China Projected to Have World’s Largest Christian Population by 2030

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: May 12, 2017

China Projected to Have World’s Largest Christian Population by 2030

Second-Century church father Tertullian is quoted as saying, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church,” which seems to being proved true in China.

According to a report from The Christian Post, China is on track to have the largest Christian population in the world by 2030, despite the increased persecution Chinese Christians have been experiencing.

"We are overjoyed with what the Lord has already done in China," said Rodney Pennington, vice president for mobilization of OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship, formerly the China Inland Mission) in an interview with The Christian Post on Tuesday. "But that doesn't mean the task is finished."

“While 200 million Chinese believers by the year 2030 may seem ambitious, it certainly gives us a strong goal to pray toward," he added.

But while the Church is growing in China and many Chinese people are turning to Christ, Chinese Christians are still in need of much prayer and support.

China’s current government under President Xi Jinping is increasingly hostile toward Christians and Christianity. Hundreds of churches have been destroyed, their cross symbols removed, and Christians have been imprisoned, tortured, or even killed for their faith.

China’s government wants to restrict Christianity to state-sanctioned practices and places of worship.

Despite the persecution and lack of religious freedom, however, many Chinese Christians echo the words of Yu Jie, a Christian democracy activist: "Neither the dead hand of Communism, nor the cynical imitation of Confucianism, nor capitalism, nor democracy, nor any earthly thing will determine the fate of my land.”

 

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: May 12, 2017



China Projected to Have World’s Largest Christian Population by 2030