Look at Protestantism
As AlexP has alluded to, an important doctrine that Protestant Christians hold to is called the Priesthood of All Believers
A priesthood is a selected group that has full access to a god that is not enjoyed by others.
The basic premise of the Priesthood of All Believers is that the Old Testament Jewish priesthood, like most other OT features, were a foreshadowing of Jesus; once Jesus was crucified and resurrected, all his followers became priests as they have the right of full and direct access to God in all respects, with no intermediary priesthood needed. Repent and believe in Jesus? You're a believer, so you're a priest.
A minister or pastor is merely there to facilitate worship / organise other believers; spiritually, they're no different to anyone else.
This is in contrast with Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy and to some extent, Anglicanism, which as in many other matters are more like Catholics than other Protestants.
It's an internal eye roll moment for many Protestants when we (I am one) are accused of being some sort of religion for the benefit of powerful clergy; we've had P.O.A.B as a core doctrine for 500 years, and departure from it is sufficient to be considered fringe and very likely heretical.
But what's 500 years and probably 90% adherence to the principle compared to a headline about a tyrannical and corrupt pastor? Very little, in the secular Anglophone media, as a rule.
The thing that holds Protestants together doctrinally, insofar as we are all together is scripture; rituals/sacraments are minimal and with the exception of Communion and Baptism, are agreed to be unimportant and non mandatory.
Re: growth, despite the current decline of Christianity in the USA and Europe, 30 or 40% of all Sub Saharan Africans have become Christians since 1960; that's hundreds of millions of people. The Reformation and Great Awakenings were little slower. So in a word, yes, fast. There's a huge amount of 'Just do it' missionary efforts of every description.