In recent decades, Christianity has experienced two major phenomena as a religion: its decline in the global North (Europe and North America) and its rise in the global South (Africa, Asia, and South America). The Seventh-day Adventist Church as a denomination has experienced similar trends. The global South has become the home to the majority of Adventists in the world and the global North is now home to only a minority. Studies show that this southward movement in Christian and Adventist demographics may continue for several decades. Studies also indicate a steady growth of other world religions on the continent of Africa, including Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. This development poses several challenges to Christianity in general and Adventism in particular, especially the challenge of how to cope with the influx of new converts, most of whom are young, poor, orphaned, uneducated, and unemployed. The conclusion of this study suggests that there is need for fresh thinking and better strategizing in order to respond responsibly to the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the global South phenomenon and its side effects.
