Islam and Christianity are the two largest world religions, and if you look at population growth predictions for the next 20-30 years then you’ll see most sources predict Islam will slightly outgrow Christianity by 2050.
Let’s look at the numbers and see if this is true.
Will Islam overtake Christianity?
Pew Research Center puts it plainly:
“Indeed, Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2015 and 2060 and, in the second half of this century, will likely surpass Christians as the world’s largest religious group.”
They predict there will be 3 billion Muslims by 2060, which will be the first time the Muslim population is numerically equal to or even more than the Christian population.
Through their high birth rates (70% instead of the average 32%), the Muslim population grows much faster than any other population on earth. This is how experts claim Islam will overtake Christianity, but why is this only based on birth rates?
Islam expands this quickly through families and birthing more Muslims– it is required for every Muslim to make more Muslims through marriage. This is called expanding the ummah of Islam, and one of the reasons family is so important in Islam.
Incorrect statistics on the worldwide Christian population
The latest count for total Christians in the world is 2.4 billion (source), but is this accurate? Is the prediction for only reaching 3 billion by 2060 correct?The truth is, there are more Christians in the world today than these statistics show, because many Christians are forced to live their faith out in secret. For example, Muslim-background believers are still registered as Muslims in their country and counted as a member of the worldwide Islamic population even though they are, in fact, Christians. The same applies to followers of Jesus in China, India, and many African countries.
So, will Christianity be overtaken by Islam?
The true Church that Christ is building will never be defeated by Islam. Maybe in the statistical reports we see, it will look like the church is losing ground, but it is impossible to keep record of every underground revival and secret church growth in China, India, Africa, and all the Muslim world.
Jesus told us no one would conquer His church:“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18 ESV
Considering Jesus said, “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it,” in Matthew 7:14, we can reason that only a small percentage of the world population will find Jesus, and not everyone who falls under the Christian statistics is a true Christ follower.
So how do we know if Christianity will be overtaken by Islam? We know in numbers, Islam might grow slightly larger, but we also know that the Church that Christ is building will not be defeated by anything on this earth. We also know that thousands of Muslims continue to leave Islam and become part of God’s family, and that is good news!
What should Christians do in response to Islam’s growing population?
We’ve established that Islam will not defeat or overtake true Christianity, but that doesn’t mean it’s not growing at unprecedented speed because of Muslim birth rates. This means millions of people are going to be born into Islam, a religion based in fear. They will be told Allah will never forgive them for questioning their faith.
This is where we Christ-followers can help. Equip yourself with the truth about the religion of Islam and learn practical tools to share the gospel with Muslims so they can be freed from Islam’s lies. Subscribe to Call of Love Blog to get resources on all things evangelism and Islam every week. Here are some key blogs to get you started:
To take your evangelism confidence one step further, check out this guide written exactly for Christians like you.The Guide to Loving your Muslim Neighbor
This is a must have for anyone who wants to start a conversation with their Muslim neighbor or co-worker and how to share the love of Christ in a simple way. Author Samya Johnson provides icebreakers, thought provoking questions, differences between God and Allah, Jesus and Muhammad, marriage and family, the Bible's reliability, Jesus' life and crucifixion and more.
Do not hesitate when you get an opportunity to share the gospel with your Muslim friends and neighbors! You might be the first person who has ever told them about Christ’s love for them, and you do not know what God will do with that seed you're planting.
Prayer for Muslims to know Christ
Dear Lord, thank you for blessing your Church. I pray for all the babies being born into Muslims families. As they grow, lead them to You! Please give me the opportunity to share your love with my Muslim friends, so they may experience Your love and freedom. Amen.
