STRASBOURG, France (December 2000)--The Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is releasing its Mennonite and Brethren in Christ World Directory 2000 this month. It reports that the number of baptized members in 197 Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and related churches in 63 countries now stands at 1,203,995. The previous world estimates, published in MWC's 1998 directory, showed 1,060,143 baptized believers in 192 bodies in 61 countries.

Churches in the global South (Africa, Asia/Pacific, Caribbean/Central and South America) continue to lead the way with over 702,000 members. Membership in the churches in the North (Europe and North America) now stands at 501,000.

Comparative continental figures for 1998 and 2000 show Africa growing from 322,708 to 405,979, Asia/Pacific from 157,075 to 184,049, Central/South America and the Caribbean from 102,496 to 112,128, and North America from 415,978 to 443,918. The European total declined from 61,886 to 57,921, due in part to a revised estimate of the membership of the independent Mennonite Brethren churches in Germany.

The six countries with the most baptized members are the same as in 1998.

USA Congo Canada India Indonesia Ethiopia

319,768 183,040 124,150 90,006 87,802 73,219

Other countries with more than 20,000 members are Germany, Kenya, Paraguay, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Kenya is the only country to join this list since 1998. This is the result of growth within the churches previously counted and the addition of a conference which is in fellowship with the Conservative Mennonite Church (USA).

Elisabeth Baecher, the editor of the directory, says that statistics are usually provided by the national churches or conferences themselves. In some cases the figures are only rough estimates. The methods of counting and reporting vary, according to Baecher. MWC seeks to treat the information it receives as consistently as possible. Changes in totals can mean growth, decline, or simply greater accuracy. Wherever possible, attempts are made to increase the reliability of the figures provided. The new directory, for example, reflects better information about the baptized membership figures in the various Mennonite "colony" groups in Bolivia, Paraguay, Mexico, Canada, Belize and elsewhere. The current reconfiguration of conferences in the USA and Canada--through mergers and divisions--has changed the count in these two countries. Fewer people now hold membership in two or three conferences, but new groups are being formed.

Churches and conferences are included in this directory if they are rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite stream of church history or if they are related to churches which are so rooted. As a result, there is some fluidity in the list. This year for the first time, for example, churches in the Ivory Coast and Togo are included not only because they identify themselves as Anabaptist or Mennonite but also in recognition of the primary nature of their relationship with churches already counted in the worldwide family of faith.

Not all the churches included in the directory are members of the Mennonite World Conference. MWC's current membership includes 87 churches and conferences with a membership of 912,451. The MWC member churches are located in 48 countries.

The directory lists the names and addresses of all the Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and related groups and their presiding officers, membership figures, number of congregations, and other information. It also lists the names and addresses of MWC Executive Committee, General Council and staff members.

Copies of the directory are available from the MWC office in France (8, rue, du Fosse des Treize. 67000 Strasbourg, France) or from its Canadian office (50 Kent Ave., Kitchener, ON, Canada N2G 3R1). The cost is US $3.00 (CDN $4.00) per copy, plus postage and handling. Basic information from the World Directory will also be posted on the MWC home page (www.mwc-cmm.org).

-- Larry Kehler, MWC News Editor