And they also included the cults in the count
Sometimes one becomes apostate and then the traditional members break off as what happened with the PCUSA or more recently the ELC went liberal crazy so the remnant are forming the northern Lutheran denomination
They will basically hold to the same doctrine as the Missouri Synod
Denomination are often regional or racial or ethnic at their core not doctrinal
BTW 154 is a LONG way from 20,000
I'm pretty sure that isn't the case. Wimmin' preachers and all.
“There are several Baptist denominations but they are all Baptists holding the same doctrine.”
Try telling that to the Southern Baptists or the various Black denominations.
Of course the 154 various Protestant denominations were over a quarter of a century ago and only to the US, a detail that appears to have escaped your attention.