The United Pentecostal Church International has an estimated one million constituents in the United States and Canada for the first time in the organization’s history, according to results from the 2023 Senior Pastor Survey.
At a February symposium hosted by Urshan Graduate School of Theology, UPCI General Superintendent Dr. David K. Bernard provided analysis of the UPCI’s growth and drew comparisons with the Assemblies of God, which has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing denominations in America. Although the Assemblies of God was established nearly three decades before the UPCI, Dr. Bernard highlighted a striking parallel in growth rates between the two organizations.
“If you take AOG statistics and ours, roughly speaking we have the same ratio of ministers today as 1916, the same ratio of churches as 1916, … [and] we have the same ratio of constituents,” Dr. Bernard noted, adding, “(This) would indicate we’ve been growing at the same rate.”
Measuring Growth Today
For survey purposes, the UPCI defines constituency as regular attendees plus the broader group of people who identify with a local church, including those who may attend irregularly or hardly at all but would identify with a church (e.g., call for prayer, ask for pastoral care, be on mailing list, etc.). This approach to calculating the total number of constituents is conservative compared with the methods used by other Christian denominations.
A key metric used to gauge the UPCI’s growth is attendance, which paints a picture of congregational engagement. The survey reveals that combined attendance across all UPCI churches in 2023 exceeds 475,000 for regular weekly services, with peak annual attendance surpassing 750,000. Typical attendees are individuals who regularly attend services. This reflects the core membership of the congregation who participate in worship, fellowship, and other activities on a consistent basis. Peak attendance is the highest number of people attending a service at any given time, usually during special targeted holidays (e.g. Easter, Mother’s Day, and Christmas).
Increasing Sunday Attendance
One of the most notable trends identified in the survey is the consistent growth witnessed in local UPCI churches. Reports indicate a steady increase in attendance, with the median for typical weekly attendance rising from 60 to 67, and the median for peak attendance increasing from 97 to 103. The median is the middle value in a data set; i.e., 50 percent of churches surveyed in 2023 reported regular weekly attendance of at least 67 people.
The 2023 Senior Pastor Survey marks the third consecutive year of data collection. By actively gathering information from local churches, the UPCI’s Research and Development department helps ensure accurate representation of the organization’s membership statistics.
The 2023 Senior Pastor Survey report and other UPCI statistical information is available at upci.org/stats. Additionally, the UGST Symposium session featuring Dr. David K. Bernard is available for replay on the UGST Facebook page.
Globally, the UPCI has 5.75 million constituents in more than 200 nations and numerous territories.
English 
Español de México 
Français 
