wfn.org | Adventist Church President Reacts to Gallup International Survey

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

January 2, 2000
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

"Face the Future with Confidence in God": 
Adventist Church President Reacts to International Survey 

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.         Almost two-thirds of those 
surveyed around the world by top polling organisation "Gallup 
International" (London/U.K.)  say that God is "very important 
in their personal life."  The recently-released Millennium 
Survey was conducted in 60 countries around the world and 
"highlights that the idea of God is very important for the 
respondent's personal life." 

These results are in marked contrast to media perceptions 
that religious belief is on the decline world-wide and that 
"concerns about faith and religion may be somehow shrugged 
off." Eighty-seven percent identified themselves as belonging 
to a religion, with only 13 percent saying they belonged to 
none. 

Ninety-seven percent of respondents in West Africa said that 
God was very important to them, followed by Latin America at 
88 percent and North America with 82 percent. Europe and 
East Asia were at the bottom of the list with 49 percent and 
47 percent respectively. 

"This survey is important because it reveals that at the eve of 
the year 2000 people are still religious beings to whom God 
matters," says Dr. Jan Paulsen, president of the 11 million-
member Seventh-day Adventist Church. "This confirms what 
we believe: religious faith is just as important today than ever. 
We remain committed to sharing our beliefs in the sovereignty 
of God, the Bible as His inspired Word, Jesus as Saviour, and 
the hope of His soon return. We call on all people of good will 
to face the future with confidence in God, knowing that He
holds the future in His compassionate hands."

The Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to be one of the
fastest-growing Christian denominations around the world, 
increasing at 9 - 10 % annually. Regions having high numbers 
of Adventists include Central and South America, the 
Philippines, North America, and Africa.