Denominational Profile

History

Church of the Living God (Christian Workers for Fellowship) (1889)

split into Church of God (Which He Purchased With His Own Blood) (1953)

The Church of the Living God (Christian Workers for Fellowship) is a predominantly black Holiness Pentecostal church founded in 1889 by the Rev. William Christian (1856-1928).

Membership Data

Year	Clergy	Churches	Members
1935	176	146	3,960
1937	-	30	620
1942	-	8	110
1944	-	6	120
1951	7	5	50
1952	10	5	65
1957	235	223	11,594
1958	247	236	25,000
1959	262	244	27,562
1960	317	256	32,575
1961	375	268	37,425
1962	362	272	43,572
1964	376	276	45,320
1985	170	170	42,000
2002	214	120	20,000

Source

Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]