The world is highly diverse religiously and otherwise, particularly with the ever-increasing trends of globalization and cultural mixing. But even with the spread of traditions and beliefs around the globe, four of the world's major religious groups exist by a majority in just one or two countries.

1. Unaffiliated

The religiously unaffiliated comprise more than 16 percent of the globe's population, according to a 2012 Pew report -- which makes them the third largest religious group in the world. A full 62 percent of the world's religiously unaffiliated reside in China, which makes sense for a country that has long had a fraught relationship with faith.

2. Hinduism

Hinduism is the fourth largest religious category in the world, and it is also the most concentrated religion. Ninety-four percent of all Hindus live in India, the country where it originated.

As a grade-schooler in Miami, the only other Hispanic in my class had the jealousy-inducing, grandiose name of Evaristo Monteiro (yes, it’s a cognate for Mount Everest). But this year, for the first time ever, white students are not the majority in U.S. public schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, minority students, when added together, make up a new majority in K-12 schools. The shift is largely fueled by growth in the number of Hispanic children. Since 93 percent of America’s students—including students with a tradition of faith—are enrolled in public schools, the educational success or failure of these schools directly impacts America’s churches. As our sisters’ and brothers’ keepers, we should care deeply that all this year’s kindergarteners, the future class of 2027, will graduate with a solid educational foundation. If we expect the next generation of church leaders to be literate, and biblically literate, then we should unwaveringly support student success in our public schools.

And yet, as this new school year begins, I hear some American evangelicals calling for parents to pull their children out of public schools. I understand our valid, visceral emotions regarding secularism and education in America. And while I honor the right of every parent to prayerfully consider how their children will be educated—we homeschooled all our kids at one point or another—I wonder how many of these fellow believers realize that homeschooling and private schools are simply not an option for many families, including most poor and minority families. Instead of leaving our local public schools, now is the time for Christians to invest more in student success. We have an opportunity to love our neighbors, and their children, in a very practical way. We can pursue biblical justice for all students by advocating for educational equity and high standards regardless of a family’s zip code, ethnicity, or income. A friend of mine started a local tutoring group for elementary students struggling with reading. The principal was thrilled to have the help, and she even approved the Bible as one of our texts—so long as it was just one of a number of choices.

I had a chance to interview one of the nation’s leading evangelical Christians, Dr. Ed Stetzer, and his daughter Jaclyn, a powerful duo advocating for animal welfare. The discussion is part of our larger Faith Outreach program at The HSUS, which seeks to engage religious leaders and scholars and to remind people of faith that their own traditions condemn cruelty and uphold mercy and kindness toward all creatures.

Dr. Stetzer is Executive Director of LifeWay Research, an organization that advises church leaders on church health and effectiveness, and the lead pastor of Grace Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He has planted, revitalized and pastored churches, and trained pastors and church planters on six continents. Dr. Stetzer holds two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. "He is one of the leading thinkers on the earth in the areas of evangelism, church planting, and movements," according to one Christian publication. He is contributing editor forChristianity Today, and is frequently cited or interviewed in national news outlets such as USA Today and CNN. He is also executive editor of The Gospel Project, a Bible study curriculum used by over 400,000 individuals each week.

It’s been particularly exciting for me to see the response to our message of concern for animals within the evangelical Christian community, and I so enjoyed my conversation with Dr. Stetzer and Jaclyn who, among other things, is a passionate equestrian.

WP: I understand that a passion for animals is a family affair in the Stetzer household. How did the topic first come up as a family discussion item?

Jaclyn: The topic first came up as a family discussion item about a year ago before church. When we were driving to McDonald’s, I remembered watching Eating Mercifully the day before, and I asked my parents if we could change our eating habits.

Ed: Yes, we continued the talk over dinner conversations—and, talking about animal welfare over dinner seems odd but actually makes a lot of sense. It helps us connect our lives—even our eating—to bigger issues. Jaclyn would be the one who has been most vocal, but it has impacted all of us.