More people go to church on Sunday in China than in the whole of Europe. BBC
China On Course To Become 'World's Most Christian Nation' Within 15 years -- The Telegraph
The number of Christians in Communist China is growing so steadily that it by 2030 it could have more churchgoers than America
It is said to be China's biggest church and on Easter Sunday thousands of worshippers will flock to this Asian mega-temple to pledge their allegiance – not to the Communist Party, but to the Cross.
The 5,000-capacity Liushi church, which boasts more than twice as many seats as Westminster Abbey and a 206ft crucifix that can be seen for miles around, opened last year with one theologian declaring it a "miracle that such a small town was able to build such a grand church".
The £8 million building is also one of the most visible symbols of Communist China's breakneck conversion as it evolves into one of the largest Christian congregations on earth.
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My Comment: This is one of those stories that is always under-reported by the western media .... but will have a huge impact in the years to come. Regular readers know that I lived in China for one year in the mid-1980s (I was with a group that was sent to develop business and trade), to learn the language (just the basics), and to enjoy the culture (which involved heavy drinking). The business did not fly (we were years ahead of our time), but I still have my friendships and contacts .... and I do make a point of visiting China every two years to visit these friends and contacts (we still drink .... but in moderation). But it was on my first trip that struck me the most on how much China was changing .... and on that trip I was brought to a centuries old church that was converted into a factory .... but on Sundays and on special occasions it was a church. I expected to see only a few old people ... but what I saw was a place that was packed to the rafters with young people, families, and their children. This was (for me) the first sign of real change in China. Tom Phillips' prediction that China will be the "world's most Christina" nation within 15 years is spot on .... which is incredible because such a possibility was considered impossible only 15 years ago.
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As of 2011, it is predicted that the world's Muslim population will grow twice as fast as non-Muslims over the next 20 years. By 2030, Muslims will make up more than a quarter of the global population.[3] Wikipedia****
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