Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman’s Weekly News
A major new global study has revealed that Christianity enters 2026 facing significant challenges despite continued worldwide growth.
The findings come from the Status of Global Christianity 2026 report by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Researchers identified demographic change, persecution, urbanisation, displacement and financial crime among the most pressing issues confronting church leaders today.
One of the report’s most striking findings is that while Christianity continues to grow globally, Islam is expanding at a faster pace. Analysis by Lifeway Research shows the global Christian population is increasing by 0.95% annually, while Islam is growing at 1.57% each year. The global Muslim population has now surpassed 2 billion and is projected to reach 3.4 billion by 2075, significantly narrowing the gap.
The report also highlights continued decline in regions long associated wi…
