I am currently working on a case study for cumorah.com examining how changing numbers of full-time missions influence church growth trends around the world. As part of the case study, I made this map that identifies each mission created or closed by the Church since 2000. Click here to access the map.
Some general trends to note over the past 12 years is that the Church has experienced a net increase in the number of missions in Africa, Central and South America, the western United States, and the Philippines; no change in the number of missions in the Caribbean and Oceania; and significant decreases in Europe, the eastern United States, and East Asia.
5 comments:
Maybe trivial, but in Japan, the Kobe mission was reopened in 2007.
This is probably more my issue than anything, but maybe instead of labeling them as "closed" those that are combined should be listed as such. For example: Ireland Dublin Mission is no more, but there are still missionaries serving there, because it is combined with Scotland. Having served in the IDM, it is true and it is sad, but the work still goes forward, even at a decreased rate.
Like I said, maybe not a big deal, but when I read "closed" I read that missionaries aren't serving there, which isn't true.
Just my two cents.
What is the IDM?
My theory is that the Brethren have made a conscious effort to make better use of missionary resources.
Slow-growing missions with a few mature stakes can do more of the needed missionary work with ward missionaries. Missions can be combined--Japan, western Europe and eastern U.S.
Fast-growing missions with many new stakes need more full-time missionaries and missions--as in Africa.
Missions with many mature stakes and a lot of part-member families need more full-time missionaries. This is the case in Western U.S.
IDM stand for Ireland Dublin Mission and as a former IDM'r I agree on the closed versus combined please.
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