How many Chinese churches are in the USA?

Statistics are useful for strategic planning for the future of churches and ministries, or any organization for that matter, even if they’re estimates.

I had researched the number of Chinese churches in the United States and Canada 5 years ago in 2009 and they’re posted at: How many Asian American churches in the USA with sources footnoted. In 2009, the estimate was 1,200 ethnic Chinese churches in America. A related list of the Largest Chinese churches in North America is dated 2007 and I have kept that updated when I am contacted with new info. (cf. 華人教會)

Since that time, we’ve had a Census taken in 2010, the population projections continue to grow. Currently, these online directories show numbers of entries listed for Chinese churches and ministries/organizations in the United States (at the time of this blog post; and my Chinese literacy is insufficient to research in Chinese):

1,679 churches in the Chinese Christian Churches and Organizations Directory (managed by 中華基督教網路發展協會; redirected here via Ambassadors for Christ‘s Chinese Church Online Directory link)

1,873 churches and organizations @ immanuel.net/overseaschurch (managed by Immanuel.net 以馬內利華人基督徒網路)

Baptist Press’ Chinese Baptists strive for multiplying churches noted: “In 2010, the Chinese Baptist Fellowship made church planting a priority, with a goal of planting 600 new churches in the United States and Canada by 2020. About 55 churches have been planted since the initiative’s beginning…”

While there are not many events that bring together Chinese church leaders and pastors, there are these I’m aware of:

• Chinese Mission Conference (Baltimore, Maryland, December 2013)
• 8th CCOWE Leadership Congress (Philippines, May 2014; Chinese Congress on World Evangelization)
• Chinese Mission Conference West Coast (San Diego) December 31, 2014 – January 3, 2015

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Chinese Churches in America

#aside: About nomenclature: I’ve refrained from using the phrase “Chinese churches in America” because it could connote Canada and other countries in North America, or even the entire continents of North America and South America. I do typically use the term “Asian American” when referring to Asians in the United States, with implicit inclusion of Canada, to keep the word count lower than “Asian North American” or or “Asian Pacific Islander” or “Asian American & Pacific Islander”.

[update 2023: and a group of English pastors have named this kind of church, the Chinese heritage church.]