Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTACT: The global Christian industry has undergone a radical shift in the past decade. There are many influences and forces active in the industry affecting church and there is evidence that the Christian industry is in a decline phase. This study analyses and assesses the strategic architecture of the Unite180 church. Even though the church has been operating its ministry successfully since 2006 as a youth ministry, it has never formalised its strategic architecture. The research study thus performed a thorough strategic architecture assessment of the Unite180 church and concluded with a strategy map and Balanced Scorecard to be utilised as practical tools to monitor the church’s achievements in terms of its strategic initiatives. The research question can be expressed as follow: What can be learnt from the current strategic architecture of the Unite180 church and how can it be changed, improved and further developed to ensure that the Unite180 church continues to create value sustainably? The study focused on a qualitative approach and the literature review explored the field of business model innovation and strategy.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The idea of deliberately planning and measuring the work of congregations does not settle easily with many church leaders and theologians. This study suggests that churches are becoming increasingly socially ineffective because they do not understand and apply scientific management knowledge and methods. Strongly held ideologies and dichotomies characterise the milieu of this topic. There remains a very real social problem concerning the role of churches. That is what this study has based its relevance on. The study is encouragingly supported by its finding that 90% of church leaders surveyed, disagreed with the notion that the church has no responsibility to society at large for its actions. 92% of respondents further agreed that the role of the church is the well-being and upliftment of its communities and not just to create converts. This study presents evidence that questions the success claims of the Church Growth body of knowledge. Evangelism world-wide has recently experienced the most extraordinary acceleration in the number of conversions in the history of the Church, but research in the countries where this phenomenon has been more prevalent, has found little equivalent growth in church membership. The work of researchers in the USA has repeatedly drawn attention to the alarming levels of "unchurched" Christians and the falling away of Pentecostal churches. This study confirms the trend in South Africa and reveals our unchurched level to be 53%. Analysis of congregational development interventions attempted by the sample reveals an almost three times greater success rate reported by churches that did not apply the church growth principles or combined them with management methods. The aim is to present explanations and solutions for the difficulties churches are having both in the areas of managing their own development and in retaining committed members for a nobler purpose than to laud their size over smaller, but possibly more caring and socially effective churches. An objective of this study is to present existing knowledge and methods from the field of management science as a conceptual framework for systematically fitting disconnected elements of contemporary Church Growth Theory into a holistic and integrated development approach that goes deeper than a mere mechanistic extrapolation of theoretical ideas and praxis from one context into another. The survey found a 74% support base from the South African church leaders surveyed for a synthesis of the best of both Church Growth and business management methods in fulfilment of its mission. The most compelling finding that this research contributes to social knowledge, however, is that local churches found to have reported significantly more externally focused growth such as evangelism, community work and church planting, applied strategic thinking, formal planning and management methods to their development without compromising the Gospel message that the Church is called bring to society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beweer dat kerke word meer sosiaal oneffektief omdat hulle nie wetenskaplike bestuurskennis verstaan en metodiek toepas nie. Dit is waarop hierdie studie se relevansie gebaseer is. Die studie is bemoedigend ondersteun deur die bevinding dat 90% van die kerkleiers wat aan die ondersoek deelgeneem het, nie met die mening saamstem dat die kerk geen verantwoordelikheid teenoor die gemeenskap in sy geheel het en daartoe bydra nie. 92% van die respondente het ook saamgestem dat die rol van die kerk is om by te dra tot die opheffing en welgesteldheid van die gemeenskap, en nie net om bekeerlinge te skep nie. Hierdie studie lewer bewys wat die sukses-aansprake van die Kerkgroei Beweging teenspreek. Wereldwye evangelasie het onlangs 'n buitengewone versnelling ondervind in die aantaI bekeerlinge in die geskiedenis van die kerk, maar navorsing toon dat in die lande waar hierdie verskynsel die sterkste voorgekom het, baie min ekwivalente groei in kerklidrnaatskap plaasgevind het. Hierdie studie bevestig die tendens in Suid Afrika en wys dat ons vlak van ongekerktes op 53% staan. Ontleding van die gemeente se ontwikkellings-intervensies wat deur die kerke in die proefskrif onderneem is, wys dat kerke wat nie kerkgroei beginsels toegepas het nie, of hierdie met bestuursmetodes kombineer, amper drie maal groter sukses behaal het. Die doeI is om verduidelikings en oplossings aan te bied vir die probleme wat kerke in beide die areas om hul eie ontwikkeling te bestuur asook die toegewyde lede te behou vir 'n meer eerbare doel as om af te kyk op kleiner, maar moontlik meer sorgsame en sosiaaI effektiewe kerke. 'n Doel van hierdie studie is om bestaande kennis en metodes in die bestuurswetenskappe as 'n konseptuele raamwerk aan te bied vir die sistematiese passing van ontwrigtende elemente van kontemporere Kerkgroei Teorie binne 'n holistiese en geintegreerde ontwikkelingsbenadering wat dieper gaan as sIegs die meganistiese ekstrapolering van teoretiese idees en praktyk van een konteks na 'n ander. Die navorsing het 'n ondersteuningsbasis van 74% bevind onder die Suid Afrikaanse kerkleiers wat aan die ondersoek deeIgeneem het, vir 'n sintese van die beste van beide kerkgroei en besigheidsbestuursmetodes in vervulling van die kerk se missie. Die mees afdwingbare bevinding wat hierdie navorsing bydra tot sosiale kennis is egter dat plaaslike kerke wat aansienlik meer in eksterne areas van evangelasie, gemeenskapwerk en kerkplanting groei, het toegepaste strategiese denke, formele beplanning en bestuursmetodes aangewend sonder om die Evangeliese boodskap waarvoor die kerk geroepe is om aan die gemeenskap te bring, te kompromitteer.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Management Sciences (Marketing), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Marketing and communications have become part of church activities in order to get the attention of congregations. It has become clear that church activities and marketing activities are interrelated. People become attached to a religion in the same way they become attached to a brand. This study examined whether the principles of marketing in traditional product areas are transferable to the marketing of the church and church services, persons and ideas in South Africa. It examined the ways in which core values of marketing and church are interrelated and interconnected to offer social values. The study also explored the way social marketers make use of the marketing mix in their routine activities. Religious organisations can also apply the marketing mix in order to communicate religious values in their social roles. It emerged that the church can also apply the service marketing mix through the “7P’s” with a view to achieving its social mandate. Specifically, spirituality (product), communication (promotion), delivery (place), exchange (price), employee involvement in service delivery (people), the mechanisms, via which the service is delivered (process), and the environment in which the services are delivered (physical environment). In addition, the church marketing theoretical frame work is derived from social marketing which is designed to influence individuals’ behaviour, improve their well-being and that of society. This study was conducted in Wentworth, Umlazi, Phoenix and Glenwood communities located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The sample size of this survey and the number of units that were required in the process of gathering data was based on interviews with professionals in the church business. Eight interviews were conducted with the officials in the four communities (two officials in each of the communities) while four focus group discussions consisting of 10-12 participants each were conducted among the selected church members of these four communities. The study used exploratory research design and the qualitative approach as data collection methods. The findings reveal that the church efforts aimed at fulfilling its vi social mandate are clouded by a number of marketing tactics. The use of marketing tactics appears to be more important in achieving church social mandates than the use of specific word-of-mouth (preaching) methods. Furthermore, there is an indication that in developing and running programmes for the church, there is an inclusion of marketing components in the planning, such as programmes that will have effect in transforming the surrounding, community, awareness, and evangelical missions. It was established that although the Holy Spirit is supreme to the church in transforming life, marketing tactics also can be employed to create an atmosphere that is welcoming to the Spirit’s work of restoration, rebirth, and awakening. Overall, the findings suggest that a church’s marketing tactics should be determined by marketing goals that relate to the vision and mission of the church. Hence, the study proposes an additional 8th “P” which is philosophy and underpinned by the vision, mission, passion, planning and ethics which could enhance the church’s ability in presenting a value proposition to its congregation in a similar manner that other marketers do.

Text in Afrikaans / The URCSA's synod of Northern Transvaal consists of 128 congregations of which 48 are at present without a minister. Of the 48 congregations, 23 are small rural congregations. This does not include the numerous ward churches of large rural congregations that are in essence also small congregations. The URCSA has two historical legacies; namely, material poverty and the Presbyterian form of church governance known as the tipple office-bearers' doctrine (manus triplex) with a built-in hierarchy that affords pastors a prominent leadership role in congregations. The assumption can thus be made that each congregation should have a church council and pastor. As small rural congregations cannot afford the expense of their own minister, they therefore have to cope without one. Against this background one must understand the importance of elders in small rural congregations of the URCSA where the role of pastor is assumed and performed by elders, yet without any official training. This compels the church to probe alternative ways to become a pastor. The former DRMC and DRCA subscribed to an ecclesiastical practise whereby proven church leaders could be admitted as pastors on the grounds of their unique spiritual gifts. This practise has been accepted by the general synod of the URCSA. It is clear from this empirical study that the top leadership of the URCSA should adapt this accepted practise to accommodate the situation of the rural congregations. The possible synthesis of the apprentice, in-service-training, and tent-making models as general models for ministerial training amongst Protestants in the past, could pave the way for an adapted Pauline tent-maker model that will lead to the admittance of proven local church leaders as pastors in the URCSA's rural ward churches and small congregations. The prevailing situation of the rural church necessitates this mode of ministry as a supplementary alternative to the existing training of ministers. As it addresses a critical situation, it does not stand in opposition to the full-time ministry or the thorough theological training of especially the younger people. What does emerge from the context of the rural church, is the need for both modes of ministry. / Practical Theology / D.Th.

Text in Afrikaans / The URCSA's synod of Northern Transvaal consists of 128 congregations of which 48 are at present without a minister. Of the 48 congregations, 23 are small rural congregations. This does not include the numerous ward churches of large rural congregations that are in essence also small congregations. The URCSA has two historical legacies; namely, material poverty and the Presbyterian form of church governance known as the tipple office-bearers' doctrine (manus triplex) with a built-in hierarchy that affords pastors a prominent leadership role in congregations. The assumption can thus be made that each congregation should have a church council and pastor. As small rural congregations cannot afford the expense of their own minister, they therefore have to cope without one. Against this background one must understand the importance of elders in small rural congregations of the URCSA where the role of pastor is assumed and performed by elders, yet without any official training. This compels the church to probe alternative ways to become a pastor. The former DRMC and DRCA subscribed to an ecclesiastical practise whereby proven church leaders could be admitted as pastors on the grounds of their unique spiritual gifts. This practise has been accepted by the general synod of the URCSA. It is clear from this empirical study that the top leadership of the URCSA should adapt this accepted practise to accommodate the situation of the rural congregations. The possible synthesis of the apprentice, in-service-training, and tent-making models as general models for ministerial training amongst Protestants in the past, could pave the way for an adapted Pauline tent-maker model that will lead to the admittance of proven local church leaders as pastors in the URCSA's rural ward churches and small congregations. The prevailing situation of the rural church necessitates this mode of ministry as a supplementary alternative to the existing training of ministers. As it addresses a critical situation, it does not stand in opposition to the full-time ministry or the thorough theological training of especially the younger people. What does emerge from the context of the rural church, is the need for both modes of ministry. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th.