The Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is one of the world’s most definitive sources of empirical information on worldwide Christianity. Every year in their International Bulletin of Mission Research they present a snapshot of global Christianity.
This year’s Status of Global Christianity report points to some very troubling trends – trends that the Christian church needs to evaluate very seriously. Because this is a worldwide snapshot, it is very easy for individual Christians and local churches to consider it something that doesn’t pertain to them directly. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it is that kind of thinking that causes the problems in the first place. Every Christian, and every church, needs to take this personally and make an intentional effort to take the gospel to their world.
The World’s Current Status
We live in a societal environment where peoples’ identity tends to be tied most closely to their immediate surroundings. People most closely identify with their nation, state, local community, family, race or ethnicity, profession, university, sports team, or any of a number of different groups or organizations. And there is certainly nothing wrong with having those kinds of identifications.
But for Christians, there is an identity that ought to be more closely held than any other – our relationship with God. Our spiritual family ought to be the most important of all. The reason this is so critical is that it is the one we will have for eternity. All of the others are only temporary – only for as long as we continue in our mortal lives. This realization is something that needs to be brought to the conscious forefront of every Christian. Our first loyalty should be to God and His kingdom.
The sad truth, however, is that this is not the case for the large majority of people. Look at the top 10 troubling trends brought out by the 2026 CSGC report.
1. Islam Is Growing Faster than Christianity
While Christianity continues to grow, Islam is growing faster. The annual growth rate for Christianity is 0.95% compared to 1.57% for Islam.
2. Christianity Is in Decline in the Global North
Throughout the 1900s, more Christians lived in Europe than in any other region of the world. But the Christian population in both Europe and North America has shrunk in recent years.
3. Christianity Is Falling in the Middle East
Christianity continues to fall in the land where the church first began. In 1900, 12.7% of the Middle East population was Christian. By 1970, that had been halved to 6.1%. Today, it rests at 4.2% and is still dropping at a – 0.07% annual rate.
4. Cities Are Growing Faster than Christians Can Reach Them
Much of the world’s population has been consolidating in large cities. The number of cities with over 1 million residents has grown from 20 in 1900 to 670 today. That total is growing 2.46% each year. Unfortunately, most of those cities are minority Christian, and that trend is only increasing. Of those 20 large cities in 1900, fifteen had a population that was over 50% Christian. Today, 407 of the 670 cities with over 1 million residents are minority Christian.
5. More than a Quarter of the World Has No Gospel Access
It is not all bad news though. Statistics show that the share of the world’s population with no access to the gospel has fallen steadily. In 1900, over 50% of the world had no access. That has fallen to 27.7% today, and continues to fall.
6. Less than 1 in 5 Non-Christians Even Know a Christian
Another troubling statistic is that only 18.9% of non-Christians around the world know someone who is a follower of Jesus. That means that 80% of non-Christians have no relationship with a Christian.
7. The Decline of Martyrdom Has Stopped
Another piece of good news is that fewer Christians are being killed for their faith over a 10-year period compared to the late 1900s and early 2000s – though the future outlook is still quite troubling. Nine hundred thousand Christians have died for their belief in Jesus over the last decade. That is down significantly from the 3.7 million in 1970 or the 1.6 million in 2000. However, it is predicted to rise back to 1 million by 2075.
8. Refugees Are on the Rise
The percentage of the world’s population that has been displaced is increasing exponentially. Currently, the refugee rate is 450 per 100,000.
9. $70 Billion Is Lost Each Year Due to Ecclesiastical Crime
Total giving to Christian causes is increasing, but the dollars criminally lost are rising at the same rate – .78% annually. This year, an estimated $70 billion will be taken away from deserving causes and ministry efforts due to crime within the church and ministries.
What We Need to Do About It
As we observe what is going on in modern society, it is plain to see that there are advocacy groups associated with almost every deviant and anti-Christian activity out there. There are activists promoting:
- Abortion
- Gay rights
- Transgenderism
- Immigration reform
- Pro-Palestinian causes
- Racial Justice
- Environmental Justice
- Economic equity
- Healthcare access
- Gun control
- and the list goes on.
And the activists that promote these causes are not shy about their advocacy. They are out in the streets causing disruption every chance they get.
Obviously, that is not the Christian way. At the same time, it is important to ask, “What is the Christian way?” Well, there are actually times when we should be out in the streets. But our way of doing even that is different from the radical activists. When we hit the streets, we need to be carrying the message of Christ. Our goal is not to cause disruption, but to actually change hearts and minds. And the only thing that can effectively do that is for people to come to know Christ. So what does that involve?
Get Our Attitude Right
One of the things that is noticeable right off the bat with radical activists is that many have really sorry attitudes. They are not in the least bit interested in carrying on a conversation about why they do what they do. In fact, a large percentage have no idea how to even have that conversation.
That should never be the case for Christians. We should have only one motive, and that is to share the love of Christ with the world. And to effectively do that, the starting place is to have a Christlike attitude.
Strengthen Our Knowledge and Skills
A second essential is be equipped to express the gospel in any and every environment we find ourselves in. Many people think that means talking about Christ in any and every circumstance we find ourselves in. Well, there is a time and place to engage people by cold calling that way, but that cannot be the only thing we do. We must be equipped to not only know how to positively share the gospel, but to also understand the “what” and “why”of what we are up against. Why is the Christian gospel true and the beliefs of those who are anti-Christ not true. Many people will not even be willing to listen to us unless we can talk intelligently about what they are interested in.
This is a particular weakness of the vast majority of Christians – maybe even yourself. We need to not only listen to sermons and do Bible study at church, but also to create and/or take advantage of other learning opportunities (discipleship training opportunities, read books, pick the brains of people who can help us grow, etc.).
Get to Work
Once equipped, the only thing left is to take advantage of the opportunities the Lord places in front of you to share what you know. If you have the kind of broad equipping we have been talking about here, the potential for expressing your faith is endless.
Of those who take the opportunity to get any kind of equipping at all, without a doubt, the most prominent kind involves how to share the gospel message. And, of course, that has to be a central part of the mix. That is the ultimate place we need to get to. But if that is all we know, there are a lot of people that will not be reached. As was mentioned in the “knowledge and skills” section above, it is also critical to be able to engage non-believers where they are – and that requires acquiring broad knowledge and skills in many areas. That is what will allow a person to adapt to any situation – even those in which a person has no interest, at first, in hearing the gospel message.
The Critical Task
We live in a day and age when non-Christian and anti-Christian forces are strong and ascending. The trends listed at the beginning of this article are profound evidence of that. And while Christian beliefs used to dominate American society, that is simply not the case anymore. In fact, large parts of the population are now even hostile. Engaging those kinds of people requires an intentional effort to become as highly equipped for the task as we can. And it doesn’t happen just by attending worship services and Bible study classes at church. It takes a deliberate effort to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to pull it off, and a firm resolve to take the message of Christ into the world.
The specific form this takes is going to be different for every person. Everything will depend on an individual Christian’s spiritual maturity, personality, social circumstances, calling, and preparation. But if every Christian will become equipped and allow God to lead them to confront their world, the end result will be a situation where all parts of the world are engaged. God has a particular place and circumstance that He wants you to reach, and He has placed within you the raw materials you need to accomplish it. The only thing left is for you to put yourself into a position where you can develop and use those materials.
© 2026 Freddy Davis