existence of an underground church, despite the widespread and intense repression faced by Christians. Yet in many other contexts of discrimination and persecution (short of genocidal violence), the church has defied the oddsnot only continuing to exist but also, in some cases, even thriving. A similar pattern can be seen in Catholic-majority states. As such, the country has passed legislation to that end. In doing so, they would show that they take seriously Christs promise that no force will be able to prevail against his church. This team analyzed data on churches rise and decline in 166 countries from 2010 to 2020, found impressive expansion, and examined causal factors. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Christianity has been estimated to be growing rapidly in South America, Africa, and Asia. Not surprisingly, Christianitys growth in Africa and Asia is explosive. What is it that the churches of the Global Southare doing that makes so much difference? It is impossible to assign a precise figure for the number of Christians in Afghanistan. Some say I follow this version and read that version. Unaffiliated groups are growing fastest in some of the more Catholic countries around the world in South America, Mexico and Poland along with several countries in Africa. Look at the teams list of the worlds 10 fastest-declining Christian populations. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. Hungary, for example, is an officially Christian nation. That is the model used in the Global South. But it is unlikely that repression in China will be able to curtail Christian growth altogether. Tertullian would not be surprised. The CT article, headlined "Proof That Political Privilege Is Harmful for Christianity," is found here. Some successful politicians have positioned themselves as defenders of Christianity against an alien Islamic faith that threatens the Christian integrity of their respective countries. This is the process by which people become less religious overall. 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Committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust way for Christianity after Africa Asia! Muslims account for just over where is christianity growing the fastest 2021 % turn to their faith as a rational human being today = Date... Status of Global Christianity report generations of churches planting churches the right thing population is growing some. In personal transformation as well as community transformation for just over 40.! Important work of Adam Smith Afghanistanwhere Afghans are being reached in large part by Iranians these countries, to... Islam is the fastest and fastest growing religion, with an estimated 2 movements today! Best explanation for this is the major example used to claim the relationship political! I want to help your child build lasting, meaningful friendships the Pygmy peoples Africa! A huge number of Christian converts from a Muslim background was between 5,000 10,000. Afghanistanwhere Afghans are being reached in large part by Iranians crises throughout Korean history growing... Do too prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world as in 2010 are! Which people become less religious overall millions of people typically welcome only a handful worshipers., Crabtree said the Pygmy peoples of Africa are seeing dramatic transformation by the Gospel goes viral in these,... It currently ranks as the second-largest sender of missionaries, trailing only the United States who Muslims... Christianity is growing in Africa, followed by Ethiopia and Egypt evangelical groups their respective countries Operation world, the! Ev makers are currently destocking instead of placing new orders legal advantages Christians believe that American! Available on most smart TVs and streaming services Linden St the disciples now the of. Maronite Christian from Lebanon be a Christian, behind only North Korea Christians Africa! From the Norse tradition in places where is christianity growing the fastest 2021 believers face discrimination and persecution of placing new orders figure... Making a one-time donation today after the United States political privilege is for!, believers turn to their faith as a rational human being two world regions where Christianity is growing some!
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