Top 6 Religions Around The World By Number Of Followers

What are the top six religions around the world today by number of followers?

Christianity (Protestantism)

Christianity is still the top religion and top choice of the world today but due to severe persecution and murder, more Christians may be out there than can be reported because they may be worshiping in secret. This means that there could actually be more than the reported 2.2 billion Christians in the world. Most Christian’s typically do not evangelize (only about 1 in 10) on a consistent basis; however a couple of cults in the U.S. have churches that require evangelism as part of their works. Possibly as a result of that, these two “churches” are rapidly propagating across the globe. As far as Christianity is concerned, Christians (should) seek to make Christ known as their only hope of salvation (Acts 4:12) by means of repentance and faith (Mark 1:15).

Islam

The world’s second largest religion is Islam, claiming somewhere between 1.2 to 1.6 billion followers. Islam is growing more rapidly than any of the other religions and that may be due to their migrating into various nations of the world. They have a higher birthrate and seek to fill the world and then convert the world to the Islamic faith, from within the nation. The purpose of those in the Islamic faith is to do sufficient works that are acceptable to Allah so that they might enter Paradise. Islam means “submission to God” and they seek to submit to Allah at all times and seek to have all nations do the same.

Catholicism

By numbers, Catholicism is the third largest religion in the world having 1.14 billion adherents. They believe in much of the same things as the Protestants do like the virgin birth of Jesus, His sinless-ness, His divinity and nearly all of the essentials of the faith. There are differences of opinion with the Protestants and Catholics as to salvation and the role of works.

Hinduism

The Hindu followers total about one billion but are restricted more to South Asia, Nepal and the Indian subcontinent. Most of the links that these families have in this region are shared concepts, rituals, and worship. Besides Buddhism, this religion dominates the region like few other religions do. Hinduism commands the eternal duties of the Buddhist; honesty, not injuring other creatures, showing self-restraint, compassion, and forbearance.

Taoism – Chinese Folk Religion

This religion is the fifth most popular religion in the world having about one billion or so followers. Taoism is not the same thing as Chinese folk religion because that category contains thousands of different religious beliefs but Taoism is considered to be one of the thousands of Chinese folk religion. Taoism is based upon Tao, meaning “the path” or “the way” and living in peace and harmony with the way or path (Tao).

Buddhism

This is the sixth most popular religion in the world by numbers as there are less than half a billion followers and most reside in India or the Indian subcontinent. Their ultimate goal is to end suffering, achieve nirvana, and escape a cycle of suffering and rebirth. This goal was brought about by Buddhism’s found, Buddha who lived somewhere between the 4th and the 6th century BC.

Conclusion

Christianity is not about religion…it is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. God does not want any more religious people; He wants disciples after Jesus’ own heart. These must be people who have repented and trusted in Christ because no matter what you believe, the Bible says “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus declared “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He is not a way, a path, or a life but the one and only way; the one and only truth; and the one and only life. There is no other path to God unless it would be on the one that is the most dreadful of all paths (Rev 20:12-15).

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.