Explosive Growth In Global South Lesson 3 Series

A. REEXAMINING THE MISSIONARY MAP

1. The greatest growth of Christianity today is in the Global South, and the Orient Crescent, i.e., Africa, South America, Indonesia, India, China and Korea.

2. Happening with church planting, i.e., second generation of original western foreign missions.

3. Ignored by mainstream media and the Christian publications, but researched by academic institutions.

4. Just as the “last saved” in our churches are most zealous for evangelism, so Global South churches are more aggressive in winning the lost.

5. Philip Jenkins, PhD., Cambridge University, The Next Christendom: The Coming Global Christianity.

6. Global South emphasis regeneration, God’s power, deliverance, liberation and victory. Western Christians think of them as underdeveloped and ignorant. Probably more advance in IT and social groupings.

B. AFRICA: MASSIVE SURGE OF CHRISTIANITY

1. In 1900, 9 million believers. In 2000, 380 million. By 2050, 500 million.

2. The World Book Encyclopedia, estimates 80% Christian.

3. Uganda, Bishop P. Alex Milada, Born Again Pentecostal Church, 32,000 churches.

4. In Uganda, 86% are Christians.

C. SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA

1. In 1982, I wrote The 10 Largest Churches in the World and estimated there were 50 megachurches in South America. Today 5,000 megachurches.

2. Pentecostals were 37% of evangelicals in 1965, today 73%.

3. In-depth evangelism, Ken Strachan, Latin American Mission (a) national strategy, (b) reach every culture, (c) churches do evangelism not top down, but bottom up, (d) present Christ to everyone in every country.

4. Not only mass evangelism (Billy Graham, Jimmy Swaggart), which is persuasion evangelism, but relationship evangelism, i.e., Friend Day.

5. Rio, Brazil, 9 out of 10 churches are Pentecostal.

6. Pew Research, one out of 5 people are Protestant.

D. INDONESIA, FOURTH LARGEST NATION IN THE WORLD

1. Largest population of Muslims in world. Next largest are Pentecostals.

2. Alex Tanuseputra founder of Graha Bethany Nginden in 1977, has 140,000 worshipers, also 300 satellite churches.

E. CHINA: ONE BILLION, 300 MILLION

1. Estimated 150 million believers (25 million in 3 self-churches, 125,000 in underground church). Same as United States.

2. By 2030, China will have 247 million Christians – largest in world. According to Pew Research, highest conversion rate in world, 9.79 percent.

F. INDIA

1. New Life Assembly of God, Chennai, David Mohan pastor, has 50,000 attendees with, 200 satellite churches. Largest church in India. Building a new 50,000 seat sanctuary.

2. New Life Ministries, New Delhi, Alex Abraham, president, translates Bible into tribal languages. Planted 30,000 house churches 5,000 street churches.

G. SOUTH KOREA

1. A Buddhist nation with 28% Christian.

a. Largest are Presbyterians.

b. Largest church Pentecostal.

c. Second largest sending nation of foreign missionaries.

2. Revival in 1906, spread of Christian schools produced white color Christianity.

3. Samuel Moffat wrote grammar books, using Hebrew format of 22 consonants and 5 vowels, i.e., foundation for changing the way students think, i.e., logical and sequential.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.

Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.

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