Christian Denominations

Three streams of the modern church — where each began, the turning points that shaped it, and how it's practiced today.

Pentecostalism

Pentecostalism is a dynamic Protestant Christian movement that started in the 1900s.

Timeline of Trinitarian Pentecostalism

  1. 1901: The modern movement starts in Topeka, Kansas, under Charles Fox Parham.Who was Charles Fox Parham?

  2. 1906: The Azusa Street Revival begins in Los Angeles, led by William J. Seymour, cementing core Pentecostal experiences like speaking in tongues.Who was William J. Seymour?

  3. 1913: At a camp meeting in Arroyo Seco, California, minister R.E. McAlister preaches a sermon on baptism in the name of Jesus. His message sparks a new non-Trinitarian ("Jesus Only") teaching — though McAlister himself remains Trinitarian.Who was R.E. McAlister?

  4. 1914: The Assemblies of God is founded in Hot Springs, Arkansas, by churches and ministers organizing to maintain traditional Trinitarian doctrine and cooperative missions. Up to this point, all Pentecostals were Trinitarian.

  5. 1916: The Assemblies of God formally adopts a strict Trinitarian statement of faith, causing non-Trinitarian ministers to officially separate into what becomes Oneness Pentecostalism

  6. Today: Unlike older traditions that trace their roots to the early church fathers, Pentecostalism is a distinctly modern movement — born in the early 1900s and carried forward by innovators who emphasized a fresh, direct experience of the Holy Spirit rather than historic liturgy or apostolic succession. Read about Oneness Pentecostalism

Baptist

Baptists are a Protestant tradition defined by believer's baptism by immersion and the self-governance of each local congregation.

  1. 1609

    First Baptist church

    English Separatist John Smyth, in exile in Amsterdam, baptized himself and his congregation, planting the first identifiable Baptist church.

  2. 1612

    Baptists in England

    Thomas Helwys led a group back to England and founded the first Baptist congregation on English soil at Spitalfields, London, and argued for religious liberty for all.

  3. 1638

    Particular Baptists

    Calvinistic 'Particular' Baptists organized in London, emphasizing believer's baptism by full immersion and Reformed theology.

  4. 1644

    First London Confession

    Particular Baptists published the First London Baptist Confession, defining Baptist doctrine for the movement.

  5. 1845

    Southern Baptist Convention

    U.S. Southern Baptists split from their Northern counterparts over slavery and missions, forming the SBC — today the largest Protestant denomination in America.

  6. Today

    Core distinctives

    Baptists hold to believer's baptism by immersion, congregational self-governance, and the priesthood of every believer.

Non-Denominational

A non-denominational church holds no formal connection to an established denomination, governing itself and teaching the Bible directly.

  1. 1800s

    The Restoration Movement

    The Stone–Campbell movement (Churches of Christ and Christian churches) sought to drop denominational labels and be 'Christians only' — an early forerunner of non-denominationalism.

  2. 1940s–60s

    Independent Bible churches

    Many unaffiliated congregations grew, especially on the U.S. West Coast, prioritizing Scripture over denominational structure.

  3. 1970s–80s

    The seeker-sensitive era

    Megachurches such as Calvary Chapel and Saddleback avoided denominational branding to reach people outside the church.

  4. 2000s

    Explosive growth

    Non-denominational churches became one of the fastest-growing categories in American Christianity.

  5. Today

    Independence & autonomy

    A non-denominational church governs itself with no formal ties to a national denomination, and typically centers teaching on the Bible, grace, and a personal relationship with Jesus.