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Purpose of the Church Guided Research Project

Instructions and resources for completing the country project for Introduction to the Purpose of the Church.

Religion in Your Country

As Christians, we are very concerned with the state of people’s salvation in your country. We need to be aware of the religious beliefs and practices and the least evangelized people.  For each section, the same information for the United States is included for comparison purposes.

 

NOTE:  If you cannot find the specified information on your country, select a neighboring country in the same geographical area. 

Using the chart linked below and your choice of the resources listed at the right or Operation World, compile the percentage of the population for each major religion in your country.  Please include the information source used.

Write at least one paragraph (minimum 4 sentences) describing the religious beliefs of one major non-Christian religion in your country or the general religious beliefs or attitudes.

In the chart linked below, compile percentages of various Christian groups such as Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical, or Pentecostal in your country. This may be found in multiple resources. 

Find the % of the population and number of Great Commission Christians (GCC).  This can be found in the World Christian Encyclopedia in Country Table 1.

What are the populations for World A, B, and C in your country? Include the number of people groups, the total populataion for the people groups in each world, and the % that are unevangelized.  This information may be found in the World Christian Encyclopedia in the white Country Summary: Worlds A, B, C box. 

 

Complete one group of questions using one of the following  Section 1. Least Reached People Groups  or  Section 2. Bible Translation Status.

1.  Least Reached People Groups

Use the Joshua Project to locate a list of your country’s people groups. 

In Joshua Project, use the search function to find your country.  Print out the list of your country’s people groups and include the print-out in your project. Hint:  There is a option to download data as a spreadsheet at the bottom of the page. 

Click on the heading Progress Scale to sort the list of people groups according to evangelism progress. 

Select three of the least reached people groups or people groups with a progress scale rating of red.  This indicates the people group is considered unreached with with less than 5% professing Christians and less than 2% evangelical.   

For further help in selecting the neediest people groups, sort by % of Christians or % of Evangelicals.

In the chart linked below, answer the following questions:

  • What language is spoken by the people group?
  • What is the percentage of Christian adherents?
  • What is the status of Bible translation (Bible, NT, portions, none) for each language? 

NOTE:  Click on the people group name to view the People Group in Country Profile. Scroll down and click on Resources to find Bible Translation Status.

 2.  Bible Translation Status

Use the Ethnologue, Joshua Project, or the World Christian Encyclopedia (R 266.03  B274 2001, vol. 2)  to answer the following questions in the chart linked below:

  • What is the total number of languages in your country?
  • Select and include in your chart five languages spoken in your country? (NOTE:  If there are less than 5 languages, use what is available.)
  • How many people speak each selected language?
  • What is the status of Bible translation (Bible, NT, portions, none) for each selected language? 

NOTES:

  • When using Ethnologue, select the Country Index and then the continent where your country is located.  You will need to click on More Information in the information on the specific language and then look for Language Development to locate the translation status. 
  • When using Joshua Project, click on the heading Language to sort the list of people groups by language or click on the heading Population to sort by population size.  The people group profile will state the translation status and also contains a link to Ethnologue.
  • When using the World Christian Encyclopedia, use the Ethnosphere located in Volume 2.  The Ethnosphere lists all of the people groups for each country.  Follow the row across to locate the answers to the questions.