For the fifth consecutive year, more than 1 million people have joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide, according to this year's church statistical report.

Church leaders said for the year ending June 30, on average about 2,800 people joined the church each day, bringing the world membership total to 15,780,719.

There is now 1 Adventist for every 425 people on the planet. In 1980, the ratio was 1 to 1,268.

This year's report reflects a membership audit of the church's South America region, which resulted in a more than 300,000-member decline.

"While previous audits in other divisions were also intense, the more accurate membership totals suggest a positive look toward the future," said Bert Haloviak, director of the world church's department of Archives and Statistics.

Reporting a "realistic membership" can prepare a region to grow, church officials said.

Between 2003 and 2005, the church in Southern Asia-Pacific lost 400,000 members from membership audits, Haloviak said. But that region now has the second highest regional growth rate of 6.6 percent -- the highest growth rate since the region organized in 1997
said world church executive secretary Matthew Bediako.

Great chart at : http://news.adventist.org/data/2008/1223926120/index.html.en?&template=printer.html

Thanks Joe.

I was hoping though that they would indicate how North America is doing. I would have liked to seen the stats compared a little more. No stats for North America.

BTW ... You have a very popular name for these here times. I hold it in high esteem anyway.