Denomination garners trend-busting success as others shrink

The Church of God of Prophecy has grown to about 1.5 million members today, up from 1.3 million in 2008. At the denomination's recent annual meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, it was reported that most of the growth taking place in COGOP is in Africa.

This upward membership trend by the COGOP, which remains true to its Pentecostal roots, bucks an overall experience of declining church membership in many other Christian denominations.

In the COGOP's case, the denomination was established in 1886 as the Christian Union. The union reformed as a denomination in 1903 and subsequently adopted its new name in 1907.

With a growing denomination already enjoying great numerical success, according to church leaders, future goals include even more churches and new members for upcoming years.

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