Statistics are strange things.  They tell us a lot about things that are happening around us.   Often they can be abused.   As someone once said, "76.54 percent of statistics are made up on the spot".   However, even if we were to divide all of the statistics by half, they are startiling.   Here are some we should consider.

WORLD STATISTICS

• The world increases by:

                        133  people every minute

                     8,000  people every hour

                 190,000 every day

            72,000,000 every year

• 3/4 are not Christians

• 1/2 have never heard about Jesus Christ

• 1/4 are undernourished

• 1 in 12 is dying of starvation

• Due to starvation:    

                          19 die every minute

                     1,140 die every hour

                   28,000 die every day

            10,220,000 die every year

• In comparison:

                     55,000 died in Viet Nam = 2 days

                  292,000 died in WWII  = 10 days

• U.S. spends 17% of disposable income on food and India spends 67%.

• U.S. annual income is $10,000 = $1,700.  India annual income is $240 = $134.

Here are some more:

- Approximately 2 billion non-Christians are beyond the reach of the existing church
- Over 5,000 languages still lack Scripture translation
- 41% of the world's people have become urban dwellers
- 780 million people live in absolute poverty
- 2.2 billion individuals live under restrictions of their religious freedom
- For the first time in 1200 years, non-whites form a majority of the world's Christians.