The Editor, Sir:

Although Christianity as a whole has barely kept pace with world population growth over the last century, evangelicalism is far and away the fastest growing major religious movement in the world today, says Jason Mandryk, co-author of the mission prayer guide Operation World. At the Lausanne Young Leaders Gathering, held last month in Malaysia, he presented his 'State of the Gospel'.

Evangelicalism is growing at twice the pace of Islam, and three times as fast as the overall world population. Most significant growth is happening in the global South. Countries such as Brazil, China, Bangladesh, and Nigeria have exploding Christian populations. According to Mandryk, the Mongolian church is now the most efficient missions force, sending one missionary for every 222 Christians.

Mandryk explained that many of the burgeoning churches in the global South are now eagerly sending out their own missionaries, often as tentmakers. Christians from China to Nigeria increasingly have their sights on spreading the gospel all the way "back to Jerusalem," effectively closing the gaps of the 10/40 Window. "If I was an unbeliever in Jerusalem right now," Mandryck said, "I would be very nervous."

We are, etc.,

LLOYD & ELAINE COOKE

lcookemia@cwjamaica.com