[Modernman]

According to this website, as of 1995, there were about a billion Catholics and only about 100 million Pentecostals.

http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html

[Quix]

Hmmmm I was getting my stats from the same site. Perhaps I misread them. But every year the rate of increase is greater. And, I wonder, how many Central American and South American Roman's are still counted by the church though they have left the Roman church and become Pentecostal?

[Quix]

Part of the problem is data collection.

Many Christians of other denominations are Charismatic/Pentecostal in beliefs and practices.

And, evidently millions of Romans in South America are still counted by the Roman church though the individuals have, in fact, began to wholesale worship and associate with Charismatic/Pentecostal groups--while in varying degrees and stages of leaving the Roman church finally and totally.

But as I understand it, the rate of growth is sooooooo rapid in several South American countries, that at least the probability of Charismatics, Pentecostals numbering as the largest Christian group statistically is NOT that far fetched nor that far off. This is all the more true counting those of their persuasion in China.

Demonstrating that statistically is something I have yet to manage to do and I'm not sure it's possible with the current data collection. I haven't found Barna's research again yet, which speaks in such terms. Will try to get back to you with it when I do. It's not a raging priority for me to track down.