Protestants Project Rapid Growth in Peru

Peruvian Protestants hope to represent one-fourth of the nation’s population by the year 2003–almost tripling in number in the next eight years.

This goal, included in a document drafted by church leaders at the recent Peru for Christ congress in Lima, sounds ambitious but not far-fetched considering rapid evangelical growth in the South American nation.

“The evangelical church in Peru is growing at a rate of 17 percent per year, one of the fastest growth rates anywhere in the world,” says Harold Rivas, general director of the National Evangelical Council of Peru (CONEP), a group representing nearly all Peru’s Protestant denominations. Protestants now constitute 9.3 percent of the 24 million people.

According to Rivas, the increase is the result of prayers and increased unity within the evangelical church. Suffering from years of terrorist-related violence and extreme poverty also has made people more receptive, he says.

More than 1,200 church leaders from every part of Peru (roughly the size of Alaska) and most Protestant groups attended the four-day Peru for Christ congress that ended November 3. Financial assistance from the Colorado Springs-based dawn (Discipling a Whole Nation) Ministries helped cover travel costs for pastors from impoverished regions in the interior.

“We aren’t trying to convert Peru into a Protestant country,” Rivas says in regard to the goal. “Just because someone is Protestant doesn’t mean he’s a committed Christian.

“Our task is bringing about holistic growth in which the Christian is committed not only to his church, but also to making a difference in his society and country.”

Copyright © 1996 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Our Latest

New Archbishop of Canterbury Steps into Anglican Divides

Conservatives call on Sarah Mullally, the first woman at the spiritual helm of the Church of England, to uphold biblical faith amid same-sex blessings debate.

News

FDA Approves Generic Abortion Pill

Students for Life leader calls the move “a stain on the Trump presidency.”

You Haven’t Heard Worship Music like This

John Van Deusen’s praise is hard-won and occasionally wordless.

The Russell Moore Show

BONUS: Lecrae on Reconstruction after Disillusionment

 Lecrae joins Russell Moore to take questions from Christianity Today subscribers

News

John Cornyn’s MAGA-land Challenge

The incumbent senator is up against his strongest challenge yet in populist-right leader Ken Paxton.

Fighting Korea’s Loneliness Epidemic with Cafés and Convenience Stores

Seoul recently introduced free public services to tackle social isolation. Christians have been doing that for years.

Excerpt

‘Don’t Take It If You Don’t Need It’

The Trump administration releases new recommendations for Tylenol use during pregnancy.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube