Church Denominations

Baptist

Baptist churches emphasize personal faith, believer's baptism, and the authority of Scripture.

Catholic

The Catholic Church is the world's largest Christian church, known for its rich liturgical tradition and sacramental worship.

Methodist

Methodist churches follow the Wesleyan tradition, emphasizing personal holiness and social justice.

Non-denominational

Non-denominational churches operate independently, often focusing on contemporary worship and biblical teaching.

Lutheran

Lutheran churches follow the tradition of Martin Luther, emphasizing salvation by grace through faith.

Presbyterian

Presbyterian churches are governed by elders and follow Reformed theology, emphasizing God's sovereignty.

Pentecostal

Pentecostal churches emphasize the gifts of the Holy Spirit and dynamic worship experiences.

Episcopal

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, known for liturgical worship and the Book of Common Prayer.

Southern Baptist Convention

The largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., known for autonomous local churches and emphasis on the authority of Scripture.

National Baptist Convention USA

The largest historically Black Christian denomination in the U.S., rooted in the prophetic tradition of the Black church.

American Baptist Churches USA

American Baptist Churches USA — the northern Baptist heritage, emphasizing local church autonomy, religious liberty, and diverse theological expression.

Independent Baptist

Independent Baptist churches operate without denominational affiliation, typically holding to King James Version use, separation, and fundamental Baptist doctrine.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The largest Lutheran body in the U.S. — mainline expression of the Lutheran tradition, full communion with the Episcopal Church.

Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Confessional Lutheran tradition — Law-Gospel preaching, Divine Service liturgy, sacramental theology, close communion.

Lutheran (ELCA)

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America — the largest U.S. Lutheran body, in full communion with several mainline Protestant denominations.

Lutheran (LCMS)

Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod — confessional Lutheran tradition emphasizing inerrancy, Law-Gospel preaching, and liturgical Divine Service.

Lutheran (WELS)

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod — conservative confessional Lutheran body known for its parochial school system and close-communion practice.

Presbyterian Church (USA)

The principal heir of the Calvinist Reformed tradition in American Protestantism — Word-centered worship and connectional polity.

Presbyterian Church in America

Confessionally Reformed Presbyterian body — high view of Scripture, covenant theology, growing urban + suburban presence.

Presbyterian (PCUSA)

Presbyterian Church (USA) — the largest mainline Presbyterian body, with Word-centered worship and connectional polity across roughly 8,500 congregations.

Presbyterian (PCA)

Presbyterian Church in America — confessionally Reformed body holding the Westminster Standards, with growing urban church-planting focus.

Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) — founded in 1936 by J. Gresham Machen; holds the Westminster Standards with a strong confessional Reformed identity.

Reformed Church in America

The Reformed Church in America traces its origins to Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam in 1628, making it the oldest Protestant denomination with continuous ministry in North America.

Christian Reformed Church

Christian Reformed Church in North America — confessionally Reformed, rooted in Dutch Calvinism, with a strong tradition of Christian education and world missions.

United Reformed Churches (URCNA)

United Reformed Churches in North America — confessional Reformed federation committed to the Three Forms of Unity and classical Reformed worship.

Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) — irenic, broadly evangelical Reformed denomination allowing latitude on secondary issues while holding to Reformed essentials.

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination in the U.S., tracing its Wesleyan heritage through John Wesley's 18th-century revival movement.

Global Methodist Church

Global Methodist Church — formed in 2022 by theologically traditional Methodists; holds a high view of Scripture and classical Wesleyan doctrine.

Assemblies of God

The world's largest Pentecostal denomination — Spirit baptism, contemporary worship, global missions emphasis.

Church of God (Cleveland, TN)

Church of God — one of the oldest Pentecostal denominations in the U.S., headquartered in Cleveland, TN, emphasizing the baptism of the Holy Spirit and divine healing.

Foursquare Church

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel — Pentecostal denomination founded by Aimee Semple McPherson in 1927; one of the oldest Pentecostal bodies in the U.S.

Vineyard Churches

Vineyard USA — charismatic evangelical movement emphasizing 'power evangelism,' small groups, and contemporary worship, founded by John Wimber in the 1980s.

Calvary Chapel

Calvary Chapel — movement birthed in the Jesus People revival of the late 1960s; known for verse-by-verse Bible teaching, contemporary worship, and lay ministry.

Christian & Missionary Alliance

Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA) — evangelical denomination emphasizing the 'Fourfold Gospel' (Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, Coming King) and global missions.

Evangelical Free Church

Evangelical Free Church of America — evangelical denomination with a broadly Reformed theological center, emphasizing congregational autonomy and expository preaching.

Full Gospel

Full Gospel churches emphasize the complete work of Christ — salvation, Spirit baptism, divine healing, and the Second Coming — rooted in the classical Pentecostal tradition.

Oneness Pentecostal

Oneness Pentecostal churches reject Trinitarian theology in favor of modalism, baptize in Jesus' name only, and emphasize glossolalia as evidence of Spirit baptism.

United Pentecostal Church

United Pentecostal Church International — Oneness Pentecostal body emphasizing baptism in the name of Jesus only and Spirit baptism evidenced by tongues.

United Church of Christ (UCC)

United Church of Christ — progressive mainline denomination formed in 1957 through the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

Disciples of Christ

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) — mainline Stone-Campbell movement body emphasizing weekly Communion, baptism by immersion, and Christian unity.

Church of Christ

Churches of Christ — non-instrumental, autonomous Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement congregations emphasizing New Testament pattern worship and baptism for the remission of sins.

Christian Church (Independent)

Christian Churches and Churches of Christ — independent, instrumental Stone-Campbell congregations emphasizing weekly Communion, baptism by immersion, and congregational autonomy.

Mennonite

Mennonite churches trace their origin to the 16th-century Anabaptist movement, emphasizing adult baptism, pacifism, community, and simple living.

Church of the Brethren

Church of the Brethren — Pietist-Anabaptist tradition founded in Germany in 1708; holds to believer's baptism by immersion (trine immersion), peace witness, and simple worship.

Quaker (Friends)

Friends (Quakers) — founded by George Fox in the 17th century; emphasize the direct experience of God's Spirit in every person, with worship styles ranging from silent meeting to programmed evangelical services.

Seventh-day Adventist

Seventh-day Adventist Church — worships on Saturday, emphasizes the imminent return of Christ, the Sanctuary doctrine, and a wholistic health message.

Adventist Reform

Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement — a smaller Adventist body that separated over issues of conscientious objection during WWI, holding stricter Reform principles.

Advent Christian Church

Advent Christian Church — conditionalist (soul-sleep) Adventist denomination emphasizing the unconscious state of the dead and conditional immortality.

Greek Orthodox

U.S. presence of Eastern Orthodox Christianity under the Ecumenical Patriarchate — ancient liturgy, Byzantine chant, deep sacramental life.

Russian Orthodox

Russian Orthodox parishes in the U.S. follow the ancient Byzantine Divine Liturgy in Church Slavonic and English, under several jurisdictions.

Antiochian Orthodox

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese — one of the largest Orthodox jurisdictions in North America, rooted in the ancient See of Antioch.

Orthodox Church in America (OCA)

The OCA is an autocephalous Orthodox jurisdiction granted independence by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1970, conducting services primarily in English.

Serbian Orthodox

Serbian Orthodox Diocese of the Eastern U.S. — Byzantine Divine Liturgy in Serbian and English, serving Serbian diaspora and multi-ethnic parishes.

Oriental Orthodox

Oriental Orthodox churches (Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Syriac) separated from the Byzantine East in the 5th century and maintain distinct liturgical traditions.

Coptic Orthodox

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria — one of the oldest Christian bodies, tracing its founding to St. Mark the Evangelist, with a rich monastic tradition.

Ethiopian Orthodox

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church — ancient Oriental Orthodox body with a distinctive canon, Ge'ez liturgy, and deep monastic heritage.

Roman Catholic

The Latin Rite of the Catholic Church — the largest single Christian body globally, centered on the Mass and the seven sacraments.

Eastern Catholic

Eastern-rite churches in full communion with Rome, preserving ancient liturgical traditions while sharing Catholic faith and sacraments.

Melkite Catholic

Melkite Greek Catholic Church — Byzantine liturgy in Arabic and Greek, in full communion with the Pope, rooted in the Antiochian tradition.

Maronite Catholic

Maronite Church — ancient Syriac liturgical tradition based in Lebanon, in full communion with Rome, with a strong U.S. diaspora presence.

Ukrainian Greek Catholic

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — Byzantine Divine Liturgy in Church Slavonic and Ukrainian, in full communion with Rome.

Byzantine Catholic

Byzantine Catholic churches follow Eastern liturgical rites while remaining in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

Syriac Catholic

Syriac Catholic Church — West Syriac liturgical tradition, in full communion with Rome, with parishes serving Middle Eastern diaspora communities.

Chaldean Catholic

Chaldean Catholic Church — East Syriac liturgy, in full communion with Rome, serving Iraqi and Assyrian Christian diaspora communities in the U.S.

Moravian Church

Moravian Church — one of the oldest Protestant denominations (1457), known for Easter Sunrise services, the Daily Texts (Losungen), and a strong missionary tradition.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army functions as both a church and social-service organization — Wesleyan-holiness theology, brass band music, and a global mission to the poor.

Multisite Megachurch

Large multisite congregations with campuses across multiple locations, often featuring video-venue satellite services and centralized teaching from a lead pastor.

House Church

House churches meet in homes or informal spaces rather than dedicated buildings, typically emphasizing participatory worship, community, and simple church principles.