The future of faith: Reaching a new generation around the world
What comes to mind when you think of the typical human being? Whose face do you imagine? What language do they speak? How old are they?
To accurately picture the “average” human being in terms of the global population, it’s essential to consider population sizes around the globe. Easily, the two most populous countries in the world are India (with a population of around 1.45 billion) and China (around 1.42 billion). These countries far outpace the United States, which comes in third place with around 345 million. While the most commonly spoken language around the world is unsurprisingly English, the language with the most native speakers is Mandarin, which is almost double those of the second-highest natively spoken language, Spanish.
Massive economic surges have contributed to China and India becoming the giants they are today. Now experts predict another surge: Africa. Although Africa made up just one-tenth of the world’s population in 1950, it is expected to make up one-quarter by 2025, with one-third of its people between the ages of 15 and 24.
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While birthrates plummet to historic lows elsewhere, bringing the challenges of aging and shrinking societies, Africa is expected to nearly double its population of 1.22 billion in the next 25 years. The median age of the entire continent is just 19, decades younger than the median ages in Italy (47), Germany (48), Japan (48) and Monaco (55), and much younger than even those of India (28) and China (38).
If projections bear out, the implications will be major and far-reaching. Africa is the world’s most rapidly urbanizing continent, with tens of millions of new consumers each year, most with cell phones and the economic flexibility they provide. Meanwhile, as the United States has proven, Africa’s skyrocketing cultural influence might be just as consequential as its increasing economic and political power. For example, West African “afrobeats” songs were streamed more than 14 billion times on Spotify in 2023, with London and Paris among the top five cities listening.
Alongside this sociopolitical growth, Africa is at the forefront of a global religious shift. According to recent research, the largest Anglican community in the world by population is in Nigeria, with “more Anglicans in church on Sunday morning in Nigeria than in all the British Isles and North America combined.”[1] Looking far beyond just Anglicanism, Gina Zurlo, an American researcher into global Christianity, reports that two-thirds of all Christians live in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania, a group that, combined, made up only 18% of the world’s Christians in 1900.[2]
Influential and traditionally Christian nations (sometimes referred to as the “global North”) cannot ignore this transformation. Approaching the future with wisdom and integrity means acknowledging the Church’s movement southward and the corresponding future of young believers. Christians should take note when Zurlo says that the typical Christian today is a young, non-white woman in the global South.[3]
This also means accepting the southward movement of the global population in general, especially given the youth of the global South. Effective communication with the burgeoning Southern demographic will be crucial for Christianity, a religion with evangelism at its core. Effective evangelistic content must be presented in new ways that appeal to the collective personality of growing populations like Africa.
Every region is complex, and Africa’s immensity, history, and diversity make it especially so. Sadly, while endowed with diverse natural resources, the continent’s industrialization has not followed its population growth. While Africa makes up 18% of the global population, it only makes up 3% of trade. Access to education and the internet outpaces access to jobs. One-third of South Africa is unemployed, with youth unemployment at 45%.
Predictably, tensions are rising between young populations and their leaders. These ongoing struggles produce unrest, often expressed through protesting, violence and asylum-seeking. The Sahel region of Africa leads the world in two things: birthrates and extreme violence. Countless teenagers join militant groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, and according to a United Nations study, the primary reason many join is simply for employment. In groups like “Anger Without Limits,” disillusioned youths engage in street battles and support populist military coups.
The result? Millions of young people worldwide are desperate for change, discouraged by their options and eager for a cause. What they desperately need is peace, hope, and salvation. It is up to Christians to enter this space; offering the good news and hope they carry in ways that speak to these diverse and growing cultures.
An immense opportunity lies in the upcoming animated JESUS film, which is currently in production by the same ministry that released the 1979 film, JESUS. Effectively releasing this new film will mean presenting the story of Jesus in over 2,000 native languages, as they have done with the original film, and in a format that appeals to these blossoming young populations.
This new film, produced by industry-leading animators, will enable even more people to experience the Gospel story in a way that will be relevant for ages to come. Like the original film, its storyline comes directly from the New Testament Gospels. Whether in the established global North or the emerging global South, this animated film will present the story of Jesus to new generations in their native tongues.
The opportunities for impact have never been greater. The question is: What will the global church offer to Africa and other exploding populations of young people? Jesus Film Project, with a history of delivering the Christian story faithfully and powerfully to a global audience, is up to the challenge, and this animated film might be the perfect medium for young audiences desperate for a better story.
David Wataba, Africa Regional Strategy Leader, Jesus Film Project?
