Marion S. Webb

Diversified Marketing Media and Service Offerings Prove Successful for Nondenominational Churches

The researcher surveyed a national sample of nondenominational and denominational churches to detect differences in these groups’ growth rates, marketing methods, and service offerings. Findings show that nondenominational churches grew much more (and significantly so) in membership and attendance than did denominational churches over a 10-year span and since the church Web site inception. The two findings that were significantly different between the two groups for retaining members and attracting attendees were well-known pastors and multisite locations. The two church groups rated social media significantly different for retaining members. Social media include tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, podcasts, Netcasts, and smartphones. Eight methods and service offerings for attracting attendees only that were found significantly different are: (a) music programs (i.e., service music/songs and choir); (b) number of services offered; (c) sermon content (i.e., Biblical and relevant); (d) open invitation to accept Jesus as Savior; (e) membership of family and friends; (f) age of congregation members; (g) church school (i.e., preschool −12th grade); and (h) ethnic composition of church.