fall of the regime, the two branches split at a general conference held in Bucharest a month later. They separated ostensibly over the issue of baptism, with the second emerging as the Evangelical Church of Romania. Organisation According to the 2011 census, the church had 15,514 members, making up 0.08% of the population; it was the country's 15th largest recognised religious body. As of 2008, there were some 220 churches, mainly in Bucharest and in the counties of Ilfov, Argeș, Brașov, Constanța, Dâmbovița, Ialomița, Prahova and Vaslui. The church considers all members to be brothers, has no clergy or hierarchy, is completely reliant on a lay ministry, and considers Christ as its head. At the national level, there is a brethren assembly of elected representatives, which supervises and coordinates church life, as well as a leadership committee that represents the church in its dealings with the state. Members are not required to make contributions for the upkeep of the church. The church's justification for baptism by immersion is that the early Christians had this practice, but it stresses the importance of personal belief in Christ and not just baptism. During services, members sing together fervently without benefit of a choir or instruments. Bible readings and expositions, as well as prayers, are also featured, and services' spontaneity leads to considerable member participation, with individual churches enjoying strong autonomy. The church published a semimonthly newsletter, Adevărul Creștin ("The Christian Truth"), as well as other theological works. It has relations with the Union of Evangelical Free Church Congregations in Germany as well as with evangelical churches in the Netherlands and the United States, but has no direct outside equivalent. Notes References Earl A. Pope, "Protestantism in Romania", in Sabrina P. Ramet (ed.), Christianity under Stress. Vol. III: Protestantism and Politics in Eastern Europe and Russia: The Communist and Postcommunist Eras, Duke University Press, 1992. External links Official site Eastern Christianity Plymouth Brethren Protestantism in Romania Religious organizations established in the 1920s Religious organizations based in Bucharest