The Student Evangelism Index statistically rates the need for evangelism among college students in 158 countries. It is a one of kind study that was created in 1987 to focus the prayer of Christians on the most unevangelized areas of the college world.
The Student Evangelism Index statistically rates the need for evangelism among college students in 158 countries. It is a one of kind study that was created in 1987 to focus the prayer of Christians on the most unevangelized areas of the college world.
As a priority list of countries, the Index also helps people think strategically about evangelism worldwide. It gives input as to how several scales can be used to pinpoint areas of the world where the need is greatest for student evangelism.
A priority list of countries such as this is not meant to usurp the direction of the Holy Spirit but rather to aid people as they prayerfully consider what God would have them do in fulfilling the Great Commission among students worldwide. The Student Evangelism Index was commissioned by Campus Crusade for Christ in 1987. It has not been updated since then. This article contains text from the original report.
How was the Index created?
The index was created from ten overall scales that were chosen to measure the extent of a country’s evangelization of students. Each of the 10 measures of student evangelism was ranked from 1 to 10–the most needy being 10. For example, India received a ranking of 10 in the post-secondary institutions scale because it has more than 5,000 colleges and universities. The 10 measures were added together to obtain The Student Evangelism Index. Those countries with a high number of students, a low degree of evangelization, few churches per million, a high degree of human-suffering, etc., scored high on the Index–in the 1980’s.
Each individual country total was then compiled by adding 10 measures of student evangelism related to these 10 scales: 1) the number of college students, 2) the percent of young adults in college, 3)the number of postsecondary institutions, 4) the presence of a national Christian student movement, 5) the degree of evangelization, 6) the Churches per million population, 7) the percentage of evangelical Christians, 8) the population per-missionary, 9) the degree of human suffering, and 10) the state of religious freedom and accessibility.
Each of the 10 scales of student evangelism are ranked from 1 to 10–with 10 being the most needy. For example, Russia received a ranking of 10 in the post-secondary institutions scale because it has more than 5,000 colleges and universities. The 10 scales were added together to obtain The Student Evangelism Index. Those countries with a high number of students, a low degree of evangelization, few churches per million, and a high degree of human suffering scored high on the Index– in the ’80s or fourth quartile.
A good illustration of how a country index number was derived can be found by looking the chart of India below. India ranks high on the number of students and colleges, indicating the presence of a significant student population. In addition, it scores eight or above on its Church, Evangelicals, and Missionaries scale, indicating the relative lack of Christian resources for evangelism. Compared to the top Index score of 83, India scored 69 on the Index, putting it in a quadrant of countries which have an extreme need for evangelism among students.
INDIA
Students 10
Enrollment 6
Colleges 10
Stud Ministry 2
Evangelization 5
Churches 8
Christians 8
Missionaries 9
Suffering 7
Accessibility 4
Index Total 69
What does the Index reveal?
In terms of continents, the need for student evangelism is greatest in the Middle East (66), followed by East Asia (51), Central Asia & Pacific 48), Europe (47). Comparatively, the need for student evangelism is least in North America (30), Latin America (37), and Africa (41), in that order.
When the focus is put on countries, the need for student evangelism is greatest in North Korea, followed by Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. Comparatively, the need for student evangelism is least in Bahamas, Bermuda, Belize and Grenada, in that order. Countries rated in The Student Evangelism Index were grouped in the following quadrants:
Extreme Need: The 28 countries which scored 66 or higher on The Student Evangelism Index. These countries can be considered unevangelized. They represent 32% of the college student population worldwide or 17 million students. Of these countries, 14 are in the Middle East, 7 in Asia, 3 in Europe, 2 in Africa,and 1 in Latin America: none in the Pacific, or North America.
High Need: The 42 countries which scored between 49 and 65 on The Student Evangelism Index. These countries can be considered slightly evangelized. They represent 28% of the college student population worldwide or 15 million people. Of these countries,10 are in the Middle East, 10 in Asia, 8 in Europe, 8 in Africa,and 7 in Latin America: none in the Pacific, or North America.
Moderate Need: The 59 countries which scored between 31 and 48 on The Student Evangelism Index. These countries can be considered–generally evangelized. They represent 39% of the college student-population worldwide or 21 million students. Of these countries,21 are in Africa, 15 in Europe, 15 in Latin America, 4 in Asia, 2 in the Pacific, and 2 in North America, none in the Middle East.
Minimal Need: The 32 countries which scored between 25 or lower on The Student Evangelism Index. These countries can be considered highly evangelized. They represent less than 1% of the college student population worldwide or 294,000 students. Of these countries, 10 are in Africa, 10 in Latin America, 5 in the Pacific, 3 in Europe, 1 in Asia, and none in the Middle East or in North America.
Student Evangelism Index, 1987
Country Rank & Index Score (excerpt)
Turkey 83
USSR 73
China 72
India 69
Philippines 50
West Germany 40
Canada 39
United States 36
United Kingdom 36
Sources of the Ten Scales
The following ten scales were used to create The Student Evangelism Index. Below each scale a rationale is given for how it was ranked to assess a country’s need for evangelism among college students.
1. Number of College Students
This scale ranks the number of students enrolled in college. Countries having a larger number of college students were ranked higher on the index, indicating a greater need for evangelism. Source: U.N.E.S.C.O. Statistical Yearbook, 1986.
2. College Enrollment per 100,000 Population
This scale reveals the proportion of college students to every 100,000 of a country’s general population. For the purposes of this study, a country with a greater percentage of population in college would represent a greater need for the Church to deliberately organize campus evangelistic outreaches. Source: U.N.E.S.C.O. Statistical Yearbook, 1986.
3. Number of Postsecondary Institutions
This scale deals with the total number of universities, colleges, professional schools, and equivalent post-secondary institutions in a country. Countries having a greater total of institutions were ranked higher on the index, indicating a greater need for campus ministry institutions. Source: World List of Universities, 16th ed., N.Y.: Stockton Press, 1985.
4. National Christian Student Movement
This scale attempts to measure the strength of the campus ministry within a country. It assumes that student evangelism is stronger in countries where an evangelical national movement has been organized. The presence of a national Christian Student Movement would indicate that student leaders from different colleges are in contact with each other and the work of campus staff is being coordinated countrywide. Therefore, countries which have just recently organized a national Christian Student movement or lack one would rank higher on the index. Source: International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI, 53707.
5. Degree of Evangelization
This scale attempts to measure the degree of access that individuals have to Christ, Christianity or the Gospel within a given country. It is based on a measurement of more than 200 variables which effect the status of evangelization in a country. Countries with less evangelistic activity have been placed higher on the index. Source: David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1982.
6. Churches per million
It was thought that countries with fewer churches per million of population have less evangelistic resources with which to target college students. Therefore, countries with less churches per million population should rank higher on an index, indicating a greater need for student evangelism. Source: David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1982.
7. Evangelical Christians to Population
This scale reveals the percentage of the total population of a country with an inclination to evangelize others. A country with a significant evangelical presence could have greater indigenous resources for evangelism. Therefore, countries with a higher percentage of evangelical Christians may be placed lower on a priority list of needy countries for student evangelism than those with less of an evangelizing force. Source: Patrick Johnstone, Operation World, 4th edition, WEC, England, 1986.
8. Population per Missionary
This scale measures the density of Protestant missionaries in a country to the general population. Countries with less population per missionary can be considered less of a priority for student evangelization than countries with larger population per missionary. Source: David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1982.
9. Human Suffering
This scale measures the relative economic, social and political welfare among countries. Those countries with high infant mortality rates, low gross national product per capita, high population growth, poor supplies of clean drinking water, etc. score high on the scale, close to 100. For the purposes of this study, it was thought that those countries which ranked high on the human suffering scale should rank high on The Student Evangelism Index. Not only do the living conditions in higher ranked countries present more of a challenge for missionaries to the student world, but the relative need is greater in those situations to raise up Christians from the university who can lead the church in meeting the pressing human needs in that country. Source: Population Crisis Committee, Washington, D.C., 1987.
10. Religious Freedom and Accessibility
This scale measures the degree of political and religious liberty within a country as well as its ease of entry to those applying for a visa as a missionary. It was thought that the need for student evangelism would be the highest in countries that have greater limitations on evangelism and restrict the entry of missionaries. Source: Ted Yamamori, God’s New Envoys, Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1987.
Since the inception of Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951, it has labored to fulfill its calling: to reach every student, every year, on every campus, in every country with the Gospel. Today, more than 100,000 students worldwide are involved with Campus Crusade for hrist to help reach the world and their campuses for Christ. The Student Evangelism Index was created by Jay Gary in 1987 for the U.S. Campus Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, Int’l., in conjunction with its sending emphasis for New Life 2000: the Worldwide Student NetWork.
The Worldwide Student NetWork emphasis is an effort to help mobilize Campus Crusade for Christ students worldwide in a cooperative thrust to help launch a campus movement on every major university and help to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord by the year 2000.
Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the Gospel of Christ.
–Francis Xavier, circa 1549.
Across the years this work among students, first in one’s own country and then throughout the world, was always my first love.
–John R. Mott, 1938.
Win the campus today, reach the world for Christ tomorrow.
–Bill Bright, 1951.
Send us one of your best trained campus workers; trained in the school of failure as well as in that of success.
–from India, 1884.
Christ for the students of the world, and the students of the world for Christ.
–Luther Wishard, 1895.
Why should anyone hear the gospel twice, before everyone has heard it once.
–Oswald J. Smith, 1948.
The Student Evangelism Index was created by Dr. Jay Gary in 1987.
Dr. Jay Gary is president of PeakFutures.com, a foresight consulting group. Over the past twenty years he has helped non-profits, foundations, civic leaders, and strategic alliances to create more promise filled futures. He also teaches strategic foresight, innovation and leadership at the graduate level and through professional development courses.
