United States of America
The following information was supplied at the 2002 Stone-Campbell Dialogue. Each statement is supplied by a member of that stream.
Church of Christ/Christian Churches
Who We Are
A fellowship believing in the Diety and Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Scriptures, and who practice baptism by immersion and observe the Lord(s Supper weekly. We seek to restore the faith and practices of the early church, freely working with others of like faith, but committed to no organization beyond the local congregation. Committed to missions, we number as many abroad, as in the U.S. and Canada.
| Membership, U.S. & Canada | 1,144,000 |
| Congregations, U.S. & Canada | 5,552 |
| Ministers | 5,589 |
| Assistant Ministers | 2,920 |
| Missionaries | 943 |
| Active Duty Military Chaplains | 35 |
| Military Reserve/Guard Chaplains | 27 |
| Miscellaneous Chaplains | 54 |
| Para‑church Agencies | 1,025 |
| Benevolent Agencies | 107 |
| Campus Ministries | 76 |
| Evangelistic Associations | 136 |
| Colleges | 31 |
| Seminaries | 3 |
| Full‑Time Professors | 445 |
| Part‑Time Professors | 561 |
| Total Students | 8,867 |
| Churches averaging over 1,000 in attendance | 76 |
Church of Christ
Who We Are
A communion of believers who hold to the foundational doctrines of historic Christianity, accept the Bible as the final authority in all religious matters, practice immersion of believers, and weekly Lord(s Supper. They are congregational in organization with no formal leadership beyond local elders, though connected by lectureships, journals, educational institutions, and a variety of parachurch organizations. Their worship is a cappella in keeping with the simplicity of the early church(s worship. The numbers of churches and members outside the United States, especially in Africa, is approaching that of the U.S. There is considerable diversity among congregations.
| Membership in the U.S. & Canada | 1,264,115 |
| Congregations in the U.S. & Canada | 13,032 |
| Adherents (includes children and other unbaptized attendees) |
1,645,613 |
| Largest number of congregations in Texas | 2,188 |
| and Tennessee | 1,472 |
| Ministers (est.) | 12,600 |
| Missionaries (in 1999) | 842 |
| Members outside of U.S. and Canada | 1,000,000 + |
| Camps | 111 |
| Campus Ministries | 219 |
| Child and Family Services | 76 |
| Senior Care Facilities | 99 |
| Periodicals | 185 |
| Colleges and Universities | 25 |
| Preacher Training Schools | 26 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 120 |
| Congregations with 900 members or more | 65 |
Disciples of Christ
Who We Are
The Mission Imperative of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) adopted July 2000. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), in our quest to embody Christian unity, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we believe God calls us:
OUR VISION ‑To be a faithful, growing church that demonstrates true community, deep Christian spirituality, and a passion for Justice. (Micah 6:8)
OUR MISSION ‑ To be and to share the Good news of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps "to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
OUR IMPERATIVE ‑ To strengthen congregational life for this mission. (Ephesians 4:11‑13, 15‑16)
| Membership in the U.S. and Canada | 834,000 |
| Congregations in the U.S. and Canada | 3,792 |
| Regions | 35 |
| General Ministries | 11 |
| Ministers* | 7,113 |
| Colleges | 17 |
| Seminaries and Seminary Houses | 7 |
| Undergraduate students | 21,900 |
| Seminary and Graduate students | 1,000 |
| Congregations with participating membership over 1,000 | 19 |
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*(Includes congregational pastors, associate pastors, regional ministers, general ministers, chaplains, missionaries, etc.) |
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