Marketing as an enabler for churches to fulfill their social responsibility

Marketing plays a vital role in enabling churches to fulfill their social responsibility among their congregants. The mission and objective of any organisation should be feasible, motivating, and distinctive. While outlining responsibilities and social roles, this study recognises that the unconventional application of marketing principles in different contexts has been extensively recognised. These include beliefs, values, standards, mission, vision, or rules of behaviour that guide the decisions, procedures, and systems of a church in a way that contributes to the welfare of its key stakeholders, and that respects the rights of all constituents affected by its operations. This study examines the role of marketing by churches as non-profit organisations in fulfilling their social responsibility. A qualitative methodology was used to gather data from eight churches in the Durban area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with the use of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with participants from the Pentecostal denominations of Christianity who practice their faith. Arising from this the study identifies an additional ‘P’, viz., “Philosophy” to add on to the existing 7Ps of services marketing in terms of perceived function or performance. This study presents a marketing paradigm centred on the 8th P for church marketers, pastors/preachers, non-profit marketers and social marketers involved with the marketing of social responsibility to consider.