The Unfinished Task Religious Systems
The World’s Religions and the Challenge they represent

1 Christianity has become the most global of religions

a) Nominalism has become a major issue

b) Christo-pagans who, while statistically counted as Christians, are practising occultists, shamanists, fetishists, etc

c) Sectarianism

2 Muslims live largely in the great arc of territory stretching from West Africa through Central Asia, to Indonesia

a) The eyes and hearts of Muslims to be opened to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ

b) Muslim background believers in Christ who are relatively few

c) Christian ministries to Muslims

3 The non-religious and secular bloc has shown the most massive growth in the 20th Century

4 Hinduism has made notable missionary inroads in the West through the wide acceptance of transcendental meditation, yoga, New Age thinking, sects such as Hare Krishna and Indian gurus

a) The Indian sub-continent has the largest concentration and variety of least-reached peoples and people groups on earth

b) The need for workers able to reach caste Hindus is great

c) A de-Westernized, culturally appropriate pattern of Christian living and community is needed

5 Buddhism is the state religion of five nations in Asia, the majority in a further four, and a significant minority in yet another 11.

6 Ethnic religions and the more modern varieties of spiritism continue to decline in world percentage but are showing significant increase in vitality in every continent

7 Sikhism is one of the more recent world religions and originated in northeast India

8 Jews are declining in numbers in most countries — through low birthrates, secularization, conversions to Christ and emigration to Israel

9 Numerous other religions remain a challenge for Christian witness — the 6 million Baha’i worldwide, 4 million Jains in India and the 3.5 million Parsees