Included in this list are all of the major religious groups in the U.S. that
consider themselves to be Christian. It is important to realize that many
individuals, particularly conservative Christians, reject many of these groups
as sub-Christian, quasi-Christian or non-Christian, because they hold beliefs
that deviate from historic Christianity.
Denominational membership numbers are difficult to compare exactly, because many faith
groups have different definitions of church membership. Some groups:
Include everyone who was baptized, usually as an infant, whether
they actually darkened the door of a church later in life. This includes
the Roman Catholic Church.
Exaggerate their numbers in order to appear like a larger group.
U.S. membership numbers, as supplied by various denominations (in thousands) are:
1
Denomination
Membership, in thousands in
2004
Membership, in thousands in
1996
Comments
Adventist Churches
927
808
Apostolic Christian Church
18
4
Nazarene
Apostolic Christian Churches of America
13
11
Baptist Churches
30,002
36,613
Brethren
191
51
German Baptists
Christian Brethren
95
Plymouth Brethren
Christian Church
805
938
Disciples of Christ
Christian Churches
1,500
1,071
Churches of Christ
Christian Congregation
119
112
Christian and Missionary Alliance
382
302
Christian Union, Churches of Christ in
10
10
Churches of Christ
1,500
1,651
Churches of God
287
257
Church of the Nazarene
637
598
Community Churches, Inter. Council of
117
500
Congregational Christian Churches
65
90
Conservative Congr. Christian Conference
41
37
Eastern Orthodox Churches
4,218
5,302
Episcopal Church
2,333
2,505
Evangelical Church
12
12
Evangelical Congregational Church
21
24
Evangelical Covenant Church
101
90
Evangelical Free Church of America
243
227
Grace Gospel Fellowship
60
60
Independent Fundamental Churches of America
62
70
Jehovah's Witnesses
989
946
Latter-Day Saints
5,448
4,766
Mormon
Liberal Catholic Church
7
3
Lutheran Churches
8,152
8,350
Mennonite Churches
346
294
Includes Old Order Amish
Methodist Churches
12,266
13,533
Metropolitan Community Churches
44
30
Missionary Church
41
28
Moravian Churches
26
52
Nat. Org. of the New Apostolic Church
36
42
National Spiritist Association of Churches
-
4
Pentecostal Churches
11,362
10,606
Polish National Catholic Church
-
150
Presbyterian Churches
4,048
4,193
Reformed Churches
1,748
2,039
Reformed Episcopal Church
6
7
Roman Catholic Church
65,260
60,191
Salvation Army
455
443
Schwenkfelder Church
-
3
Society of Friends *
206
108
Swedenborgian Church
-
2
United Brethren in Christ
-
25
* a.k.a. Quakers
Sponsored link:
Reference:
The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 1997, World Almanac Books, Mahwah
NJ