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Pentecostalism has experienced explosive growth for the past half-century. The membership is young and fast-growing. Combined, the Pentecostals (in separate denominations) and [[Charismatic movement|charismatics]] (inside other denominations) add up to very large numbers. The statistics are highly inexact but the combined total is perhaps one Christian in ten, worldwide.
Pentecostalism has experienced explosive growth for the past half-century. The membership is young and fast-growing. Combined, the Pentecostals (in separate denominations) and [[Charismatic movement|charismatics]] (inside other denominations) add up to very large numbers. The statistics are highly inexact but the combined total is perhaps one Christian in ten, worldwide.
In 2011, a Pew Forum study of worldwide Christianity found that there were about 279 million classical Pentecostals, making 4 percent of the total world population and 12.8 percent of global Christendom Pentecostal.<ref name=PewGlobalChristianity67>Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (December 19, 2011,), [http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf ''Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population''], p. 67.</ref>
The American [[sociology|sociologist]] and author [[Peter L. Berger]] introduced the concept of desecularization in 1999.<ref>[http://intl-jcs.oxfordjournals.org/content/52/2/232.full#fn-2 ''Journal of Church and State'', Desecularization: A Conceptual Framework by Vyacheslav Karpov, 2010]</ref><ref>Peter L. Berger, “The Desecularization of the World: A Global Overview,” in The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics, ed. Peter L. Berger (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999)</ref> In contrast to many other forms of Christianity, charasmatic/Pentecostal Christianity is very evangelical. According to Berger, "One can say with some confidence that modern Pentecostalism must be the fastest growing religion in human history."<ref>[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2010/07/29/pentecostalism-protestant-ethic-or-cargo-cult/ Pentecostalism – Protestant Ethic or Cargo Cult?], Peter Berger, July 29, 2010</ref>
Berger recently said that he previously thought that pentecostalism did not have a significant future in Europe, but he recently saw signs that it could see significant growth in Europe.<ref>[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2013/12/18/pentecostalism-invades-lambeth-palace/ Pentecostalism Invades Lambeth Palace] by Peter Berger, December 18, 2013</ref> In addition, pentecostalism often grows fast in areas undergoing economic distress.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/07/rise-of-biblical-creationism-in-mexico.html The rise of biblical creationism in Mexico and its effect on American creationism]</ref><ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/05/economics-and-darwinismatheism.html Economics and Darwinism/atheism]</ref> Post 2007 there are concerns that Western economies which have high sovereign debt loads could see some significant economic turmoil in coming years - especially the European countries with aging populations that have been struggling in terms of economic growth.<ref>
[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/12/social-unrest-in-europe-and-its-effect.html Social unrest in Europe and an altering of its religious landscape]</ref><ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/05/economics-and-darwinismatheism.html Economics and Darwinism/atheism]</ref>
==Theology==
==Theology==
Pentecostalism focuses on the outpouring of the [[Holy Spirit]] on the [[Apostles]] as described in the [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts of the Apostles]] and Pentecostals strive to embrace that same spirituality on a weekly or daily basis.
Pentecostalism focuses on the outpouring of the [[Holy Spirit]] on the [[Apostles]] as described in the [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts of the Apostles]] and Pentecostals strive to embrace that same spirituality on a weekly or daily basis.