Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Christian Missions and The Future
Christian Missions and The Future
Christian Missions and The Future
Christian Missions
and the Future
The Trinity
Father
Son
Holy Spirit
Israel
A type for the Church
Priests
Temple
Kings
Zion
Prophets
Nations
Ministry of Jesus
A model for the Church
The Twelve
Discipler
The Synagogue
Shepherd
Sender
Two by Two
as Apostles
Ministry of Jesus
A model for the Church
The Twelve
Discipler
The Synagogue
Shepherd
Sender
Two by Two
as Apostles
Local Churches
Apostolic Teams
Local Churches
Apostolic Teams
Pope
Universities
Monastic Orders
Pope
Universities
Monastic Orders
The Reformation
15001700
Denominations and Churches
No recognized
apostolic structure
for nearly 300 years
Universities
The Reformation
15001700
Denominations and Churches
No recognized
apostolic structure
for nearly 300 years
Universities
Mission
Agencies
Training
Institutions
Para-Church Predation
Congregations
Mission
Agencies
Training
Institutions
Para-Church Predation
Congregations
Mission
Agencies
Training
Institutions
Local Churches
Apostolic Teams
Local
Fellowship
Apostolic
Commitments
Definition of Missionary
GREEK: Apostoleo = I send with a message
Used in the Greek New Testament
English translations of the Bibles use the form Apostle
LATIN: Missiones = sending (plural)
First used for missionary by the Jesuits in 1598
The word does not occur in modern translations of the Bible,
but is used in common speech rather than the biblical apostle.
Cross-Cultural
Church
Attenders
Great Commission
Christians
1,500 1,200 900
600
300
300
Christians in Millions
Near Cultural
Christian
Workers
Mission Trippers
12
10
All mission-related
ministries can be
grouped into six
broad categories.
These include
multiple ministries
which often
straddle more than
one category.
Training
There is a
progressive cycle
of ministry from
support to pioneer
evangelism, then
church planting,
then leadership
training, etc.
Training
Evangelism
Ecological
Justice Issues
Environmental
Children/Youth
Unreached Peoples
Mass Evangelism
Media Evangelism
Personal Evangelism
Training
Church
Planting
Leadership
Development
Anthropology
Team-building
Church Planting
Training
Teaching
Discipling
Training
Training
Theological
Schools
Internet Studies
Correspondence
Courses
TEE
Leadership development
Anthropology
Team-building
Discipling
Teaching
TEE
Training
Internet
Planting
Theological Schools
Training
Leadership
International
Regional
Field
Partnerships
Mentoring
Research
Strategy
Ecological
Justice issues
Environmental
Children/ Youth
Unreached peoples
Mass evangelism
Media evangelism
Personal evangelism
Leadership development
Anthropology
Team-building
Discipling
Teaching
TEE
Training
Internet
Planting
Theological Schools
Training
Specialist
Ministries
Social
Bible translation
Media
Education
Medical
Literacy
Aviation
Internet
Literature
Relief and
Development
Leadership development
Anthropology
Team-building
Discipling
Teaching
TEE
Training
Internet
Planting
Theological Schools
Training
Support
ministries
Recruitment
Mobilization
Prayer ministry
Administration
Member care
MK ministries
Logistics
Pastoral
Counting Missionaries
There are differing perspectives on who is counted as a missionary that
vary with region and denomination:
1. North American
Anyone sent to evangelize, plant churches, or minister outside
their own country.
2. European and Latin American
Anyone sent to evangelize, plant churches, or minister crossculturally, whether in their own country or outside it.
3. African and Asian
Anyone sent to evangelize, plant churches, or minister outside
their home area -- whether cross-culturally or not -- and whether in
their own country or abroad.
The Operation World database allows for all three categories.
20 40 60 80 100 120
150 100
2
4
7
50
Short
Term
Workers
Years of Service
10
15
20
25
Married
Couples
Single
Workers
(Majority
being
Women)
30
35
40
Missionary
Career
Path
A Model
150 100
2
4
7
Years of Service
20
25
Ministry Phase
Preparation 15%
Short
Term
Workers
Field Experience
being acquired 45%
Married
Couples
10
15
50
Single
Workers
(Majority
being
Women)
30
35
40
Missionary
Career
Path
A Model
100
Eu
% of all missionaries
80
60
NA
LA
40
Pa
20
0
As
Af
1902191119251949195219571962196819751993200020102020203020402050
Projection
100
Eu
79%
% of all missionaries
80
40
20
0
57%
NA
60
LA
30%
AfAsLA
8%
46%
Pa
13%
As
Af
1902191119251949195219571962196819751993200020102020203020402050
India +42,000
Korea +9,000
China +20,000 or
more; not
counted in 2000
180
Nigeria +3,000
150
USA + 31,000
(mainly increase
in short termers)
300K
270
240
210
As
204K
NA
120
90
60
Af
Pa
LA
Eu
30
2000
2010
Religion
Number
43.0
Christians
87,000
7.2
Non-Religious
15,000
15.0
Hindu
30,000
17.0
Ethnic Religions
34,000
9.7
8.1
Buddhist
Muslim
20,000
16,300
Religion
100
80
60
40
20
Af
As
Eu
LA
NA
Pa World
Number of
Missionaries
2,000
5,000
10,000
20,000
AfAsLA
EuNAPa
Number of
Missionaries
2,000
5,000
10,000
20,000
AfAsLA
EuNAPa
Average Population
per Missionary in 2000
80,000
70,000
60,000
World
Christian
50,000
non-religious
40,000
Hindu
30,000
Ethnic
20,000
10,000
0
Buddhist
Distribution of Missionaries
by continent of ministry
500
400
300
Missionaries in ,000s
Projection
Other
Pa
NA
LA
Eu
200
As
100
Af
1900 1911 1925 1949 1952 1957 1962 1968 1975 1993 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Distribution of Missionaries
by continent of ministry
500
400
300
200
100
Missionaries in thousands
Projection
As
f
A
Other
Pa
NA
LA
Eu
As
Af
1900 1911 1925 1949 1952 1957 1962 1968 1975 1993 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
Christian % of population
250
200
100
80
150
50
100
31m
60
40
315m
812m
Af
3,676m
As
728m
Eu
523m
LA
6,084m
NA
Pa
World
20
Missionary Coverage
of Continents
Number of Missionaries/Million
250
31m
200
150
100
50
315m
812m
Af
3,676m
As
728m
Eu
523m
LA
6,084m
NA
Pa
World
1960
No.
Order Country
UK
6,530
1
USA
5,591
2
Germany
1,833
3
India
837
4
South Africa
531
5
Australia
403
6
Canada
280
7
Sweden
235
8
Jamaica
156
9
Japan
146 10
France
132 11
Norway
132 12
Ireland
131 13
Netherlands
108 14
China
68 15
Trinidad
62 16
Switzerland
51 17
New Zealand
48 18
Sri Lanka
47 19
Denmark
35 20
2000
No.
20,500
USA
5,700
UK
3,600
Canada
1,500
India
1,400
Sweden
1,200
Norway
1,100
Australia
1,000
Germany
Netherlands 1,000
850
South Africa
New Zealand
720
600
Philippines
Switzerland
500
Brazil
500
Indonesia
400
Myanmar
400
380
Finland
200
Denmark
Singapore
150
France
140
Western world
Eu
Order Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
2010
No.
USA
64,084
India
41,064
Korea, S
12,279
UK
8,164
Canada
7,001
Brazil
5,801
Australia
4,167
Germany
3,953
Nigeria
3,351
Philippines
3,188
Myanmar
3,151
South Africa 2,548
New Zealand 1,694
Indonesia
1,573
Finland
1,449
Switzerland
1,404
Netherlands 1,341
Sweden
1,126
Norway
1,045
Nepal
957
Order Country
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
USA
India
Korea, S
China
Nigeria
UK
Canada
Philippines
Australia
Germany
Brazil
Indonesia
South Africa
Switzerland
Netherlands
Ghana
Ukraine
New Zealand
Sweden
Mexico
No.
95,000
82,950
21,500
20,000
6,644
6,405
5,200
4,500
3,756
3,712
3,438
3,000
2,300
2,183
2,000
2,000
1,599
1,200
1,143
1,139
Non-Western World
NA
LA
Pa
Af
As
Muslim majority
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
1960 (WCH)
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
1975 (WCE)
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
1900 (WMC)
Order Country
1 India
2 China
3 S Africa
4 Japan
5 USA
6 Indonesia
7 Cameroon
8 Congo, DR
9 Kenya
10 Nigeria
11 Korea, S
12 Canada
13 Madagascar
14 Turkey
15 Jamaica
16 Hong Kong
17 Palestine
18 Mexico
19 Myanmar
20 Syria
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
1960 (WCH)
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
Western world
Eu
NA
Pa
1975 (WCE)
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
1900 (WMC)
Order Country
1 India
2 China
3 S Africa
4 Japan
5 USA
6 Indonesia
7 Cameroon
8 Congo, DR
9 Kenya
10 Nigeria
11 Korea, S
12 Canada
13 Madagascar
14 Turkey
15 Jamaica
16 Hong Kong
17 Palestine
18 Mexico
19 Myanmar
20 Syria
1960 (WCH)
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
Western world
LA
1975 (WCE)
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
1900 (WMC)
Order Country
1 India
2 China
3 S Africa
4 Japan
5 USA
6 Indonesia
7 Cameroon
8 Congo, DR
9 Kenya
10 Nigeria
11 Korea, S
12 Canada
13 Madagascar
14 Turkey
15 Jamaica
16 Hong Kong
17 Palestine
18 Mexico
19 Myanmar
20 Syria
Western world
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
1960 (WCH)
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
1975 (WCE)
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
1900 (WMC)
Order Country
1 India
2 China
3 S Africa
4 Japan
5 USA
6 Indonesia
7 Cameroon
8 Congo, DR
9 Kenya
10 Nigeria
11 Korea, S
12 Canada
13 Madagascar
14 Turkey
15 Jamaica
16 Hong Kong
17 Palestine
18 Mexico
19 Myanmar
20 Syria
Western world
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
1960 (WCH)
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
1975 (WCE)
As
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
1960 (WCH)
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
Western world
Eu
1975 (WCE)
NA
LA
Pa
Af
As
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
1960 (WCH)
No. Order
3,600 1
3,500 2
1,200 3
700 4
400 5
350 6
300 7
300 8
300 9
300 10
290 11
250 12
250 13
250 14
220 15
200 16
200 17
200 18
200 19
200 20
Country
India
S Africa
Japan
Nigeria
Congo, DR
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Brazil
Philippines
Ethiopia
Indonesia
Kenya
Pakistan
Malaysia
Thailand
Papua N G
Peru
Argentina
Jamaica
Colombia
Western world
Eu
1975 (WCE)
NA
LA
Pa
Af
2000 (OW)
No.
42,023
20,219
6,966
5,051
4,179
3,683
3,534
3,416
3,263
3,114
2,965
2,870
2,695
2,584
2,556
2,377
2,344
2,283
2,043
1,746
Islam
Buddhism
184
Pa
672
NA
LA
539
620
Af
As
Eu
601
564
Distribution by continent
Agencies Covered
in Operation World 2000
Operation World 2000 database listing of
3,180 national mission-sending entities
184
Pa
672
NA
LA
539
620
Af
As
Eu
601
564
Distribution by Continent
109 Mission
agencies
with a total
of 1,647
national
bases
Many
smaller
agencies,
often with
workers from
a single
nation with
1,533
national
bases
Aid
Training
Support
Media
Church planting
General
Evangelism
2000
2010
The 22 Largest
Mission Agencies - 2010
Mission Name in 2010
Campus Crusade for Christ Int
Gospel for Asia
Operation Mobilisation
International Mission Board (SBC)
Wycliffe Bible Translators
Youth With A Mission
New Tribes Mission
Assemblies of God
Gospel Echoing Missionary Society
Vishwa Vani
Indian Evangelical Team
Global Mission SocietyPresby Ch
Synod Mission Board
WEC International
SIM International
OMF International
Pioneers
Presbyterian Church (Tonghap)
Assoc. of Baptists for World Evang.
Great Commission Movement Trust
Native Missionary Movement India
Interserv
Workers Origins
9,913
9,550
6,332
5,512
5,021
5,000
2,467
2,355
2,205
2,123
2,093
1,991
1,826
1,819
1,600
1,557
1,166
1,144
1,053
1,045
1,012
1,006
USA/Int.
India
UK/USA/Int.
USA
USA/Int.
USA/Int.
USA/Int.
USA
India
India
India
Korea
India
UK/Int.
USA
UK/Int.
Int.
Korea
USA
India
India
UK/Int.
Nationalities
118
11
79
6
35
132
32
58
1
1
2
3
1
53
26
23
27
1
3
1
1
14
Fields 2010
128
9
87
100
50
154
26
153
4
11
3
100
1
80
51
22
70
83
61
1
1
22
Chapter 8
Christian Missions
and the Future