According to statistician David Barrett (USA), the world population grew to 5.804 billion in 1996; 1.843 billion of those are under 15 years old. There are 1.715 billion poor people living in cities, with an additional 970 million living in slums. The church continues to grow rapidly: of the 1.782 billion church members, 1.302 billion are “practising Christians”, numbers which have grown from 1.159 billion and 905 million in 1970.
According to Barrett, the number of missionary Christians (Great Commission Christians) has grown from 300 million in 1970 to 786 million in 1996.
Charismatic and Pentecostal churches have by far the greatest rate of growth: in 1900, they had 3.7 million members; in 1970, 74.4 million; today, the number 479.8 million. The number of Christian service groups has grown from 14,100 in 1970 to 23,200 in 1996; the number of mission agencies has grown from 2,200 to 4,500. Churches have a total income of $94 billion per year, and mission agencies and independent organisations $100 billion.
Source: David B. Barrett, GEM Research, Status of Global Mission 1996
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Some updated statistics:
About 33% of the world’s people are Christians (at least in name), American missions statistician David Barrett says. The Global Evangelization Movement reported 2.0 billion of the earth’s 6.0 billion people believe in some form of Christianity. Church members total 1.898 billion, and 1.3 billion attend services. Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity is growing fastest; 482 million belong to such movements and 680 million can be described as “Great Commission Christians,” Barrett said.
Muslims comprise the second-largest faith group. Followers of Islam number 1.215 billion, followed by 786 million Hindus, 362 million Buddhists, 225 million members of tribal religions, and 102 million members of “new religions.”
The world also has a large number of unbelievers. A total of 774 million consider themselves “non-religious” and 151 million say they are atheists, Barrett said.
An estimated 165,000 Christians will be martyred for their faith in Christ this year, according to Barrett.
[ReligionToday, January 10, 2000; www.religiontoday.crosswalk.com ]