Largest U.S. Churches, 2012

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

The following table lists the largest church denominations in the United States by members. Figures are for 2012.

Denomination nameMembers
(thousands)
The Roman Catholic Church 68,202
Southern Baptist Convention 16,136
United Methodist Church, The 7,679
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The 6,157
Church of God in Christ, The 5,499
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc 5,197
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 4,274
National Baptist Convention of America, Inc 3,500
Assemblies of God 3,030
Presbyterian Church (USA) 2,675
African Methodist Episcopal Church 2,500
National Missionary Baptist Convention of America 2,500
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), 2,278
Episcopal Church 1,951
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc Churches of Christ 1,800
Churches of Christ 1,639
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America1,500
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 1,400
American Baptist Churches in the USA 1,308
Jehovah's Witnesses Baptist Bible Fellowship International 1,184
Church of God 1,074
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ1,071
Seventh-day Adventist Church1,060
United Church of Christ 1,058
TheProgressive National Baptist Convention, Inc 1,010
NOTE: Includes the self-reported membership of religious bodies with 650,000 or more as reported to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Groups may be excluded if they do not supply information. The data are not standardized so comparisons between groups are difficult. The definition of "church member" is determined by the religious body.
Source: 2012 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, National Council of Churches.

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