Number of Asian American churches 2015

While the number of Asian American churches is not constantly measured and tracked, these estimates can be useful to inform the numerous ministry opportunities.* [this is the 2015 edition]

Estimated number of churches with cited sources linked (when available) and annotated footnotes:

Estimate Asian Ethnicity
4,233 Korean [k]
1,679 Chinese [c]
190 Japanese [j]
800 Asian Indian [i]
300 Vietnamese [v]
171 Hmong  [h]
80 Cambodian [se]
48 Lao [1]
10 Montagnard
4 Thai [t]
200 Filipino [f]
124 Indonesian [d]
15 Burmese [b]**
7,854 [estimated total]

Footnotes:

[*] “Ethnic network data is not collected or updated consistently, so it is difficult to develop a clear profile of congregations, membership, and pastoral leadership. Here are some examples: Dr. John Mizuki of the Japanese Evangelization Center (U. S. Center for World Mission) in Pasadena, California, lists 190 Japanese American congregations with an estimated membership of 32,573. The 2001 Korean Church Directory of America lists 3,402 Korean Protestant churches. About half of the Korean churches are Presbyterian, but substantial numbers are Methodist, Baptist, nondenominational, Catholic and Charismatic churches. … The 2000-2001 Directory of Chinese Churches, Bible Study Groups, & Christian Organizations in North America lists 819 Chinese Protestant churches in the United States. Raymond Williams estimated 110,000 to 125,000 Asian Indian Christians in 1995.” — Page 19 of Asian American Religious Leadership Today: A Preliminary Inquiry published by the Pulpit & Pew: Research on Pastoral Leadership (Durham, NC: Duke Divinity School, 2005).

[k] number of entries at koreanchurchyp.com (2013), via djchuang.com/2014/number-korean-churches-usa

[c] entries in the Chinese Christian Churches and Organizations Directory (2014, managed by 中華基督教網路發展協會), via djchuang.com/2014/many-chinese-churches-usa

[j] extrapolated from 153 Japanese American churches are listed at jems.org/churches

[i] cf. 2005 research for “The Coconut Generation” estimated 800; GaramChai.com lists 216 churches at garamchai.com/church.htm (2015); 55 Mar Thoma churches in the Dioceses of North America and Europe

[v] cf. Directory of Vietnamese Pastors & Churcheswww.cmalliance.org/district/vietnamese

[h] CM&A cmalliance.org/district/hmong and SBC Asian Advisory Council report (2015)

[se] Southeast Asian churches estimates from contacts at CM&A and SBC, cf. cmalliance.org/locate/church?dc=63

[1] cf. Laotian churches reported in SBC Asian Advisory Council report (2015)

[t] cf. www.at-la.com/@la-god/ethnic.htm

[f] cf. National Association of Filipino American United Methodists; Godfrey Catanus

[d] cf. www.sahabatsurgawi.net/gereja_dunia/usa.html
[b] cf. lamcf.org/?page_id=421www.fbbcsf.org/burmesechurches.htm

* originally posted at l2foundation.org/2009/how-many-asian-american-churches-in-the-usa