How do we receive people broken by difficult life circumstances or those from non-Christian faiths or pagan backgrounds in the church? Are we suspicious or reject those who only recently became believers or are different?
Many Christians have testimonies that include addiction, abuse, and broken family situations that helped lead them to Christ. How can pastors help to train new believers to be followers of Christ? Who will disciple these new believers and converts? 90% of pastors worldwide do not have the training or preparation to meet this great challenge. ITEE Global is working to train existing and new pastors to meet this great challenge of the church’s growth by delivering quality course materials and training in each of the major languages to help meet this great need for trained pastors. For example, iTEE Global trains pastors through their Christian Life Course on the fundamentals of the Christian faith to help them and others grow in their faith.
Christianity Growth
Over 8 billion people live in the world today. 85% of them identify with a particular religion. The most popular religion is Christianity. Islam, which more than 1.91 billion people practice, is second, according to World Population Review. They estimate that there are about 4,000 to 4,300 religions around the world. This number may not be accurate and does not consider the many sub-religions, separations, and denominations within a religion. Nonetheless, the majority of people around the world still value a religious system that helps them to be influenced in their ethical and moral beliefs. For many, religion is a source of comfort, of belonging to a group, of understanding how to behave on earth, and what to expect once one dies.
According to Lifeway Research, Christianity is not just growing, but it’s growing faster than the rate of population. The number of Christians worldwide is expected to climb from more than 2.52 billion to 2.63 billion, a 1.08% growth. The Christian population is projected to top 3 billion before 2050. This growth is a testament to the positive impact of Christianity, as many people are choosing to leave other religions to become Christians. The growth of Christianity comes with challenges; new converts are from all walks of life, and different religions and congregations have to adjust to welcome new Christians. iTEE Global is preparing to meet the challenges of church growth by training pastors while emphasizing the multiplication of disciples to meet the overwhelming need of training second-, third-, and fourth-generation pastoral leaders. If you are interested in helping, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Human Resources Department.
