Everyone has heard the storyline that modern life squeezes religion into irrelevance. Then the numbers show up and the story flips. In this episode we're joined by Dr. Todd M. Johnson, Director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a key voice behind the World Christian Encyclopedia. Over the course of our conversation we walk through what global religious demographics actually reveal about faith in 2026 and beyond.

We talk about why the world keeps getting more religious, how the collapse of communism reopened public space for belief, and why Islam’s growth is driven largely by fertility rates and changing health outcomes. We also consider the real effects of secularization in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, along with an underappreciated dynamic: non-religious populations tend to have fewer children, which changes long-term projections. Add in migration, and many countries are becoming more religiously diverse, not less, with newcomers often practicing faith more intensely as a way of holding identity together.

We also highlight the often-overlooked role of women in everyday Christian life, plus practical ideas for pastors who want worship, stories and prayer to reflect the whole body of Christ, and the picture and promise of Revelation 7:9. If you'd like to learn more from Dr. Todd M. Johnson and the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, you can go to their website or purchase his books online.

And please don't forget to share this episode and join the conversation on YouTube!

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Ep. 73 / Surprising Trends: The World Is Getting More Religious with Todd Johnson