Developing a marketing strategy for ministries in the reformed churches in South Africa J.J.P. Hattingh https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4944-1248 Mini-dissertation accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Business Administration at the North-West University Supervisor: Prof JJ Prinsloo Graduation: July 2022 Student number: 31575846 DECLARATION I, Johannes Jakobus Petrus Hattingh, declare that the mini-dissertation titled Developing a marketing strategy for ministries in the reformed churches, which I am submitting for the MBA degree at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, in compliance with the set requirements, is my work, has been language- edited and has not been submitted to any other university. _________________ JJP Hattingh i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Completing this MBA degree was something I’ve always wanted to do, but I never believed in myself. Covid-19 and the challenges it has brought over the last two years have become an opportunity, although I have had to overcome the illness itself. At the end of this journey, I want to thank those who have helped me achieve this. I want to express my thanks and appreciation to the following persons who believed that I would overcome the challenges. • First of all, I want to thank God for the opportunity to do this MBA degree. He answered my prayers and carried me through the times when I needed it most. • A special acknowledgement and thank you to my wife, Clarika, and my three children, AD, Joné and JD. Thank you for your support and love during this journey, especially the question – “Hoe ver is pa?” Thank you for understanding when I was not available to support your milestones. • Prof Hein Prinsloo was so enthusiastic about the theme of my mini-dissertation. Your enthusiasm was infectious and was transferred to me. Thank you for your availability and guidance. • Dr Frikkie Labuschagne, thank you for talking me into this journey and for all your words of inspiration along the road. Thank you believing in me. • A special thanks to Dr Rudy Denton for his time and advice. Thank you for the accommodation during the summer and winter schools and the quick visits after a Saturday of classes. • I want to thank Christien Terblanche, who edited the mini-dissertation. Thank you so much for helping me present it in an easy-to-read style. • A special thanks to my study group and now lifelong friends for your support and advice. I was privileged to be in this study group. • My parents, thank you for the support and understanding when I could not stay longer than expected. ii ABSTRACT Developing a marketing strategy for ministries in the reformed churches The concept of religious marketing is foreign to the tradition of the reformed churches. For the older generation, it is completely out of bounds. This study explored why a marketing strategy is necessary, especially with the decline in membership numbers over the last ± 20 years. The marketing industry would call this a loss of market share in a specific market segment. The problem described above gave rise to the following main research question: What marketing strategy can be developed to help the reformed sister churches and, more specifically in this research, the NHKA, recover their market share by effectively and efficiently marketing their ministries? Following a deductive method, the study first traced the historical development of Christianity and the church. The three sister churches in South Africa had a growth phase from 1843 until 1992 since they enjoyed state protection. During this period, only the three Afrikaans sister churches – the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA); the Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) and the Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA) – had the privilege to have media exposure. With the acceptance of the new constitution of South Africa in 1996, the reformed churches lost this benefit. Churches who adhere to a prosperity theology, such as the Christian Revival Church and small home churches, have cut into the target market of the reformed churches. The historical overview was followed by qualitative research with a phenomenological design. Group interviews were held with focus groups from selected congregations of the NHKA by means of an interview guide with open-ended questions. A thematic analysis was done once the data had been gathered. The most prominent themes that emerged from the data were: - • there is no marketing strategy, • the restrictions that Covid-19 brought means that the new normal is digitalisation, and • with a marketing plan, it is possible to inspire growth. The empirical data furthermore reveal an inside-out communication strategy and the importance of marketing strategy for the three Afrikaans sister churches. iii Keywords Religion, church marketing, marketing segment, differentiation, digitalisation, sister churches, marketing strategy, community. iv OPSOMMING Ontwikkeling van 'n bemarkingstrategie vir bedieninge binne die gereformeerde kerke Die konsep van bemarking is volksvreemd binne die gereformeerde kerktradisie. Die meer senior lidmate beskou dit selfs as onkerklik. Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na die nodigheid vir 'n bemarkingstrategie, veral met die afname in lidmaatgetalle oor die afgelope ± 20 jaar. In bemarkingsterme sal dit beskryf kan word as ? verlies aan markaandeel in 'n spesifieke marksegment. Die probleem wat hierbo beskryf is, gee aanleiding tot die volgende primêre navorsingsvraag: Watter bemarkingstrategie kan ontwikkel word om die gereformeerde susterskerke en, meer spesifiek in hierdie navorsing, die NHKA, te help om markaandeel te herwin deur hul bedieninge effektief en doeltreffend te bemark? Met gebruik van ? deduktiewe benadering ondersoek die studie eerstens die historiese ontwikkeling van die Christendom en die kerk. Die drie susterskerke in Suid-Afrika het vanaf 1883 tot 1992 'n groeifase beleef aangesien hulle staatsbeskerming geniet het. Tydens hierdie tydperk het slegs die drie Afrikaanse susterkerke – die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA); die Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) en die Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA) – die voorreg van mediablootstelling gehad. Met die aanvaarding van die nuwe grondwet van Suid-Afrika in 1996 het die gereformeerde kerke hierdie voordeel verloor. Kerke wat ? welvaartsteologie verkondig, soos die Christian Revival Church, en klein huiskerke teiken nou dieselfde mark as die gereformeerde kerke. Die historiese oorsig is gevolg deur kwalitatiewe navorsing met ? fenomenologiese ontwerp. Groepsonderhoude is met fokusgroepe uit geselekteerde gemeentes van die NHKA gehou met gebruik van ? onderhoudskedule met oopeindigende vrae. ’n Tematiese analise is gedoen nadat al die inligting ingesamel is. Die mees prominente temas wat uit die data na vore gekom het is:- • daar is geen bemarkingstrategie nie, • die beperkings wat Covid-19 meegebring het beteken ? nuwe normaal, naamlik digitalisering, • met 'n bemarkingsplan is dit moontlik om groei aan te wakker en te vestig. Die empiriese data het verder gewys op 'n binne-buite kommunikasiestrategie en die belangrikheid van bemarkingstrategie vir die drie Afrikaanse susterskerke. v Sleutelterme Godsdiens, kerkbemarking, bemarkingsegment, differensiasie, digitalisering, susterskerke, bemarkingstrategie, gemeenskap. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ......................................................................................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... II ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. III OPSOMMING ........................................................................................................................... V CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background to the problem ............................................................................. 1 1.3 Problem statement ........................................................................................... 2 1.4 Literature study ................................................................................................ 2 1.4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 2 1.4.2 Marketing ............................................................................................................ 3 1.4.3 Marketing gap analysis ....................................................................................... 4 1.4.4 Digital marketing ................................................................................................. 5 1.4.5 Marketing strategy .............................................................................................. 7 1.4.5.1 Differentiation strategy ........................................................................................ 8 1.4.5.2 Cost leadership strategy ..................................................................................... 8 1.4.5.3 Differentiation focus strategy .............................................................................. 8 1.4.5.4 Cost focus strategy ............................................................................................. 8 1.4.5.5 Test of an effective marketing strategy ............................................................... 9 1.4.5.6 The execution of a marketing strategy ................................................................ 9 1.4.5.7 Assessing marketing strategies .......................................................................... 9 1.4.5.8 Benefits of marketing strategies ........................................................................ 10 vii 1.4.5.9 Challenges that may affect marketing strategies ............................................... 10 1.4.6 Operational ministries ....................................................................................... 11 1.4.6.1 Celebration ....................................................................................................... 11 1.4.6.2 Community of believers .................................................................................... 11 1.4.6.3 Witnessing ........................................................................................................ 11 1.4.6.4 Service ............................................................................................................. 11 1.4.7 Decline in membership ..................................................................................... 12 1.4.8 Age differentiation ............................................................................................. 14 1.4.9 Competitiveness ............................................................................................... 14 1.5 Research questions and objectives .............................................................. 15 1.5.1 Primary question ............................................................................................... 15 1.5.2 Secondary questions ........................................................................................ 16 1.5.3 Primary aim ...................................................................................................... 16 1.5.4 Secondary objectives ........................................................................................ 16 1.6 Research methodology .................................................................................. 17 1.6.1 Research philosophy ........................................................................................ 17 1.6.1.1 Meta-theoretical assumptions ........................................................................... 18 1.6.1.2 Theoretical assumptions ................................................................................... 18 1.6.2 Research design ............................................................................................... 18 1.6.3 Population and sampling .................................................................................. 18 1.6.3.1 Population ........................................................................................................ 18 1.6.3.2 Sample ............................................................................................................. 19 1.6.3.2.1 Sample size ...................................................................................................... 19 viii 1.6.3.3 Inclusion and exclusion criteria ......................................................................... 20 1.6.3.4 Exclusion criteria .............................................................................................. 20 1.6.3.5 Risk to the participants ..................................................................................... 20 1.6.3.6 Process of obtaining informed consent ............................................................. 21 1.6.3.7 Data collection .................................................................................................. 21 1.6.3.8 Pilot testing ....................................................................................................... 22 1.7 Trustworthiness .............................................................................................. 22 1.7.1 Truth value ....................................................................................................... 22 1.7.2 Applicability ...................................................................................................... 22 1.7.3 Consistency ...................................................................................................... 23 1.7.4 Neutrality .......................................................................................................... 23 1.7.5 Authenticity ....................................................................................................... 23 1.8 Ethics considerations .................................................................................... 23 1.8.1 Permission and informed consent ..................................................................... 24 1.8.2 Anonymity ......................................................................................................... 24 1.8.3 Confidentiality ................................................................................................... 24 1.9 Time schedule ................................................................................................. 25 1.10 Publication ...................................................................................................... 25 1.11 Executive summary ........................................................................................ 26 CHAPTER 2: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEDERDUITS HERVORMDE KERK IN AFRIKA 27 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 27 2.2 Developments in the early Christian church ................................................ 27 ix 2.2.1 The period 500–1555 AC .................................................................................. 27 2.2.2 The period 1555–1652 ...................................................................................... 29 2.2.3 Protestantism in South Africa 1652–1806 ......................................................... 30 2.2.4 The development of the three sister churches in South Africa .......................... 31 2.2.5 The three sister churches before 1994 ............................................................. 33 2.2.6 The three sister churches after 1994 ................................................................ 39 2.2.7 Current structure and fragmentation of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Afrika ................................................................................................................ 41 2.2.8 What is a marketing strategy? .......................................................................... 42 2.2.9 The current marketing strategy of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Afrika ................................................................................................................ 44 2.2.9.1 Changes in the marketing strategy of the church over time............................... 44 2.3 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 45 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................................................... 46 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 46 3.2 The research problem and purpose .............................................................. 47 3.3 Qualitative method ......................................................................................... 47 3.3.1 Why a thematical approach? ............................................................................ 48 3.3.2 Criticism and challenges of a thematical approach ........................................... 49 3.4 Target population ........................................................................................... 50 3.5 Pilot study ....................................................................................................... 51 3.6 Sample size ..................................................................................................... 52 3.6.1 Sampling method and sampling technique ....................................................... 53 x 3.7 Data collection ................................................................................................ 53 3.8 Data analysis................................................................................................... 54 3.8.1 Coding .............................................................................................................. 54 3.8.2 Themes ............................................................................................................ 55 3.8.3 Data saturation ................................................................................................. 55 3.8.4 Write-up ............................................................................................................ 55 3.9 Trustworthiness .............................................................................................. 56 3.10 Limitations of the study ................................................................................. 56 3.11 Ethical considerations ................................................................................... 57 3.11.1 Permission and informed consent ..................................................................... 58 3.11.2 Anonymity ......................................................................................................... 58 3.11.3 Confidentiality ................................................................................................... 58 3.12 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 58 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSING TO DETERMINE MARKETING TOOLS ........................ 60 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 60 4.2 Analysing the focus groups interviews ........................................................ 60 4.2.1 Part one: Demographics ................................................................................... 60 4.2.2 Part two: Open-ended questions....................................................................... 62 4.2.2.1 Thematic analysis of interviews ........................................................................ 62 4.2.2.1.1 What are your view/s about a marketing strategy in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika? ............................................................................. 63 4.2.2.1.2 What are your view/s about the current marketing situation in your congregation? ................................................................................................... 65 xi 4.2.2.1.3 What will you include in a marketing strategy?.................................................. 65 4.2.2.1.4 Which marketing tool/s do you think will provide an effective and efficient marketing tool for your congregation? ............................................................... 68 4.2.2.1.5 What is the reason/s for your selection in the previous question? ..................... 68 4.2.2.1.6 Do you think that digitisation will impact the marketing of the congregation? Please elaborate ............................................................................................... 69 4.2.2.1.7 Do you have any suggestions to improve a marketing strategy in your congregation or the NHKA? .............................................................................. 70 4.2.2.1.8 Are all the different age groups in the congregation involved in the marketing of the congregation? ........................................................................ 71 4.2.2.1.9 Will you be interested in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy for your congregation? If yes/no, indicate why? .................................................... 72 4.2.2.1.10 Will your congregation be interested in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy? If yes/no, indicate why? ................................................... 73 4.3 A few prominent findings to conclude the results of the empirical research .......................................................................................................... 73 4.4 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 73 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUDING INFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................... 75 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 75 5.2 Structure of the study .................................................................................... 75 5.3 Research objectives ....................................................................................... 76 5.3.1 Objective 1 - To gain insight into the current marketing strategy of the NHKA ............................................................................................................... 76 5.3.2 Objective 2 - To conduct a literature study of related sciences to understand the current situation and the cultural differences between the different age groups present in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika ................................................................................................................ 76 xii 5.3.3 Objective 3 - To determine the marketing tools that can be used to support the NHKA's objectives so that the church can effectively and efficiently market their operational ministries .................................................................... 78 5.3.4 Objective 4 – Propose a marketing plan to market the NHKA’s operational ministries .......................................................................................................... 79 5.4 Final inferences .............................................................................................. 79 5.5 Recommendations.......................................................................................... 80 5.6 Suggestions for future research .................................................................... 80 5.7 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 81 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 82 APPENDIX A: A LETTER OF CONSENT OF THE NEDERDUTSCH REFORMED CHURCH................................................................................................................................. 90 APPENDIX B: KERKSPIEËL ETIESE MAGTINGING ........................................................... 91 APPENDIX C: INTERVIEWED GUIDE TO OPEN-ENDED QUESTION ................................. 94 APPENDIX D: PROPOSED CONCEPTUALISED MARKETING PLAN............................... 103 APPENDIX E: EMS REC FEEDBACK ................................................................................. 130 APPENDIX F: INTERVIEW 1 ............................................................................................... 131 APPENDIX G: INTERVIEW 2 .............................................................................................. 153 APPENDIX H: INTERVIEW 6 ............................................................................................... 175 APPENDIX I: LETTER OF APPROVAL TO SUBMIT IN MARCH 2022 ............................... 199 APPENDIX J: DECLARATION OF LANGUAGE EDITING .................................................. 206 APPENDIX K: SOLEMON DECLARATION ........................................................................ 208 xiii LIST OF TABLES Table 1-1: The fundamental principles of a marketing strategy .................................... 4 Table 1-2: White ethnic culture group population ....................................................... 13 Table 1-3: Ebb and flow of members over 40 years (Dreyer et al., 2020) ................... 13 Table 1-4: Congregation per province ........................................................................ 19 Table 1-5: Congregations interviewed ........................................................................ 20 Table 1-6: Time schedule ........................................................................................... 25 Table 1-7: Executive summary ................................................................................... 26 Table 2-1: The different schools of the Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education (Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education, 2019) ................................. 38 Table 2-2: Loss of members (Dreyer et al., 2020) ...................................................... 40 Table 2-1: Elements of a marketing strategy (NIBUSINESSINFO.CO.ZA, 2022) ....... 43 Table 3-1: Types of qualitative research strategies (Botma et al., 2010:198) ............. 46 Table 3-2: Six steps of a thematical analysis (Bryman & Bell, 2014:351) ................... 49 Table 3-3: Congregation per province ........................................................................ 50 Table 3-4: Qualitative research methodologies (Janghorban et al., 2014) .................. 51 Table 3-5: Congregation interviewed.......................................................................... 52 Table 3-6: Limitations of qualitative research (Christiansen, 2021) ............................ 56 Table 4-1: Views about a marketing strategy in the NHKA ......................................... 63 Table 4-2: The themes and categories that emerged from Question 1 ....................... 64 Table 4-3: The current marketing situation in a congregation ..................................... 65 Table 4-4: The sub-themes and categories related to a marketing strategy in a congregation ............................................................................................. 65 xiv Table 4-5: Elements to include in a marketing strategy .............................................. 66 Table 4-6: The sub-themes and categories related to the elements of a marketing strategy ..................................................................................................... 67 Table 4-7: Marketing tool/s for an effective and efficient marketing strategy ............... 68 Table 4-8: Reasons for using the marketing tool/s ..................................................... 68 Table 4-9: The sub-themes and categories related to marketing tools as part of a marketing strategy..................................................................................... 69 Table 4-10: Impact of digitisation on the marketing in a congregation .......................... 69 Table 4-11: The sub-themes and categories related to the impact of digitisation on the marketing in a congregation ...................................................................... 70 Table 4-12: Suggestions to improve a marketing strategy in your congregation or the NHKA ........................................................................................................ 70 Table 4-13: The sub-themes and categories related to suggestions to improve a marketing strategy in your congregation or the NHKA ............................... 71 Table 4-14: Involvement of different age groups in the marketing of a congregation .... 71 Table 4-15: The sub-themes and categories related to the involvement of different age groups in the marketing of a congregation ................................................ 71 Table 4-16: Interest in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy for your congregation ............................................................................................. 72 Table 4-17: The sub-themes and categories related to a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy in your congregation .................................................... 72 xv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1: Nadel-Tushman's model (Creately, 2021) ................................................... 5 Figure 1-2: Distribution of social media users in South Africa by age group and gender (Lama, 2020:3) ............................................................................................ 7 Figure 1-3: The four generic strategies of Porter (Riley, 2018:2) ................................... 8 Figure 1-4: Tests of an effective marketing strategy (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:377) ........... 9 Figure 1-5: Membership trends in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA) (Van Staden, 2009) ...................................................................... 12 Figure 1-6: Porter’s five forces analysis (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99) .......................... 15 Figure 1-7: Steps in conducting a social survey (Bryman & Bell, 2014:169) ................ 22 Figure 2-1: Peter’s Dome in the St. Peters Basilica (Borisgelman, 2019) .................... 28 Figure 2-2: The five significant routes of the Great Trek (South African History Online, 2011)......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 2-3: NHSV old logo 36 ..................................................................................... 36 Figure 2-4: NHSV current corporate logo .................................................................... 36 Figure 2-5: The old logo of the “Ondersteuningsraad” ................................................. 37 Figure 2-6: RATA corporate logo ................................................................................. 37 Figure 2-7: Michael Porter's four generic strategies (Riley, 2018:2) ............................. 43 Figure 3-1: Steps in conducting a social survey (Bryman & Bell, 2014:169) ................ 54 xvi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction Since 1998, the membership numbers of the three Afrikaans sister churches – Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA); – Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) and the– Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA) has been showing a steady decline. The NHKA grew to 170 011 members by 1998, spread over 311 congregations. From 1998 to 2019 (21 years), the NHKA lost 89 639 members (Dreyer et al., 2020:22). The NGK lost more than one million members between 2003 and 2019 (Oosthuizen, 2019). The GKSA lost 25 657 members between 1998 and 2018 (GKSA, 2018). Some of the declines in the membership numbers of the three Afrikaans sister churches can be attributed to the negative birth rate and emigration trends in the white Afrikaans-speaking communities (Van Staden, 2009). In contrast with the three Afrikaans sister churches, communities such as those that promote prosperity theology, such as the Christian Revival Church (CRC), founded in 1994, grew from 183 members up to more than 70 000 members by 2020 (Boshoff & Boshoff, 2020). In the northern suburbs of Pretoria, 66 home churches and other Christian denominations were established between 2010 and 2018 (Scoltz, 2018). The three Afrikaans sister churches have fallen into a comfort zone. In business terms, the decline in members and the rise of other Christian denominations means that the three Afrikaans sisters Churches have lost market share. The research will focus on a marketing strategy that can be implemented to regain market share. The marketing strategy and target market have to keep track of the millennials' and the upcoming Z generation’s questions and needs. The research will focus on the youth because of the growth potential. 1.2 Background to the problem As outlined in the introduction above, the membership numbers of the three Afrikaans reformed churches have been showing a steady decline every year. One study has shown that the negative birth rate and emigration trends in the Afrikaans population group could be a reason for the decline (NHKA (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika), 2019). In contrast to the Afrikaans reformed churches, there are Christian denominations and communities that have been growing. Rick Warren stated, in the foreword to the book “Viral churches: Helping church planters become movement makers”, that it is inevitable that a congregation would have to relive and revitalise when they reach a plateau (Stetzer et al., 2010:xi). 1 Marketing is a sensitive issue in the church environment because God’s Word is often considered not marketable. However, the message of the Word and the operational part of a church’s ministries are, in fact, marketable (McSpadden, 2014:48). The research goal of this dissertation is to set up a marketing strategy to gain access to and recover a portion of the market share available to the three Afrikaans reformed churches. Michael Porter’s five forces evaluate a business organisation's competitive strength and position (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99). According to this model, the three Afrikaans reformed churches have lost market share. The primary purpose of a church is the Missio Dei (missional ministry) and the passio Dei (compassion ministry) (Louw, 2016:336-354). As such, the primary message of the Gospel is marketable through churches’ ministries and their members as living witnesses. The NHKA’s mission statement names (i) community, (ii) celebration, (iii) service and (iv) witnessing as the four pillars of the primary purpose. The mission statement forces the church to do self- examination so that they can be living witnesses with a global, marketable mission statement (Jordaan, 2007). 1.3 Problem statement The available literature and statistics show that the reformed churches do not market themselves effectively and efficiently to increase their market share. According to Statistics South Africa, the white population of South Africa has grown by 2% from 2011 to 2020 (Stats SA, 2020). Most members of the NHKA belong to this group. If the national figures indicate growth in the ethnic group's population, we must ask why the membership numbers of the NHKA have been showing a decline? One of the questions is why people are joining the emerging religious groups rather than the established churches. Are the sister churches losing their market share in a small but ever-diversifying market segment? Based on the discussion above, the problem statement commutes to the following: “Despite relative population growth in South Africa, the Afrikaans sister churches continue to experience a downward trend in their membership numbers year on year.” 1.4 Literature study 1.4.1 Introduction The business principle of both the NHKA and NGK is based on the ecclesia completa et ecclesia incompleta, but the GKSA’s business principle is based on ecclesia completa (Van Rooi, 2010:100-101). 2 Ecclesia completa et ecclesia incompleta indicates that the local church relates to other congregations and churches as one Holy Church within the reformational ecclesiology and church polity. The units are visibly connected through church structures and congregations. Van Rooi (Van Rooi, 2010:100) explains ecclesia completa et ecclesia incomplete as follows: “a church is truly church in Christ and that it finds its autonomy – and indeed also its authority – in Christ.” In this sense, there is no room for one (older) church to govern over another (younger) church. However, it is also clear that the ecclesia completa should undergo the necessary development(s) in the process of growth. This process will only reach completion with Christ’s final coming (Van Rooi, 2010:100). Ecclesia completa et ecclesia incomplete, therefore, means that the business principle is inclusive and that different churches rely on each other (Van Rooi, 2010:101). From a business point of view, the principle of an economy of scale is applicable. This means that the unit cost per person will decrease if the number of members of a business unit (church) grows (Janse Van Rensburg et al., 2015:548). It is essential to establish a marketing strategy to recover market share to stop the decline in members and create the opportunity for growth. This study explores a marketing strategy with a specific focus on the NHKA. 1.4.2 Marketing The question is whether the church can be approached from a business management perspective. There is literature in this regard, but no one is brave enough or dares to express a definitive opinion. A business refers to an arrangement where a person gets paid for a service or product. Churches are involved in a kind of business from Monday to Friday, and they have to make business decisions (Freeland, 2018). Drucker states (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:19) that “.. the purpose of business is to create and keep customers; it has only two central functions – marketing and innovation. The basic function of marketing is to attract and retain customers at a profit.” Although the church does not pursue profits, the operational part of the church has expenses, and every church needs the income for operational purposes. In order to gain a market share, it is vital to make people aware of the work the church does (product & promotion), where they are (place), and why it is essential to belong (price) to a church (Adebayo, 2015:17). According to Singh (Singh, 2012:40), a market strategy relies on four marketing principles, but three additional principles have been added to the service industry. The principles are as follows: • Product • Price 3 • Promotion • Place • People • Process • Physical evidence The principle of economy of scale applies. In this context, it refers to the unit cost per person in relation to the cost of a church or congregation (Janse Van Rensburg et al., 2015:136). The idiom “The more, the merrier” is applicable (Anon, 2002). Unfortunately, a marketing strategy cannot be prepared without knowing the competitors’ position. The fundamental principles of a marketing strategy can be used to inspire growth (Kulkarni, 2015). Table one summarises the four marketing strategies that guide the overall strategy. Table 1-1: The fundamental principles of a marketing strategy Specialisation Differentiation Segmentation Concentration It is essential to Differentiation Marketing is about It is crucial to on the determine the focus determines the segmentation that strengths in the of the specialisation. church’s competitive focuses on a specific resources, budget In other words, what advantage and target population. and time to attract is the core business? determines how to and keep the outperform the member. competition. Marketing research can reveal a marketing gap that offers growth areas (Management Study Guide, 2021:1). This will help determine which marketing strategy can lead to a plan (or expanded marketing strategy) to make people more aware of what church ministries do to attract members. 1.4.3 Marketing gap analysis A marketing gap analysis identifies the gaps; in other words, it measures where the church is with reference to the expected outcome (what they want) in the critical performance area. The model of Nadler-Tushman can be used to analyse the gap in the NHKA (Creately, 2021). The Nadler- Tushman gap analysis has the following four elements: • Work 4 • People • Structure • Culture Figure 1-1 below offers a schematic outline of Nadel-Tushman’s marketing gap analysis model. Figure 1-1: Nadel-Tushman's model (Creately, 2021) The question arises: How can the church's ministries contribute to the community? People look up to the church and ask how the churches plan to get non-members and youths involved in their ministries. With the realisation of the fourth industrial revolution and more people using smartphones, digital marketing must become part of a marketing strategy. 1.4.4 Digital marketing Digital marketing is one of the subsections of a marketing strategy. With digital marketing and social media, the options for marketing a church or congregation are endless (Karg, 2019:20). The church can benefit from the fourth industrial revolution in that it drives faster connectivity, including artificial intelligence, which will affect people’s inner lives (Schwab, 2016). Given the continuous changing state of technology, it is pivotal for the church to adapt and adjust its strategy (Karg, 2019:22). Mobile technology has advanced in the last few years, especially with the introduction of smartphones (Pew Research Center, 2021). According to Mzekandaba (2020), the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), 91,2% of the South African population uses smartphones (Mzekandaba, 2020). This comes down to 53,4 million smartphone users in South Africa (Mzekandaba, 2020). With more and more people using smartphones, the use of artificial intelligence is on our doorstep. 5 Artificial intelligence refers to machines that have been developed to think and work like humans. An early example is speech recognition (Saeed, 2020). However, artificial intelligence is a power within technology that adapts our thinking and buying. The next level of technology, especially when it comes to smartphones, is virtual reality, which will also transform religions (Milijic, 2019). The question is, will digital marketing in the church environment contribute to the church's core business? The exploration of digital marketing must form part of the marketing strategy to give the church the edge to grasp a more significant market share. Digital marketing forms a critical part of any marketing strategy, especially in the fourth industrial revolution and the transformation and growth of technology (Campbell & Evolvi, 2020:5). Forty per cent, or 22,89 million people in South Africa, are active social media users (Lama, 2020). Figure 1-2 indicates the target group of social media users that may affect a marketing strategy. 6 Figure 1-2: Distribution of social media users in South Africa by age group and gender (Lama, 2020:3) 1.4.5 Marketing strategy When we look at a marketing strategy, we must look at a plan to attract people primarily to a church and, if possible, to the NHKA or one of the other two sister churches. The value proposition, target group, demographics, and brand are elements to be addressed as part of this marketing strategy (Barone & James, 2021). Before developing a marketing strategy, it is essential to determine the audience and the church's role to develop a marketing strategy. The marketing strategy aims to establish a successful religious organisation at different levels and among different age populations (Linshpin, 2020:1). Combining the scope (audience) and the church's role (activities) may establish a competitive advantage, resulting in four generic strategies. According to Porter’s four strategic strategies, differentiation and cost leadership strategies seek a broad market segmentation scope, while differentiation focus and cost focus seek a narrow segmentation (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:373). Porter’s four generic strategies are schematically depicted as follows (Riley, 2018:2): 7 Figure 1-3: The four generic strategies of Porter (Riley, 2018:2) 1.4.5.1 Differentiation strategy The differentiation strategy seeks to identify the uniqueness of the organisation, that which makes it different from competitors. The aim is to increase the competitive advantage. To accomplish the objectives, it will be necessary to analyse the strengths and weaknesses to determine the value/s and critical performance areas provided (Indeed Career Guide, 2020). 1.4.5.2 Cost leadership strategy Cost leadership aims to achieve the lowest cost position. This strategy focuses on selling a product at the lowest price. Since there is no fiscal product in this research that has to be marketed at the lowest price, this strategy cannot be used (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:373-374). 1.4.5.3 Differentiation focus strategy This strategic objective aims to differentiate a small number of target market segments. The differentiation focus strategy focuses on the narrow niche market to add value to their members (Riley, 2018:5). 1.4.5.4 Cost focus strategy The cost focus strategy aims to narrow niche markets with a product directed at an exclusive or small group of people (Riley, 2018:4). 8 1.4.5.5 Test of an effective marketing strategy Whether a marketing strategy is successful or not can be evaluated as summarised in Figure 1- 4. Figure 1-4: Tests of an effective marketing strategy (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:377) 1.4.5.6 The execution of a marketing strategy Implementing an effective differentiation marketing strategy has two critical elements, as discussed below (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:378): • Tactical actions The marketing mix uses tools to pursue the marketing objectives within the target market. The way in which a business manipulates and provides the market mix may help them gain market share and outgun competition. • Structures to put in place Executing a marketing plan means it must come into motion. This requires a structure that can take responsibility. A marketing strategy must be flexible to proactively prevent market share loss due to geography, age group and technology. 1.4.5.7 Assessing marketing strategies The outcome of a marketing strategy will determine if the objective as described in the planning and execution phase has been met. 9 The return on investment comes under fire if the objectives are not met. Specific control has to be in place to ensure that the return on investment is spent wisely. These controls are time- bound. In the short term, daily, weekly, and monthly goals can indicate if the marketing plan and objectives are in harmony. A long-term assessment is when management stands back and critically evaluate the way forward, considering the strategic perspectives and geographical changes. Another method to evaluate the marketing strategies is a marketing matrix. This method does not apply because a matrix is linked to and measured by financial outcomes. Financial growth can be used in the religious environment as a measuring method, but the focus is more on its members' development (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:380). 1.4.5.8 Benefits of marketing strategies There are various benefits to implementing a marketing strategy. These advantages are as follows: • It helps to give consistency over time — especially in a time when Millennials frequently change their work environments. • It helps to monitor environmental changes and act proactively. • It helps the organisation to engage and drive people towards a specific goal. • It helps to evaluate the competitive advantages. • It helps the organisation stay in touch with changes in technology. 1.4.5.9 Challenges that may affect marketing strategies A marketing strategy can contend with the following problems (Ruiz, 2018:3): • Managerial inabilities affect the marketing strategy and the way in which it is put it into action. • There can be an inability to find the market segment. • Church members may fail to recognise or personalise the marketing strategy. • There could be an absence of brand images. • If there is no digital presence, people could be scared to enter this innovative environment. 10 • External factors, for example, political and economic changes, could influence marketing strategies. A marketing strategy can be used proactively in a church environment to make people more aware of: • the church’s activities, • what the church's responsibility towards a community is, • ways to attract young people and • ways in which to use technology to reach people. 1.4.6 Operational ministries The NHKA (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, 2017) describes its operational ministries as follows in the mission statement: 1.4.6.1 Celebration This ministry includes religious activities such as arranging worship services, preaching, and serving the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. 1.4.6.2 Community of believers This ministry refers to the journey to equip members and office bearers to fulfil the believer's calling to priesthood. These elements include: • Family ministries • Youth ministries • Discipleship 1.4.6.3 Witnessing Witnessing has two aspects. The first is the members' spirituality. The second is serviceability towards fulfilling the community members' missional calling. 1.4.6.4 Service The services of the office bearers and every member of the church should radiate out to their congregation and beyond. 11 1.4.7 Decline in membership The possible reasons for the decline in members are endless. Van Staden found in his research that the membership numbers of the NHKA have been on the decline because of natural causes (Van Staden, 2009). The first reason is the low birth rate in the population group the NHKA mostly serves. This is presented in Figures 1-5. The gap between the two lines (in Figures 1-5) denotes the youth of the church. A confessing member is a person 17 years and older, while a member refers to any person, from babies to the elderly, who belongs to the church. The risk is that the space between the two lines would shrink as youths do not continue as adult church members (Dreyer et al., 2020:194). Membership trends in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk 250 000 200 000 150 000 100 000 50 000 Members Confessing Members - Figure 1-5: Membership trends in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA) (Van Staden, 2009) In contrast to Figure 1-5, there is a growth in the white population, as indicated in Table 1-2 (Stats SA, 2020). 12 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 Table 1-2: White ethnic culture group population 2011 2016 2020 4 586 835 4 516 692 4 679 770 The other reason Van Staden (2009) mentions for the decline in the membership is the natural flow of members over 40 years. Table 1-4 shows that the NHKA lost 29 945 members. The reasons given by Van Staden fall into two parts, namely: • Internally • Fixed operating models • Uncertainty about expectations, especially among young people • Ignorance of issues that members struggle with • Perceptions of stability despite the change • Externally • Political changes • New search for spirituality • Questioning of authority structures • The moral collapse of society • Migration Table 1-3: Ebb and flow of members over 40 years (Dreyer et al., 2020) Members gained Members departed Nett Total 1979 – 1988 22 891 18 996 3 895 1989 – 1998 40 470 39 865 605 1999 – 2008 50 233 61 217 (10 984) 2009 – 2018 22 699 46 160 (23 461) Total 136 293 166 238 (29 945) In contrast with the above, we notice that small churches are popping up and growing exponentially. One example is in the north of Pretoria. Within a radius of 10 km, there were 66 churches by 2018 (Scoltz, 2018:2). That includes the two NHKA congregations, five NGK congregations and two GKSA congregations. This suggests that the three Afrikaans reformed churches have lost market share. 13 1.4.8 Age differentiation The research explores the cultural differences between the different generation groups and why the millennials between 20 and 27 are leaving the church or no longer belong to one (Kiessling & Shults, 2018). For the millennials, the church is invisible, and the question is why? In an interview with Prof. WA Dreyer, he stated that the youth are passive and believe the Lord will supply and care (Dreyer 2020). The different age groups that are still alive today are (i) the Greatest generation: 1901–1926, (ii) the Silent generation: 1927–1945, (iii) the Baby boomers: 1946–1964, (iv) Generation X: 1965–1980, (v) the Millennials: 1981–2000, (vi) and Generation Z: born after 2001 (Novak, 2014). Over time, churches created the practice of one-hour worship on a Sunday based on church culture and polity (Best, 2003:19). Breaking the traditional Sunday-only worship culture means that the church would have to become more visible. This includes church members making a shift and changing church culture. 1.4.9 Competitiveness Porter’s five forces determine the attractiveness of a company over time. These forces are (i) competition between competitors, (ii) the threat of new entrants, (iii) the threat of alternative products, (iv) the bargaining powers of the suppliers, and (v) the bargaining powers of buyers (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99). 14 Figure 1-6: Porter’s five forces analysis (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99) The inclusion of these values means that this study takes a multidisciplinary approach. The study does not promote or market the Gospel or theological values. However, it does integrate corporate governance with congregational operational ministries. The core values of the reformed church are equal to the marketable product in a business environment. 1.5 Research questions and objectives The three Afrikaans sister churches have the same dilemma. They are losing members each year even though there is population growth. The question is, what can be done to stop the decline? This broad question can be investigated by addressing the questions below. 1.5.1 Primary question The primary research question this study intends to answer is: What marketing strategy can be developed to help the NHKA recover market share by effectively and efficiently marketing their ministries? 15 1.5.2 Secondary questions The secondary questions that flow from the primary question are: • What perspectives do empirical research offer that could help us understand the current marketing strategy of the NHKA? • What elucidation do cultural differences between the different age groups provide to understand and explain the current marketing strategy of the NHKA? • What marketing tools can support the NHKA’s objectives and guide effective and efficient marketing of their operational ministries? • What marketing strategy guidelines can guide the NHKA towards effective and efficient marketing of their operational ministries? 1.5.3 Primary aim This study aims to identify marketing guidelines that can help the NHKA effectively and efficiently market their operational ministries. The central theoretical argument is that the insights gleaned from a multidisciplinary study can culminate in a marketing strategy with which the NHKA can effectively and efficiently market their operational ministries. 1.5.4 Secondary objectives This secondary research objectives in answer to the above questions are: • To gain insight into the current marketing strategy of the NHKA. • To conduct a literature study of related sciences to understand the current situation and the cultural differences between the age groups present in the NHKA. • To determine the marketing tools that can be used to support the NHKA’s objectives so that the church can effectively and efficiently market their operational ministries. • To propose a marketing guide to the NHKA that can help the church effectively and efficiently market their operational ministries. 16 1.6 Research methodology This study examines a particular phenomenon, which means that processes and methods used to obtain knowledge should be trustworthy (Botma et al., 2010:39). As such, the research is exploratory in nature. A qualitative, non-probability purposive sampling method was selected as the most suitable for the aim of the research. The study results can therefore not be generalised as the findings will be relevant only to the specific context. The researcher made use of Phenomenology to gather information from the available sources (Bryman & Bell, 2014:185). When using phenomenology, the empirical fieldwork data is about people's experience, behaviour, socialisation, cultural values and everything related to bodily action (Botma et al., 2010:190). Phenomenology research questions focus on human experience, beliefs and why people in a group do what they do (Botma et al., 2010:190). In this study, data were collected in the following ways:- • A literature review • Interviews based on an interview schedule with open-ended questions • Analysis of the data collected during the “Kerkspieël” project 1.6.1 Research philosophy The study departs from an interpretive point of view as the views and understanding of insiders and how they interpret reality are inseparable (Botma et al., 2010:42). Interpretivism emphasises the role of people and how they interact with a phenomenon and the relationship of these interactions with how the phenomenon is investigated (Botma et al., 2010:185, 190). The researcher can see how the entities (congregations) are a group at different levels within an ontology. Ontological assumptions cannot be separated from the culture, values and beliefs of the members of the church (Bryman & Bell, 2014:19). Therefore, ontology cannot be separated from epistemological research. Epistemology questions the acceptable standard of knowledge of a discipline. The five epistemological standards for the trustworthiness of this research ensure the rigour (Botma et al., 2010:232). 17 1.6.1.1 Meta-theoretical assumptions It is not easy to prove what people believe and why. In this study, participants’ meta-theoretical assumptions about marketing in a religious environment in a postmodern time will affect the outcome of the research. The researcher tested participants’ beliefs and opinions by conducting interviews via Zoom. The researcher has no control over their philosophy, views, experiences and background. 1.6.1.2 Theoretical assumptions Assumptions are those things people adhere to as true but which cannot be proven. These assumptions affect the face value of information. Participants’ answers may vary due to their interpretation of the open-ended questions during the interview and the assumptions they hold. 1.6.2 Research design This research is a qualitative study using a non-probability, purposive sampling technique. The researcher sought to understand why the people in the relevant group do what they do. It was essential to gather divergent data from the purposive sample. Marketing can be defined as a goal to meet or outperform customer expectations to grasp market share (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:5). Ethnography entails that the research is focused on a specific group of people and a cultural behaviour (in this case, a church congregation). In turn, the study of religion is influenced by the culture within which the exploration takes place. Qualitative data were collected through a semi-structured interview schedule to determine why the reformed churches lost market share. Due to limited time, the study was cross-sectional. 1.6.3 Population and sampling 1.6.3.1 Population The population for the study included all the members and the management teams of the 289 NHKA congregations in South Africa (Dreyer et al., 2020). The 289 congregations are distributed over the nine provinces as follows: 18 Table 1-4: Congregation per province Number of congregations Provinces per province Gauteng 102 North West 46 Mpumalanga 43 Northern Cape 10 Western Cape 12 Eastern Cape 8 Free State 24 Limpopo 29 KwaZulu-Natal 15 Total 289 1.6.3.2 Sample Church leaders and management teams from selected congregations in South Africa were approached for a Zoom interview using an open-ended interview schedule. The secretary of the NHKA gave consent for the research (see Appendix A). The sample included both male and female members from different age groups as well as fiduciary members (responsible persons). Each congregation of the NHKA is responsible for managing its operations. Sampling technique However, the disaster Management Act 57 of 2002, under level 3 of the regulation, determine that religious gathering are prohibited (Government Gazette, 2020). This limitation necessitated Zoom interviews. The scope included: • The time frame to collect the data • The financial implications of collecting the data • The literature that is accessible • The equipment that is used • The age of the data 1.6.3.2.1 Sample size The size of the sample was determined by data saturation plus one. Initially, the ten largest congregations and the four student congregations were identified as suitable participants in this 19 study. Eventually, the following congregations were selected and included for the focus group interviews:- Table 1-5: Congregations interviewed Congregations Middelburg-North Middelburg Bloemfontein Pretoria-Oos Suidoos-Witbank Wapadrandt Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the distances across the country, semi-structured Zoom interviews were scheduled with each of the identified congregation's management teams. 1.6.3.3 Inclusion and exclusion criteria The research was done in the NHKA as representative of the three sister churches. The resulting marketing strategy will support all three Afrikaans reformed churches in their efforts to regain their lost market share. The following inclusion criteria applied: • Participants had to be members of the NHKA • Ministers were included in the sample • Members of the management teams were included in the sample • Youth members of the NHKA were included in the sample 1.6.3.4 Exclusion criteria The following persons were excluded from the research: • Persons who are not members of the NHKA. • Young people who are not confessing members of the NHKA. 1.6.3.5 Risk to the participants The research held low risks for the participants as the interviews were confidential and participants’ views were not shared. An interview guide was used in a zoom meeting with focus 20 group semi-structured interviews. With the development of a marketing strategy, the researcher is interested in the respondent’s opinion about a marketing strategy within the ministries' operational side. 1.6.3.6 Process of obtaining informed consent Before the researcher interviews, the researcher sought consent from the secretary of the General Church Assembly. An e-mail was sent to the secretary to explain the purpose and objectives of the research. The researcher received a letter of consent on the 8th of October, 2020. The letter authorised the researcher to send out information and the interview schedules to the congregations listed in Table 2. The researcher received access to information on the congregations but not the individual members of the congregations in order to comply with the rules and regulations set out in the POPI Act (Zenda et al., 2020). Prof. Cobus Schoeman is the leader of the “Kerkspieel” project. This project holds information on the three sister churches. The information includes data on the NHKA and the NGK and their members. Prof. Schoeman was approached via e-mail and in person on the 19th of October 2020. He agreed that the information could be used for this research, and he shared the ethics clearance issued on the 4th of September 2018 by the University of the Free State in relation to the information. This document is included in Appendix B. The letter of consent received from the NHKA’s secretary on the 8th of October 2020 also authorised the use of the data of the NHKA that form part of the “Kerkspieël” project. 1.6.3.7 Data collection Data were collected through observation and interviews. The Covid-19 pandemic made in-person data collection impossible. As it was limited to religious gatherings and all gatherings such as fundraising, youth gatherings or Bible study groups, the researcher could not do observations. To overcome this limitation, a Zoom interview was set up with the congregation (as identified in Table 4). The interview guide was circulated via e-mail using the databases approved by the General Church Assembly secretary. The database includes the e-mail address and contact numbers of: • Ministers • Administrative personnel 21 • Chairpersons of the Elders, Deacons and Women's Association The interview schedule included open-ended questions. The collection and analysis of the data are illustrated in Figures 1-7. Destribution Determine Review Assess of interview population sampling interview guide Findings of Interpret Conclusion Analyse data research findings Figure 1-7: Steps in conducting a social survey (Bryman & Bell, 2014:169) 1.6.3.8 Pilot testing After a conceptual interview guide was developed, two typical respondents were approached for a pilot test. The pilot test contributed to the trustworthiness of the instrument. 1.7 Trustworthiness The rigour of the research can be determined in two ways: • The integrity and accuracy of the data, meaning that it can be used by different researchers for different projects, or • The validation of the data through specific procedures. According to Creswell (Botma et al., 2010:230), trustworthiness forms part of validity in qualitative research. 1.7.1 Truth value The interview explored the participants' general views and their experiences of their long-term involvement. 1.7.2 Applicability Saturation was used to determine the sample size within this qualitative study. The empirical inductive fieldwork has delivered six interviews from the sample, as indicated in Table 1-5. According to Hennink et al. (2019), the first focus group determined the range of new data, and the second and third groups confirmed the data and could not add value but had the same 22 understanding (Hennink et al., 2019) Due to the saturation level reached, it confirms the trustworthiness of the research within this population The data saturation means that the researcher is satisfied with the sample of the population and the data retrieved from it. 1.7.3 Consistency Consistency refers to whether an inquiry can be repeated in the same circumstance and with the same participants and produce the same conclusion. 1.7.4 Neutrality The anonymity of the participants in the interviews was ensured to avoid bias. The participants received no benefit or reward for participating in the research. 1.7.5 Authenticity Authenticity refers to the benefit of the research for the participants, in this case, the NHKA as a whole. 1.8 Ethics considerations The researcher adhered to the ethics standards prescribed by the North-West University (NWU). The researcher honoured the fundamental ethical principles of social research, namely: • Ethics clearance was obtained from the ethics committee of the Faculty of Economic Management at the NWU before the interview guide was sent to the participants • Participants carried no risk in attending the Zoom interviews • This study has a social value not only for the participants but also for the congregations and the communities in which they form part • Participation was voluntary • Participants had the freedom to withdraw from the interview at any time • Participants were informed at the beginning of the interview of the purpose and nature of the research. They also received an estimate of the duration of the interviews • The data are kept confidential and are reported anonymously 23 • The researcher received consent to conduct the study by means of a semi-structured Zoom interview within the NHKA. (Appendix C) • The interview guide was sent to members (individuals) listed on the NHKA database without compromising the POPI act (Zenda et al., 2020). 1.8.1 Permission and informed consent A letter explaining the research aim and objectives was attached to the e-mail. At the interviews, the researcher explained the following (Appendix C): • The nature of the research • The aims and objectives • What is expected of the participants • The benefits of the research • The expected time for the research • The confidentiality level • Their option to withdraw from the research at any time, even after the start of the interview 1.8.2 Anonymity The formation used will be obtained through an interview. A letter was sent to the congregations to explain the purpose of the study. That indicates that the researcher does not have a pre- selected sample of participants in the study. The information retrieved from the semi-structured interview will be held confidential by the researcher and his supervisor. The other participants did not know which other congregation was interviewed. The focus groups could not influence each other. 1.8.3 Confidentiality The researcher has promised each participant's participation is highly confidential before the interview starts. The verbatim scribed is stored with password protection within the cloud. 24 1.9 Time schedule Table 1-6: Time schedule Activity Anticipated time Planning and writing of research proposal November 2020 Submission of research proposal January 2021 First meeting and research proposal review February 2021 Feedback meeting with supervisor February 2021 Prepare documents for the ethics committee April 2021 Literature review and planning of Chapter 2 April 2021 Submission of Chapter 2 April 2021 Feedback meeting with supervisors and planning of Chapter 3 April 2021 Submission of Chapter 3 May 2021 Feedback meeting with supervisors and planning of Chapter 4 May 2021 Submission of Chapter 4 June 2021 Feedback meeting with supervisors and planning of Chapters 5 and 6 June 2021 Submission of Chapters 5 and 6 August/September 2021 Feedback meeting with supervisors August/September 2021 Language editing September 2021 Printing September2021 Submission October 2021 1.10 Publication The findings, conclusions and recommendations of the study will be shared with the three sister churches at three levels, namely: • The synodal level (executive level) • Circuits • Congregations 25 1.11 Executive summary Table 1-7: Executive summary Research Question Objectives and Aims Methodology What marketing strategy can Enable the NHKA with a This exploratory study follows be developed to help the marketing strategy guideline a qualitative design with NHKA recover market share to market their operational ethnography as the research by effectively and efficiently ministries effectively and method. marketing their ministries? efficiently. Further question 1 Goal 1 Methodology What perspectives do To gain a clear depiction of empirical research offer that the current marketing could help us understand the strategy in the NHKA’s Literature review current marketing strategy of operational ministries the NHKA? Further question 2 Goal 2 Methodology What elucidation do cultural To conduct a literature study Personal Zoom interviews differences between the of related sciences to using open-ended questions different age groups provide understand the current to understand and explain situation and cultural the current marketing differences between the strategy of the NHKA? different age groups within the NHKA. Further question 3 Goal 3 Methodology What marketing tools can To determine the marketing Gap analysis support the NHKA’s tools that can be used to objectives and guide support the NHKA’s effective and efficient objectives so that the church marketing of their operational can effectively and efficiently ministries? market of its operational ministries. Further question 4 Goal 4 Methodology What marketing strategy To propose a marketing The evaluation of four guidelines can guide the guide to the NHKA that can generic strategies of Porter, NHKA towards effective and help the church effectively namely efficient marketing of their and efficiently market their Differentiation operational ministries? operational ministries. Cost leadership strategies. Differentiation focus. Cost focus (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:373). 26 CHAPTER 2: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEDERDUITS HERVORMDE KERK IN AFRIKA 2.1 Introduction Over time, all churches over the world change and develop with the times. This chapter follows the global historical events that ultimately played into the establishment of the NHKA in South Africa and the development of the denomination after its birth. This is followed by an evaluation of the recent trends in the denomination to highlight the importance of a fruitful marketing strategy for the NHKA. The objective of this chapter is to answer the following questions: • What perspectives do empirical research offer that could help us understand the current marketing strategy of the NHKA? • What is the NHKA’s current marketing strategy for promotion of their operational ministries? 2.2 Developments in the early Christian church The historical development of the reformed churches in South Africa follows great historical shifts in the early churches over a period of time. These shifts influenced the culture of the reformed churches and, with that, the current understanding of marketing within the context of the church environment. 2.2.1 The period 500–1555 AC In 313 AC, the Edict of Milan established religious tolerance of Christianity under Emperor Constantine of Rome (Dreyer, 2016:2). As a result, the Christian civilisation in Europe developed rapidly from 500 to 1500 AC. This period is also known as the Middle Ages. During this period, Rome lost its power over western Europe to Germanic tribes (Van Wyk, 2019:203). However, three offices still greatly dictated the developments within the early church (Pont, 1978:77). • Monks – Benedictus established the monks in Europe, and monasteries gradually became influential. • The Pope – The Pope fulfilled a spiritual and political leadership role. • Civil authority (the Emperor). There was a close relationship between the Emperor and the Pope since the Pope crowned the emperor. In effect, the Emperor was subordinate to the Pope 27 Several popes and emperors came and went in Rome. With this, the culture of remorse and indulgence developed, which was what Luther later wrestled with. The goal of indulgence was for an individual believer to buy his or her freedom from any sins. The church taught that a person's sins could be forgiven if they paid the indulgence price. A monetary amount linked to a particular sin was said to set the believer free and to save them from eternal fire. The first form of indulgence was ordained in 1035 to finance the building of the Pieters Church (Van Wyk, 2019:60). In 1095, Pope Urbanos II was the first pope that declares indulgence at the synod of Clermont on behalf of the Crusades (Van Wyk, 2019:60). Pope Gregory VIII initiated a complete indulgence in 1187. This indulgence offered total forgiveness of sins for those who sponsored the Crusades financially. Their sins could be forgiven for their eternal life (Van Wyk, 2019:60). In 1476, Pope Sixtus IV went further by declaring that the people could buy the sins of their deceased loved ones and save them from the eternal fire (Pont, 1978:117). Pope Leo X (1513–1519), an art lover, needed funds to finalise the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome (Van Wyk, 2019:61). Figure 2-1: Peter’s Dome in the St. Peters Basilica (Borisgelman, 2019) On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 statements to a church door in Wittenburg. These 95 statements argued against the abuse of indulgence and started the Reformation (Van Wyk, 2019:187-188). The establishment of protestant churches was a direct result (Van Wyk, 2017:95- 28 96). Luther regarded the Holy Script as the only measure of church doctrine. The Roman Catholic Church condemned and excommunicated Luther, viewing him as a religious outcast. On 10 December 1520, Luther openly burned the papal proclamation condemning him as a heretic and the canonical law books of the Roman Catholic Church. With this action, Luther rejected the pope and the Roman Catholic Church, and he no longer recognised the Roman Catholic Church as a church (Van Wyk, 2019:119). In 1530, Philippus Melancton, an associate of Luther, submitted a confession of faith to Emperor Charles V, who rejected it. In the period leading up to 1555, there was much opposition and violence against the protestants. In 1555, the Reformation was embraced in what is now Germany. Although Luther died in 1546, he witnessed this expansion (Pont, 1978:130-131). 2.2.2 The period 1555–1652 After Luther, Calvin became the centre of the Reformation. One of Calvin's seminal works is the Catechism of Geneva, which later served as the basis for the Heidelberg Catechism. Calvin saw the church as a community of believers with Jesus Christ as its head. Therefore, the church is not an institution of people but a gift of God to the people. Calvin established the presbyterial order of the church (Dreyer, 2016:115). Since the Holy Spirit is also in the word of God and involved in the sacraments of a congregation, that means the church is ecclesia completa (Dreyer, 2016:115). The structure of the presbyterial order, which is mirrored in the three sister churches today, is ruled by meetings of the office-bearers. These office bearers are referred to as (Dreyer, 2016:95): • Ministers: They preach and study the Word of God. • Elders: Those who govern the church and congregation. • Deacons: They collect tithes and take care of the poor. These office bearers do not rule alone but as meetings. These include: • The church council meeting • Class meeting or circuit meeting • Synod or general church assembly The churches that grew from Calvin’s reforms spread across the world over time. Calvin’s views influenced church life and the culture, politics, and economic existence in those countries to which the church expanded (Dreyer, 2016:116). 29 Calvin saw the church as an organism that is alive. His view of the church can be compared to the development and growth of the human body. This includes birth and rebirth (Dreyer, 2016:116). According to Calvin, the church functions in an organic unity with the nation and the government. The church has a calling to impact the community. Flowing from these views, the idea arises that the church is not of the world but works with the powerful Word of God through his Holy Spirit in the world (Dreyer, 2016:116 & 117). Between 1547 and 1648, the Roman Catholic Church and authorities sympathetic to the church waged many wars against the Reformation of the Protestants. In these times, Fredrich III (1515– 1576) welcomed Calvinists in Germany. Under his governance, the first Heidelberg Catechism was published in February 1563 (Van Wyk, 2017:156). Despite the wars, Protestantism spread to Germany, France, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, and later South Africa, often with much bloodshed. In 1648 the king of Sweden, Gustav Adolf, helped to end these wars with the Peace of Münster (Pont, 1978:167-175). 2.2.3 Protestantism in South Africa 1652–1806 Jan van Riebeeck, a protestant, brought the reformed tradition to South Africa in 1652. This means that the reformed churches in South Africa grew from the Dutch protestants (Van der Merwe, 2014:113). Once the refreshment station had been established at the Cape, the Dutch East India Company commercialised it. They also allowed for church planting in the Cape (Van der Merwe, 2014:115). As the refreshment station grew and a colony was established, the need for spiritual care grew. At first, a comforter for the sick was appointed, and later this expanded. Reverend Johannes van Arckel became the first minister in the Cape colony (Van der Merwe, 2014:114). At first, the Dutch East India Company was in control of the church. Once a colony was formed, the state influenced and dictated to the church, although there was freedom of religion. In 1665, the first church council was elected, but the church first had to present their list of elected members to the political council. The political commissioner of the Dutch East India Company represented the political council at all church council meetings (Van der Merwe, 2014:116). Simon van der Stel was appointed as the 10th commander of the Cape settlement and developed the refreshment centre into a colony. At the time, the people stationed at the refreshment centre were 35% Dutch, 34% German and 13% French (Oliver, 2019). This melting pot of cultures gave rise to a new nation with their own language. Afrikaans was mentioned as early as 1865 (Oliver, 2019). 30 With the degree of political control over the churches in the colony, the French Huguenots and the Lutheran Church found it difficult to establish their churches, despite the political council not denying their freedom of religion. The French Huguenot's request to elect their first church council was granted in 1691, and in 1778, the Lutheran Church received permission to elect their first church council (Van der Merwe, 2014:117). This means that no other religion or Christian tradition could do church planting while the Dutch governed the Cape. From 1795 to 1803, the colony was under the rule of England. Although the close ties between the Dutch government and the local churches in the colony were broken in this time, the churches maintained their connection with the reformed churches in the Netherlands. In 1803, England gave the Cape back to the Dutch until 1806. While the Cape had been in the hands of England, the Dutch developed a distinction between the role of the state and the role of the church (Pont, 1978:229-234). The acceptance of the Church Order written by General JA de Mist in 1804 opened the door to other religious groups and other Christian traditions in the Cape. The Roman Catholic Church and Islam entered the religious scene at this point (Van der Merwe, 2014:119-121). 2.2.4 The development of the three sister churches in South Africa The Cape was re-occupied by England in 1806. In 1816, the General Church Assembly accepted a church law that established independence from the churches in the Netherlands. The title of the church law was “Algemene Reglement voor het Bestuur der Nederduitsche Hervormde Kerk in Zuid-Afrika” (Pont, 1978:236). This name for the church in the Cape was used until 1842, when a new church law was accepted (Coertzen, 2016:198). With the acceptance of the new church law in 1842, the name of the church in the Cape colony changed to "Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk van Zuid-Afrika." The term "Hervormd" and "Gereformeerd" both carry the meaning of “reformed” in English (Strauss, 2019:368). On 8 November 1843, Ordinance 7 was accepted by the Legislative Council of the Cape with the heading "The Separation of Church and State Petition" (Coertzen, 2016:199). With this, the church law that separated church and state also became a state law, specifically in the Cape colony. Ordinance 7 of 1843 was recognised up to 1996 when the new Constitution of South Africa was accepted (Coertzen, 2016:2). The purpose of Ordinance 7 of 1843 was to give the church freedom in own sphere, but it was never realised (Coertzen, 2016:193). With each change to the church order, the church leaders at the time would insist that the ruling government approve the changes (Coertzen, 2016:193). The question can be asked, was the church free? 31 Given the strong influence of England and the fact that church laws and state laws were enmeshed, the anglicisation of the Cape colony was inevitable. This anglicisation meant that the churches in the Cape colony lost some of their connection to the NGK in the Netherlands (Coertzen, 2016:197). The relationship with the churches in the Netherlands was broken, and the local churches could not rely on the Dutch churches for any advice (Coertzen, 2016:197). Thanks to the Great Trek, the Afrikaners (known as the "trekkers") preserved their language and culture with its Dutch influence (Pont, 1978:239). By 1840, two diverging theological trends had developed in the Cape. The first was liberal theology with a strong relationship with the church in the Netherlands. This theology was based on biblical reformational theology. The second theological trend was the English-American Methodism (Pont, 1978:242). The tension between these lines of thought built up and resulted in the establishment of a theological seminary on the 1st of November 1859 in Stellenbosch (Coertzen, 2016:200). The anglicisation was one of the main reasons why the "trekkers" felt the urge to move inland (South African History Online, 2011). They left the Cape searching for independence in the north (Gwaindepi & Siebrits, 2017). Figure 2-2 is a schematic presentation of the five significant routes that explore the north of South Africa. 32 Figure 2-2: The five significant routes of the Great Trek (South African History Online, 2011) With the start of the Great Trek, the authorities in the Cape and the NGK tried to stop the exodus. Both the state and the main church in the colony did not support the pioneers who left the Cape. Due to the sentiments surrounding the Great Trek, the "trekkers" severed from the NGK in the Cape Colony. 2.2.5 The three sister churches before 1994 As early as 1685, with the first mention of a new nation with a new language, this group referred to themselves as Christians. In 1707 Hendrik Bibualt referred himself as an "Afrikaner" (Oliver, 2019). Right from the start, the "Afrikaner" was considered a Calvinist (Oliver, 2019). The innate 33 stubbornness of the Afrikaner people has always been and still is a cause of internal conflict and frequent severance. The characteristics of the Afrikaner people include (i) strong-minded individualism, (ii) stubbornness, and (iii) collective persistence. The resulting internal strife is also visible in the history of Afrikaans churches (Oliver, 2019). This strong individualism and persistence of the Afrikaner became visible between 1835 and 1840 when 12 000 to 14 000 Calvinist Afrikaners migrated (“trekked”) inland to what later became Natal, the Free State, and the old Transvaal provinces (Tikkanen, 2020). The reasons why the "trekkers" left the Cape Colony included (Strauss, 2015:274): • A shortage of farm land • Not enough labour and capital in the Cape Colony • A desire for self-governance • The sudden abolition of slavery, causing economic challenges and a shortage of farm labour • Continuous wars with the Xhosas along the eastern border of the Cape Colony, with no support from the government for mass lootings of farm animals or during battles With the Dutch East India Company running interference in the affairs in NGK, the "trekkers" left the Cape Colony quietly in small groups without involving the church. They were afraid that the Dutch East India Company (government) would stop them with legal action (Strauss, 2015:275- 276). The Dutch East India Company had the authority to appoint and pay religious ministers, and any changes and decisions the church made had to be approved by the Dutch East India Company (Strauss, 2015:276). At first, the "trekkers" moved up to Thaba Nchu, from where they took different directions further inland, as seen in Figure 2-2. With the acceptance of Ordinance 7 later on in 1842, the state no longer had power over the church. At the General Church Assembly in 1842, the name of the church in the Cape colony became the Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk, and north of the Vaal River, it became the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk. Between 1838 and 1852, approximately 3 000 "trekkers" settled north of the Vaal River, later known as the Transvaal (Dreyer, 2006:1338). In 1852 the British Parliament acknowledged the independence of the "trekkers" in the Transvaal, at the time known as the Zuid–Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) (Dreyer, 2006:1338). The Afrikaners created unity with only one state (ZAR) and one church (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk). The first minister, Reverend Dirk van der Hoff from the Netherlands, received a call as a 34 minister of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk and was ordained in Potchefstroom in 1853 (Dreyer, 1999:96). The constitution of the ZAR determined that the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk carried favour over other churches. The term "volk" was the reason why the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk received that privileged. Article 8 and 9 of the Volksraad of the ZAR of 1862 refer to the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk as the volkskerk. Although the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk accepted a new church law in 1863, there was no reference to race or a volkskerk, but these terms were included in the constitution of the ZAR (Dreyer, 2006:1342). The Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk was independent of the NGK of the Cape Colony. The differences between the church groups in the east and the west of the Transvaal region were resolved in 1864 and confirmed by the general church assembly (Dreyer, 1999:148). For the first time, there was one united church in the ZAR, namely the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk. For the first time, there was no congregation of the NGK in the ZAR (Dreyer, 1999:148). This unity did not last long. Reverend FL Cachet (originally from France) established an NGK in the ZAR in 1866 (Dreyer, 1999:149). In 1865, Cachet discussed his differences with the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk at the general church assembly, but the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk did not accept the cited reasons (Dreyer, 1999:152). With the work of Cachet, division arose, and more NGK were established (Dreyer, 1999:153). The decision of the 1862 synod in the Cape legally restricted the NGK to the Cape Colony. However, they did establish independent synods in the Free State, Natal and Transvaal (Dreyer, 1999:96). Only in 1962 did the NGK unite the different synods into a general synodal context (Strauss, 2015:288). After the First Anglo-Boer War in 1885, there was an attempt to unite the three sister churches in 1888. The shackles of political and theological differences were some of the reasons why the unification failed (Dreyer, 1999:162-164). With the derailment of the church unification, the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk lost its position as a state church, and the relationship between the church and the government drifted apart (Dreyer, 1999:167). Dreyer mentions in his book – "Nederuitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika – Die eerste 250 jaar 1652 – 1902", that Goddefroy argues that the main reason why the unification of the churches failed was that the objections of the congregations were not taken into consideration adequately (Dreyer, 1999:185). After the second Anglo-Boer War from 1899–1902, the churches had to rebuild themselves. During the war, everything was burned down, including homes and church buildings. For example, the church in Dullstroom was used as horse stables, and with the withdrawal of the 35 British forces, the church building was burned down (Dreyer, 1999:182). After the war, the churches went into a phase of rebuilding. This involved the construction and restoration of church buildings and the spiritual support and upliftment of the war-marred membership. In the time following the war, the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk witnessed the implementation of several diaconal structures of assistance to support the members and the broader community (Jordaan, 1990:10). In 1940 the women of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerkstarted an association known as the Nederduitsch Hervormde Susters Vereeniging (NHSV) with the purpose of relieving poverty after the Second World War (Jordaan, 1990:10). As part of their marketing initiative, the association started with a branding process in 1953. Their logo was visible on all crockery, tablecloths and Christmas cards (Jordaan, 1990:21). The NHSV logo evolved over time to its current corporate identity. The transformation of their logo is graphically depicted in Figures 2-1 and 2-2. During the South African Border War (1966–1989) in the old Southwest Africa, the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk and NHSV provided cookies for army coffee rooms (Wessels, 2017) (Jordaan, 1990:41). In 1987 a memorial plaque was affixed to all the coffee rooms where the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk and NHSV accepted the responsibility (Jordaan, 1990:41). Figure 2-3: NHSV old logo Figure 2-4: NHSV current corporate logo The NHSV is one of the church's diaconal structures of assistance that contributes to the diaconal care, not only for the church, but also for the community. Due to the diaconal work, the NHSV has done within the NHKA, structures of assistance emerged to assist within and outside the NHKA. Not only did the NHKA help in this manner, but also the NGK (Jordaan, 1990:31). Another tangible example of diaconal support is the establishment of an old age home. On the 1st of April 1929, two elderly persons were taken into the care of Mrs Machteld Postmus (Jordaan, 1990:31). The need for care of the elderly in the form of old age homes grew, and by 1971 there were 464 people in care (Jordaan, 1990:32). Over time the old age home established different 36 houses in different towns under the supervision of two boards, namely the Ons Tuis group and the Monument Tehuis group (Jordaan, 1990:34-37). Diaconal structures of assistance were also established to offer social care within the church. In the beginning years (1948), the Ondersteuningsraad addressed the social problems of the members of the NHKA (RATA Social Services, 2022). Figure 2-5: The old logo of the “Ondersteuningsraad” In the same period, the NGK established the Christelike Maatskaplike Raad (CMR) for the social problems of members of their church. The name change of the Ondersteuningsraad to RATA was strategic to shake off the past (the pre-1994 years) and to open the organisation up to more than just members of the NHKA. Figure 2-6: RATA corporate logo Currently, 90% of the cases RATA handles do not involve NHKA members or members of the other two reformed churches. In 2021 RATA handled ±54 000 cases across Gauteng, the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga (RATA Social Services, 2022). 37 Another structure provides foster care and care to children in orphanages. The church took up her duty in 1922 by establishing orphanages for children who had been taken away from their parents by court order (Oberholzer, 2001:1). In 1996, 212 children were being taken care of in two orphanages (Van Staden, 1996:6). In 1996, the formal orphanages changed to diaconal foster care homes. The rationale was to create financial sustainability and to make local congregations more aware of the needs of the children in these foster care homes (Oberholzer, 2001:1). The last diaconal structure of assistance is the Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education. On the 13th of March 1947, the school for deaf children known as Trans Oranje was established (Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education, 2019). The three sister churches established the school together, and they are still partners today. In the meantime, the institution has expanded by establishing four more schools, as indicated below. Table 2-1: The different schools of the Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education (Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education, 2019) School purpose School name Date of establishment School for the hard of hearing Sonitus 1 January 1973 School for learners who Transvalia 18 September 1973 suffer from epilepsy School for blind and partially Prinshof School 1 January 1960 sighted learners School for the cerebral Marti du Plessis High 1962 palsied The five schools fall under the supervision and patronage of Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education. Although each school has its own logo, the corporate logo of Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education is as indicated in Figure 2-7. 38 Figure 2-7: Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education (Trans Oranje Institute for Special Education, 2019) The pre-1994 government gave media exposure and other support to the three sister churches. One example is the practice of broadcasting the worship services of the sister churches on Sunday morning and evening by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Coverage included radio and television (Buitendag, 2021:33-34; Scharnick-Udemans, 2016). The SABC appointed Dr JA Buitendag from 1988 to 1994 as the director of religion (Buitendag, 2022). Up to 1991, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had five permanent ministers in the religious division who regulated the broadcasting of Christian programmes (Buitendag, 2021). According to Van Coller (2012:20), South Africa, in reality, had no freedom of religion from 1910 to 1994 (Van Coller, 2012). During this time, the principles of Constantine existed, which restricted religious freedom to a greater or lesser extent. Constantine, the first Emperor, adopted the Christian faith and considerably influenced the Edik of Milan in 313, decriminalising Christianity (Boundless World History, 2022). Constantine established Christianity as a religion, created ecumenical councils and a state church for the Roman Empire (Boundless World History, 2022). 2.2.6 The three sister churches after 1994 After 1994, a socio-political transformation took place. This transformation meant opportunities and challenges for the church and, more specifically, the three sister churches. With the ratification of the Interim Constitution of 1993 and the Constitution of South Africa in 1996, the government protection of the three sister churches ended. The Constitution of 1996 prioritises individual rights over group rights (Barnett, 1998:557). Section 30 of the Bill of Rights 39 protects the culture, religion and language of all South Africans (Scharnick-Udemans, 2016:126). This ended the special protection of the protestant churches as a so-called "state churches". This opened the field for churches that promote prosperity theology, such as the Christian Revival Church (CRC), one of the fast-growing communities. The community was founded in 1994 by Pastor At Boshoff and has grown from 183 members to more than 70 000 members by 2020 (Boshoff & Boshoff, 2020). During the same period, the NHKA lost 34 545 members. Table 2-2: Loss of members (Dreyer et al., 2020) Members Members gained Nett Total departured 1999 – 2008 50,233 61,217 (10,984) 2009 – 2018 22,699 46,160 (23,461) Total 136,293 166,238 (34,545) The broadcasting priorities in South Africa changed once negotiations for a new constitution started (Barnett, 1998:567). With the acceptance of the Constitution in 1996, Ordinance 7 of 1842 was replaced by the Independent Broadcast Commission. The purpose of the Independent Broadcast Commission is to ensure that the government does not interfere with the media (Barnett, 1998:555). In 1997–1998 the Independent Broadcast Commission experienced a financial crisis due to diversification. Six of the eight most profitable radio stations had to be sold (Barnett, 1998:559). One of the reasons for this is the number of official languages in the country. Since South Africa has 11 official languages, English serves as a lingua franca (Barnett, 1998:559). The sale of the radio stations paved the way for regional and community radio stations. One respondent in this study mentioned that they broadcast devotionals to ±55 000 listeners in their region (Lombard, 2021). In Matthew 28:19, believers receive the mandate to go to all the people and make them disciples "….teaching them to observe everything I commanded…." (Bible, 2018:61). It is an instruction to do missionary work. The term "mission Dei" is the theological term for missionary work (Dreyer, 2020:253). According to my understanding as a Christian, it is the command to go and tell people about God. From a world perspective, it is marketing. The protestant churches have never explored or used extensive marketing opportunities like the CRC has been doing since 1992. Dreyer asks the question (Dreyer, 2020:269): "Wat sou die kontoere van ’n missionale ekklesiologie wees, waarmee kerke in die gereformeerde tradisie die toekoms kan ingaan?" 40 Social media and wide digitalisation have further complicated the challenges of the protestant churches in the 21st century. The fast-moving world of technology is a considerable challenge. If we look at the history of the ministries of the three sister churches, decisions have never been made quickly. Since the 6th of August 1990, when Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web, it opened an opportunity for the business world and the church to display and download images, sound, animation, movies, etc. (QRIUS, 2017). In 2003 LinkedIn was introduced as one of the first social media platforms, mainly for business networks. Soon social media expanded to various platforms (Future Marketing, 2022). It has brought digitalisation to the world and offers a marketing opportunity to the church. How prepared are congregations to use the open digital world? Secondly, to what extent are they ready to use it? Will the remnants of the old regime restrict them? What impact will a digital church have in a post-Covid-19 environment? The pandemic was more disruptive than interruptive, but it also opened the window to new opportunities (Nieuwhof, 2020). 2.2.7 Current structure and fragmentation of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Afrika Each congregation of the NHKA develops their ministry plan (business plan) according to the needs of the geographical environment. The business principle of the NHKA and NGK is based on the "ecclesia completa et ecclesia incompleta", which means that the business principle is inclusive (Van Rooi, 2010:101). The GKSA’s business principle is based on "ecclesia completa" (Van Rooi, 2010:100-101). The church undergoes the necessary development(s) in the process of growth, and the process of evolution will only reach completion with Christ's final coming (Van Rooi, 2010:101). The framework of a ministry plan in the NHKA has to adhere to the church order. The church order comprises ordinances and regulations to which the congregations agreed during a general church assembly. The main challenges throughout all three the sister churches are the decline in numbers and fragmentation of groups. A congregation in a rural area experiences this challenge the same as those in an urban area. Newly formed churches are challenging the sister churches (Scoltz, 2018). In Phalaborwa, there are 26 different church denominations, while in the northern suburbs of Pretoria, there are 66 different churches (Scoltz, 2018). Why are people joining all these emerging religious groups? The sisters churches are losing their market share in a small but 41 growing market segment. These challenges are what Porter refers to as an organisation's strength, competitiveness and position (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99). The next section subsequently focuses on marketing in the church. 2.2.8 What is a marketing strategy? Before we consider a marketing strategy, it is important to look at the definitions of marketing. Philip Kotler defines marketing as: "Meeting needs profitably." (Kotler & Keller, 2016:25). The American Marketing Association defines marketing as: "Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large." (Kotler & Keller, 2016:26) In order to manage marketing successfully, an organisation has to develop a marketing strategy and implement a marketing plan. Kotler and Keller (2016:39) say that the marketing strategy and plan of an organisation could only be successful when it does the following: • Gains marketing perception • Communicates with customers • Creates a solid brand • Is innovative and creative • Promotes norms and values A marketing strategy refers to a strategic plan to encourage a service or product to make people more aware of the product or service and to attract more people to ensure economic sustainability and a competitive advantage (Market Business News, 2022). A marketing strategy is a long-term commitment to achieving a competitive advantage over new entrants and existing rivals (Market Business News, 2022). Organisations have to follow their strategy, but need to improve it frequently due to the fast-changing marketing environment (Kotler & Keller, 2016). A marketing strategy is the "what" the organisation wants to achieve with the marketing effort. This strategy 42 supports the company's goals, value chain, core competencies to shape its overall strategy (Kotler & Keller, 2016; Market Business News, 2022:43). As indicated in Chapter 1, Porter identifies four generic competitive strategies, as schematically illustrated in Figure 2-2, to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage over new entrants and existing rivals (Riley, 2018:2). Figure 2-7: Michael Porter's four generic strategies (Riley, 2018:2) During the development of the marketing strategy, the elements listed in the table below should be considered. Table 2-3: Elements of a marketing strategy (NIBUSINESSINFO.CO.ZA, 2022) Segmentation Determine who the customers are and what their needs are and address those requirements more effectively than the competitors and / or new arrivals. Targeting and positioning Once the market segmentation meets the demands of the customers, the question to answer is: will the contributions meet the needs of the target market? Promotional tactics Marketing activities are used to achieve the target market needs within the market segment. These activities include digital marketing, advertising, social media, etc. Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring and evaluation are crucial. Any trend in customers' behaviour and geographical composition have to be identified to make changes proactively. Marketing plan Once the marketing strategy is done, the marketing plan has to be compiled. It describes how to implement the strategy and evaluate its effectiveness. 43 The above literature indicates the importance of developing a marketing strategy. The next section looks at the current marketing strategy of the NHKA. 2.2.9 The current marketing strategy of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Afrika The NHKA has no written strategic marketing plan. With the decline in the numbers of confessing members, as indicated in Chapter 1, the congregations of the sister churches have been struggling to survive over the last 25 years. That is an indication that the three sister churches are in the decline phase of the life cycle of an organisation. Reverend Barnard explained this problem very well during an informal discussion on the 2nd of March 2022 in the form of an image of speech. He said the three sister churches have flying turkey syndrome (Barnard, 2022). They work hard to get into the air but not high enough to get over the wall, so they fly into the wall time and again. The outcome is that the turkey becomes quicker and faster in its efforts to hit the wall again. Confuses said …" you will not get another outcome if all the things you do stay the same". In 2003 Kung made the statement in his book “Credo: The Apostles Creed explained for today”: "many people called them religious, but not Christian; many call them Christians but not church members" (Kung, 2003). In 2022 it seems this still applies. The three sister churches have one thing in common: the Apostolic Creed (Kung, 2003). In the creed, the churches confess: "I believe in a common Christian Church, the communion of saints". Kung’s comment shows how there is a common belief, but with fragmentation. 2.2.9.1 Changes in the marketing strategy of the church over time The church and the demands of its members have changed over time. It is noticeable that the indulgence system of the early church was commercialised during the Roman Empire to build the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome (Van Wyk, 2019:61). With the refreshment station established at the Cape, the Dutch East India Company commercialised it and promoted church planting in the Cape (Van der Merwe, 2014:115). From 1652 until 1994, the protestant reformed churches enjoyed state protection and had the privilege of exclusive public exposure from the national broadcaster (Buitendag, 2021:33-34; Scharnick- Udemans, 2016). After the second Anglo-Boer War, spiritual support and upliftment were needed. To address those needs, several diaconal structures of assistance were established under the supervision of the church to support their members and the wider community (Jordaan, 1990:10). 44 With the acceptance of the Constitution in 1996, the privilege of state protection was lost. It is noticeable that the three sister churches have lost some of their market share within the market segment to other religious groups. The challenge for the church is not only to compete with other religious groups, but also to keep up with the use of new technology like social media and digital communication. Due to historical differences and the nature of their composition, the three sisters churches have no written marketing strategy to compete against the other religious groups in the same market segment. 2.3 Conclusion Jan van Riebeeck, a protestant from the Netherlands, brought Protestantism to the southern tip of the African continent, where the state and church were integrated. The church was initially part of the Dutch East India Company until 1795, when Britain annexed the Cape. The "trekkers" left the Cape between 1836 and 1842 to be independent. Two republics were established, namely the Free State Republic and the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. In these republics, the three sister churches received recognition. This recognition and protection lasted until 1996 when South Africa accepted their new constitution. After 1994, more and more different denominations were established. Table 2-1 shows that the NHKA has lost 34 545 confessing members, and in contrast with this loss, churches that promote prosperity theology have grown. The three sister churches have the Apostolic Creed in common, which asks for unity to hold the bargaining power and an economy of scale. It is noticeable that other churches that promote prosperity theology are strategically visible on known and primary routes. 45 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction Research methodology outlines how information is gathered for a research study. Without research, the world would have been intellectually impoverished (Goddard & Melville, 2001:1). Research is an ongoing process to obtain trustworthy knowledge (Botma et al., 2010:39). The research methodology expands unknown or unanswered questions by collecting data ethically (Goddard & Melville, 2001:1). Phenomenology as a research design focuses on people’s experiences and the meaning of these experiences with a group focus (Botma et al., 2010:190). The goal with this research is to assist the sister churches. More specifically, the research can help the NHKA develop a marketing strategy to recover market share in a specific market segment. The data were collected by the following means:- • An interview guide with open-ended questions • Focus group discussions • Analysis of data from the "Kerkspieël" project According to Botma et al. (2010:198), a qualitative study can be done using any of the following research designs: Table 3-1: Types of qualitative research strategies (Botma et al., 2010:198) Phenomenological research Compare the experiences and knowledge of people with the literature on the phenomenon in a focus group. Grounded theory research Using literature to support the theory and extend it in research. Ethnographical research Evaluate the literature with the background and conduct the study as a quantitative study. Historical research Revisit literature in a quest to develop research questions, and it is considered a source of data. The interpretivist approach is used to look at the views and understanding of insiders and how they interpret their reality and the differences between people (Botma et al., 2010:42). Facts are accessed through consciousness, shared meaning, values, ideas, and observation attached to a specific phenomenon or event (Botma et al., 2010:43). This research relies on a qualitative method of phenomenology, focusing on understanding the human behaviour of different age groups to define the conscious experience of every day (Botma et al., 2010:190). 46 3.2 The research problem and purpose By all indications, the three sister churches have been losing members since 1992, meaning that they have lost market share. In contrast with the loss of members each year, the market segment formed by the traditional part of the population who could be members of the sister churches saw a growing curve (Stats SA, 2020). Porter points to this challenge when an organisation's strength, competitiveness and position come at a risk (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99). Furthermore, new entrants have been threatening the existing organisations. The literature review highlights how religious groups have splintered since the new Constitution of the Republic of South-Africa was accepted in 1996. The three sister churches were not spared, and the statistics presented in Chapter 1 shows the decline in the membership numbers of the three sister churches. Considering the macro-environment of the church, Porter’s five forces will help shape the strategy and competitive landscape of the NHKA and other religious groups (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99). This study investigated the behaviour of members of the NHKA to find out the cause of the decline (loss of market share) in members within the three sister churches. The marketing strategy will aim to make communities aware of the church's work through a marketing strategy to make them (the congregation) more visible. For this study, information was gathered from available sources using the phenomenological design (Bryman & Bell, 2014:185). 3.3 Qualitative method Little is known about the three sister churches' marketing strategy, making a qualitative study a relevant choice to explore the phenomenon. Up until now, conservative people have not wanted to talk about marketing within a religious environment. The phenomenon is not quantifiable (Botma et al., 2010:182). This study is exploratory in nature because the researcher has to gather new data about a marketing strategy for the NHKA. This research relies on a phenomenological design, focusing on understanding human behaviour. During phenomenological research, data is collected by means of empirical fieldwork to study people's experience, behaviour, socialisation and cultural values, norms, and everything related to bodily action (Botma et al., 2010:190). Phenomenological research questions focus on human experience, beliefs, and why people in a group do what they do (Botma et al., 2010:190). The methods used to obtain information from different types of sources included:- • A literature review 47 • An interview guide with open-ended questions • An analysis of data from the "Kerkspieël" project An interview guide was distributed to the members of the focus groups before the interview. Interviews were conducted via Zoom because the Covid-19 pandemic did not allow for in-person interviews. The focus group discussions were kept flexible so that each focus group participant could give their opinions. Before the focus group interviews started, the researcher asked the permission of the participants to record the interview for transcription and analysis. The thematic approach was used to analyse the gathered data (Bryman & Bell, 2014:350). The objective of a thematical analysis is to identify and explain patterns and themes in the new data (Bryman & Bell, 2014:350). 3.3.1 Why a thematical approach? Qualitative research analysis relies mainly on three methods, namely (Bryman & Bell, 2014:342): • Analytic induction • Grounded theory • Thematic analysis Thematical analysis is widely used. There is power in the technique when it is used correctly (Crosley, 2021). Codes or colours are used for data analysis (Crosley, 2021). The data set patterns are identified as topics that pop up repeatedly throughout the data (Crosley, 2021). The patterns are coded to identify themes to summarise the data (Crosley, 2021). The transcribed data from the focus group interviews were read to identify themes or patterns of the acquired data (Bryman & Bell, 2014:350). The process of the thematical data analysis can follow an inductive or deductive approach (Bryman & Bell, 2014:351). With the inductive approach, the researcher develop themes in a "bottom-ups" way (Bryman & Bell, 2014:351). This approach is used most frequently in a thematical study (Crosley, 2021). With the inductive method, the themes that emerge from the data are not predetermined (Crosley, 2021). This means that the themes come from the data and are not pre-set. The opposite of an inductive approach is the deductive approach. The deductive process, also known as the theoretical thematical method, involves a "top-down" approach (Bryman & Bell, 2014:351). It means that there will already be pre-set themes that the researcher anticipates from 48 the interview data with the focus group (Crosley, 2021). The deductive method was used when information, resources, and research existed in a literature study (Crosley, 2021). The inductive approach was used for this thematic analysis. Due to the geographical differences in the sample size of the focus groups, a pre-set of possible themes could not be determined. The generic process in Table 3-1 indicates the six steps of the thematic analysis to analyse the data (Crosley, 2021). Table 3-2: Six steps of a thematical analysis (Bryman & Bell, 2014:351) Know the data Read and re-read the transcribed data and write down notes and ideas. With familiarisation of the data, thoughts of possible initial codes to use for possible themes are identified during this step. Generate initial codes The essential information that was received from the interview is coded. Colour codes were used in a systematic way across the data set. Search for patterns or During this step, the researcher looks for patterns in the codes. themes in the codes The more aware you become of the data, the more codes or themes and sub-themes are assigned. Review the themes Reviewing the themes identified with the coding process must make sure it matches the received data or that themes were not missed. If the theme's information becomes too broad, more themes are identified to be more specific during the analysis. Define and name the With each theme, it is essential to generate a clear definition to themes explain the meaning and name of each theme. Produce the report The report relates to the research question and literature. The report aims to enable the reader to evaluate your analysis. The questions "what", "why", "who", "how", and "when" are used in the report. The report is backed-up with quotes from the findings secured back to the research question. 3.3.2 Criticism and challenges of a thematical approach It is not easy to prove what people believe and why. In the research, meta-theoretic assumptions are made about people's views of marketing in a religious environment in a postmodern culture. The researcher was exposed to the beliefs and opinions of the people interviewed. The researcher has no control over the philosophy, views, experience, and background of the participants in the semi-structured zoom interviews or over the answers of the participants. The thematic approach has the flexibility and freedom to rely on the richness of the data to provide detail. It is unnecessary to use highly sophisticated technology or have detailed knowledge and experience to analyse the data with the thematical method. This flexibility can also be challenging 49 due to the possibility of inconsistencies in data development and the identification of patterns and themes derived from the research data (Nowel et al., 2017:2). Inexperienced researchers find it easy to do a thematical analysis due to the ease of the method. During focus group interviews, a thematic analysis method emphasises the participants' perspectives, differences and similarities to uncover unexpected information. When retrieving the data, thematic analysis structures the analysing process in such a way that the researcher can produce a clear and organised final report (Nowel et al., 2017:2). The answers participants offer during an interview with open-ended questions may vary due to their differing interpretations of the questions and the assumptions the participants may have. Assumptions are views people hold as true but which cannot be proven. It is a given that participants will have their own assumptions, which should be taken at face value. The disadvantages of a thematical analysis are comparable to those of other qualitative research methods. A beginner researcher may feel unsure of the thematic approach at the outset. When we look at a grounded analysis approach, the theory is supported by literature, but not in the case of the thematical analysis method. In other words, it is not easy to prove the correctness of the data, except if the epistemological position and the logical, empirical claims of the study can support the consistency and cohesion of the findings (Nowel et al., 2017:2). 3.4 Target population This research may also help church leaders understand the needs of the different age groups. It may reveal what they expect from the church and how the church can implement a marketing strategy. The NHKA has 289 congregations spread over the nine provinces, as indicated in Table 3-3. Table 3-3: Congregation per province Number of congregations Province per province Gauteng 102 North West 46 Mpumalanga 43 Northern Cape 10 Western Cape 12 Eastern Cape 8 50 Number of congregations Province per province Free State 24 Limpopo 29 KwaZulu-Natal 15 Total 289 The study population consists of all the members and the management teams of congregations in South Africa. Both male and female members from different age groups were included in the sample. Each focus group interview involved the selected congregation's fiduciary member/s (responsible persons). This study collected people's opinions and thoughts regarding the marketing strategy of the selected congregation of the NHKA. The church leaders and management teams of selected congregations were approached for a Zoom interview using an open-ended interview guide to determine the possible underlying strategy. Each congregation is an association of persons, and the leaders of each congregation have the responsibility to manage its operations. The foundation of marketing refers to the marketing concept as: "….achievement of corporate goals through meeting and exceeding customers’ needs better than the competition" (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:5). 3.5 Pilot study A questionnaire with open-ended questions was developed for the focus group discussions as part of the qualitative study. The pilot study tested the interview guide to ensure that participants would understand the questions as intended (Janghorban et al., 2014). The pilot study supports the following qualitative research methodologies: Table 3-4: Qualitative research methodologies (Janghorban et al., 2014) Phenomenology It allows time Grounded theory It increases academic sensitivity Ethnography Knowledge of fieldwork The pilot study involved an interview with a focus group selected from the population for the research (Botma et al., 2010:211-212). The open-ended interview guide was divided into two sections. The first section gathered biographical information. The second section gathered 51 information about the marketing strategy of the relevant congregation and how they understand the bigger picture of the NHKA. The focus group interview was monitored and evaluated by the study supervisor. During the interview, questions were stated and left open for any participant to answer. No participant was pinpointed to answer. This practice eliminated the risk of putting a person on the spot during the focus group discussion or that only one person gave his thoughts to prudent that it is the thoughts of the focus group. The researcher has experience from the interviews that the question was freely answered, and the overall feedback was that the theme under discussion (marketing in a church environment) was new, but essential. 3.6 Sample size The scope of the study is limited to the NHKA. The researcher used a qualitative open-ended interview guide to do a semi-structured interview with focus groups using the Zoom platform. The focus groups had between seven and eleven members. The number of focus groups needed depends on the research aim of a specific study. Although six focus group interviews were conducted, only three thematical analyses were performed because the data reached data saturation plus one (Botma et al., 2010:211). The sampling was geographically determined to be as representative of the population as possible. The first focus group came from an urban congregation, with the second coming from a rural congregation. The last focus group to be analysed was made up of a mixture of urban and rural communities. The six focus groups selected for participation came from the following six congregations as a sample of the 289 NHKA congregations in South Africa: - Table 3-5: Congregation interviewed Middelburg-North Middelburg Bloemfontein Pretoria-East Southeast-Witbank Wapadrandt Consent was sought from the NHKA’s secretariat to contact the congregations to set up a Zoom meeting to gather the information and the consent was granted. The researcher involved the management committee, youth committee, and each assembly chair of the six congregations for semi-structured focus group discussions. 52 Due to the restrictions to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and the physical distances between the focus groups, semi-structured interviews were scheduled with each identified congregation's management team via Zoom, as indicated in Table 3-3. Each interview was recorded for transcription and analysis purposes. The necessary consent was sought from each group member before the interviews started. 3.6.1 Sampling method and sampling technique A qualitative, non-probability purposive sampling method was selected as the most suitable for the aim of the research. The study results can therefore not be generalised as the findings will be relevant only to the specific context. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the government of South Africa relied on the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 to restrict public movement. Level 3 regulations determine that religious gatherings are prohibited (Government Gazette, 2020). This limitation, together with the delimitations of the population, are the reasons why Zoom interviews were done. The scope of a study includes: • The time frame to collect the data • The financial implications of collecting the data • The literature that is accessible • The equipment that is used • The age of the data Data saturation was used to determine the sample size for this qualitative study. The fieldwork involved six focus group interviews, as indicated in Table 1-5. According to Hennink et al. (2019), the approach to assess saturation entails that the first focus group interview determines the range of new coded data. The second and third group interviews confirm the same understanding of the data and, in this case, did not add value (Hennink et al., 2019). Data saturation ensures the trustworthiness of the research in this population. Due to the saturation levels reached after three of the six interviews, the researcher was satisfied with the sample from the target population in the NHKA. 3.7 Data collection A phenomenological approach was used for the collection of data. This approach gathers information through observation and interviewing. 53 To overcome the restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, a Zoom interview was set up with each focus group (as identified in Table 3-4). The interview guide was circulated to each focus group member via e-mail using the database approved by the general church assembly secretary. The database includes the e-mail addresses and contact numbers of: • Ministers • Administration personnel • Chairpersons of the elders, deacons and women's association. Open-ended questions were asked during the interview as per Appendix C. The data collection and analysis process is illustrated in Figure 3-1. Determine Review Destribute Assess population sampling interview guide interview Findings of Interpret Conclusion Analyse data research findings Figure 3-1: Steps in conducting a social survey (Bryman & Bell, 2014:169) 3.8 Data analysis As a first step, the researcher must become familiar with the data before analysis. The data is analysed to understand and interpret the information that emerged from the interviews. In qualitative research, the purpose of the study must be kept in mind as the analysis process progresses. The six phases that Bryman and Bell (2014:351) suggest to analyse the data were followed as discussed in Table 3-2. The thematical analysis helped identify themes from the transcribed interviews and integrate the findings from the data. 3.8.1 Coding The thematic analysis of the data involved coding text, words, phrases from the transcribed information. It is also called in vivo coding (Manning, 2017). In vivo coding also refers to verbatim coding. The use of the participants' own expression supports the trustworthiness of the analysis. With in vivo coding, the voice of the participants are honoured (Manning, 2017). It is usually an 54 inductive coding method, which means that there was no expected pre-set outcome of the interviews (Crosley, 2021). Open coding was used for the identification of patterns or similarities. Colour codes were allocated as the researcher read through the scripts (Maguire & Delahunt, 2017:3355). This coding was done by hand with the use of a highlighter and later Microsoft Word colours. After identifying codes from the script, the codes were jotted down into a table to identify similarities or patterns. These similarities were colour-coded, grouped, and jotted down in another table to allow themes to emerge. 3.8.2 Themes Maguire and Delahunt (2017:3356) explain that there are no fixed rules for identifying a theme. Colour codes help the researcher to identify similarities in the data. These similarities were examined to see if they fit into a theme. To modify and develop themes, all the data gathered for a specific theme were grouped. Once the themes were identified, they were organised into broader themes to address the research questions. The trustworthiness of each theme was strengthened by supporting each theme from the data. 3.8.3 Data saturation Bothma et al. point out that qualitative research is not concerned with the amount of data but rather the richness of data (Botma et al., 2010:211). According to Hennink et al. (2019), the first focus group often determines the range of new data. The second and third groups confirm the data and often do not add value but confirm the understanding (Hennink et al., 2019). This pattern was also true for this research. After three focus group interviews, data saturation was reached, confirming the trustworthiness of the research. 3.8.4 Write-up The report is the final point at which a researcher analyses the research findings. The report relates back to the research questions and literature (Bryman & Bell, 2014:353). In the research report, the underlying assumptions and approach to the thematical analysis are written down and explained. The final report shows what the claim was and what was found. The researcher's position is also revealed (Bryman & Bell, 2014:353). 55 3.9 Trustworthiness The trustworthiness of qualitative data comes under pressure when there is concern about the subjectivity of the analysis method. The correctness of the information is critical (Thakur & Chetty, 2020). The reader of a research report should be able to trust the information of the thematical analysis. There are two processes that can ensure this (Thakur & Chetty, 2020). The first process is to put the transcribed data into a table format to provide an overall impression of the data set. Participants' own reactions in their language are quoted to ensure credibility. Secondly, the assessment results are used to interpret the recorded results quickly. The table format used to analyse the data retrieved from the interviews gives the reader reassurance of consistency to ensure the reliability of the analysis. To ensure the validity of the phenomenological research, the focus group interviews were done with the fiduciary management team of the congregation. After the interviews, the data collected from the participants were transcribed and analysed. The researcher was also the facilitator of the interviews and could answer any of the participants' questions to promote clarity. To ensure the trustworthiness of the data analysis, the recording of the interview was verified against the verbatim script and the researcher's notes from the interviews. The data analysis was done in conjunction with the supervisor to ensure the trustworthiness of the data analysis and that the coding was done correctly. The researcher and supervisor identified the themes during data analysis. With the methods and controls mentioned above, the researcher is confident that the research is trustworthy. 3.10 Limitations of the study There are several common limitations to a qualitative study using focus group discussions as a method. Christiansen (2021) identifies the following restriction for this method of research. Table 3-6: Limitations of qualitative research (Christiansen, 2021) Sample size A sample of six congregations from a possible 278 was approached to do a focus group interview. From the six focus groups, only three were analysed because data saturation was achieved. Bias Because the participants are all members of their congregation's management team, their participation could be biased. This could be a limitation and could have influenced the study. 56 Self-select bias The pre-identification of focus group participants could be regarded as a limitation. Still, participants were informed that they could leave at any time if they feel uncomfortable with the interview. During the interviews, no participant left the interviews. Artificiality "Marketing" in a religious context is strange and outside the norm in a church environment. This fact could have had a limiting effect on the behaviour and participation of the focus group members. 3.11 Ethical considerations The researcher understood and adhered to the ethics guidelines and principles emphasised by the North-West University (NWU). The researcher took up the responsibility of honouring the fundamental ethical principles of social research, namely: • Ethics clearance were sought and received from the ethics committee of the Faculty of Economic Management at the NWU. • There was no risk to participants who attended the Zoom interviews. • This study can add social value by aiding the development of a marketing strategy for a congregation, which also benefits the community in which they function. • Participation in the semi-structured focus group interview was voluntary, and there were participants who had been approached but excused themselves from the interviews beforehand. • Participants were informed that they had the freedom to withdraw from the interviews at any time. • Participants were informed at the beginning of the interview of the purpose and nature of the research. Participants were also given an estimate of the duration of the Zoom interviews. • The participants were ensured that the information disclosed in the interviews would remain anonymous and confidential. • The researcher sought and received consent from the NHKA for the research. (Appendix A) • The interview guide was sent to the fiduciary members of the selected congregations. The relevant contact information was sourced from the NHKA database and an internal publication that is available publicly without compromising the POPI act (Zenda et al., 2020). 57 3.11.1 Permission and informed consent A letter that explained the aim and objectives of the research was sent to each participant as an attachment to an e-mail. Due to the POPI Act, the researcher did not have the contact numbers or e-mail addresses of each member of the focus groups of each congregation. The fiduciary person of each congregation sent the interview guide to the rest of the participants who had been selected to be part of the interview. The researcher explained the following (Appendix C): • The nature of the research • The aims and objectives • What was expected of the participants • The benefits of the research • The expected duration of the interview • The confidentiality level • Their option to withdraw from the research at any time without repercussions, even after starting. 3.11.2 Anonymity The data were collected anonymously. A meeting request was sent from the Zoom application to the fiduciary person at the congregation and the congregation determined the rest of the participants in the focus group. The views of the participants are reported anonymously. 3.11.3 Confidentiality The participants were ensured that the collected data would remain confidential. The raw data is kept on a password protected computer only accessible to the researcher. 3.12 Conclusion The research was undertaken using a phenomenological approach that focuses on the values, beliefs, and why people in a group do what they do (Botma et al., 2010:190). The empirical data were gathered inductively from focus groups interviews with members from selected congregations. The data were thematically analysed to give the researcher an indication of each 58 focus group's different thoughts. These answers were colour coded to identify patterns and, later, themes. The conclusion was that the research method and ethical consideration were done accordingly 59 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSING TO DETERMINE MARKETING TOOLS 4.1 Introduction This chapter explores the current marketing position of the operational ministries in selected congregations of the NHKA. The objective of this chapter is: • To determine the marketing tools that can be used to reach the NHKA's objective of providing effective and efficient marketing of their operational ministries. 4.2 Analysing the focus groups interviews The interview guide was divided into two sections. The first four questions established the demographic profile of the participants. The remaining nine questions were open-ended questions to get the opinions of the focus group participants about marketing in their congregation and the holistic church environment. 4.2.1 Part one: Demographics The ages of the focus group participants varied from 25 years old up to 65 years and older. The age profile is shown in Figure 4-1. It is interesting to note that 50% of the focus group participants were between 45 and 64 years old, while 72% were between 25 and 64 years. These are the leaders and decision makers in the congregations. 60 Age profile of the interviewed focus groups 14% 14% b. 25-34 c. 35-44 22% d. 45-54 25% e. 55-64 f. Above 64 25% Figure 4-1: Age profile of the interviewed focus group Figure 4-2 indicates that 39% of the decision makers and strategic leaders who participated in the focus groups have no tertiary education. Over 29% of the participants have a tertiary degree or an equivalent qualification, and 32% have a postgraduate qualification. The inference is that congregations do not always have the benefit of using highly qualified people to manage the operations of a ministry. Highest Qualification 32% 39% a. Grade 11-12 c. Tertiary qualification d. Postgraduate 29% Figure 4-2: Highest qualification 61 The last question in the section on demographics inquired about the role of each of the participants in relation to how long they have been a confessing member of the church. A confessing member refers to a member who has formally confessed their faith. The average age at which a person give a confession of faith is between 16 and 18 years. The participants were not necessarily confessing members of the specific congregation for all of their lives. Figure 4-3 indicates that the oldest member of the focus group is responsible for managing the finances, and the youngest participant is responsible for the youth. The average time for which participants' had been confessing members was 31 years. Years of confessing membership 60 50 54 40 41 40 38 36 30 34 33 20 20 10 14 - Chair Finance Scribe Cashier Deacon Elderly Youth Member Admin. ROLE IN THE CONGREGATION Figure 4-3: Correlation between years of confessing membership and role in the congregation 4.2.2 Part two: Open-ended questions The second part of the interview guide contained open-ended questions. The section below presents the thematic analysis. 4.2.2.1 Thematic analysis of interviews The questions were written down, and comments from each of the three focus groups were listed in table form to enable the researcher to identify themes, subthemes, and categories. 62 YEARS 4.2.2.1.1 What are your view/s about a marketing strategy in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika? Table 4-1: Views about a marketing strategy in the NHKA Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1 "……ek dink nie daar P1. "Digitale bemarking sal P1. " moeilik om marketing bestaan so iets nie..." die pad wees…" in kerkverband…lidmate te werf.. nog ooit aandag P2 " die bree Kerk … nie n P2. "…meer leiding aangegee het nie…" magtige bemarkingsvoertuig kry...lidmate….verwag nie." leiding" P2. "… belangrik dat ons die buitewêreld laat weet wat ons P3. "….dit nie bestaan P3. "maak 'n fout deur te as Hervormde Kerk doen.." binne-in die Kerk nie….totale dink dat ons op harde kopie afwesigheid." nog effektief kan P3. "… ons het nie rêrig 'n kommunikeer….Ons uitgewerkte strategie nie…" P4. "….in die gemeente is samelewing is lank verby ons in die kinderskoene…." daardie soort bemarking of P5. "….Dit is krities vir die bekendstelling" voortbestaan van beide P4. “...volhoubaarheid van gemeente en Kerk om 'n die Kerk, in konteks met die omvattende plan te uitbreiding en die bestaan…" implementer" P6. "….dis 'n mindshift wat ondergaan moet word…." P7. "…dit bestaan regtig nie…" P8. "…dis so vloeibare tyd…dis nie waar hy is nie…waar hy gaan wees." P9. "…Dramatiese veranderings vorentoe...” P10. "… twee vlakke van bemarkingsplan… Een strategiese plan om die mense 'n kopskuif te maak…." Tweedens "…operasionele plan …dag tot dag se bemarking." 63 Table 4-2: The themes and categories that emerged from Question 1 Theme Sub-themes Categories • Extinct Lack of a functional Non-existent functional • Lack marketing plan marketing plan • Teach the teacher Change is needed for the Change • Change future Need to develop growth Growth • Development Strategic levels Development of a • Mindshift marketing plan • Operational marketing All the focus groups agreed that the NHKA does not have a marketing plan. The first theme was – Lack of a functional marketing plan. The categories linked to the theme were the extinct and lack of a marketing strategy as indicated by Participants 1 and 7 of Focus Group 1 - P1 "…ek dink nie daar bestaan so iets nie..." and P7. "…dit bestaan regtig nie…". These comments suggest that the members are in anticipation of a marketing strategy. The last category is that members seek guidance to ensure sustainability, as mentioned by Participant 2 of Focus Group 2 - P2. "…meer leiding kry...lidmate….verwag leiding". The second theme was the need to change for the future. In Chapter 2, we witnessed the changing of the church over the centuries. Corrigan (2012) proposes that organisations vary due to internal and external factors that successfully present an opportunity to change (Corrigan, 2012). This view from the literature was supported by Participant 1 of Focus Group 2, who mentioned - P1. "Digitale bemarking sal die pad wees…" The third theme was the need to develop growth. According to Statistics South Africa, the white population has shown growth over the last ten years (Stats SA, 2021). This is the target market where growth is possible, especially with digital marketing, as specified by Participant 4 of Focus Group 2.- P4. “... volhoubaarheid van die Kerk, in konteks met die uitbreiding en die bestaan…" The fourth theme is the different strategic levels. In the operations of a congregation, people's minds have to shift to ensure that the strategic plan is implemented. Participant 10 of Focus Group 1 referred to different strategic levels: P10. "… twee vlakke van bemarkingsplan… Een strategiese plan om die mense 'n kopskuif te maak…." Tweedens "…operasionele plan …dag tot dag se bemarking.". The first strategic step would be to bring a mind shift in the church. Second, there should be a strategic marketing plan for the church and congregation. 64 4.2.2.1.2 What are your view/s about the current marketing situation in your congregation? Due to the similarities between Questions 5 and 6 of the interviewed guide (Appendix C), the information overlapped, and the two questions were combined for analysis. Table 4-3: The current marketing situation in a congregation Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1 “…element van meer die P1 “…ons dit doen deur P1. " in die winter… sosiale media wat absoluut digital..” kniekombersies aan die huidige en die toekoms ouetehuis voorsien.." is” P2. "… kerkkombuis adverteer ons dit ook op Facebook… dan kom daar mense van buitekant af…. bewus raak van ons…." P3. "… stroming wat ons Sondae doen…" P4. "… ek dink dit kom van binne…hoe sterker maak ons mekaar, … hoe sterker is ons 'n eenheid wat na buitentoe kan uitleef” Table 4-4: The sub-themes and categories related to a marketing strategy in a congregation Theme Sub-themes Categories • Social media Marketing inside out Projects • Worship services The theme that emerged from these questions was that the marketing is inside out. Lagerstedt (2014) explains that the inside-out approach emphasises an organisation's belief in its inner strength and capabilities to make the organisation succeed (Lagerstedt, 2014). Participant 4 of Focus Group 3 said it aptly "… ek dink dit kom van binne…hoe sterker maak ons mekaar, … hoe sterker is ons 'n eenheid wat na buitentoe kan uitleef” 4.2.2.1.3 What will you include in a marketing strategy? 65 Table 4-5: Elements to include in a marketing strategy Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1. "…element van meer die P1. "ons dit doen deur P1. " word of mouth… gesels sosiale media…nie naastenby digitaal..." oor die gemeente waarin jy genoeg op ….kundigheid is…" P2. "…verskillende nodig om dit rerig waar te laat medias waarmee ons P2. "…leefwyse, gebeur…." werk…deur Leefstyl…leef dat mense sien P2. "…tradisionele WhatsApp's…" jy weet waarin jy glo, …'n stil bemarkingselemente uit die manier van bemarking…" P3. "…besef post- pakkie kan uitlaat nie…." COVID.. meer effektief P3. "…bekend te maak watter ook moet kommunikeer…” barmhartigheidswerk word P4. "…die dienste wat deur die Kerk gedoen…Kerk ons lewer behoort bemark se posissie probeer versterk te word…” op 'n sosiale vlak….om die diens wat gedoen word aan P5. die gemeenskap ook te kan “…kleingroepbediening is uitkry." eintlik op 'n manier 'n bemarking..." P4. "markidentifikasie is vir my belangrik." P6 "… ons voetspoor lê wyd genoeg dat nie- P5. "…Organiese groei." lidmate nie en nie- kerkgangers nie, bewus geraak het van die diens wat ons lewer…" P8 "…fokus is op die gemeenskap rondom die kerk en nie net die gemeenskap van die kerk nie…" P9 " 'n projek elke maand om aan 'n instansie of 'n groep mense in die gemeenskap 'n ietsie te gee om as 'n blyk van waardering vir die diens wat hulle aan die gemeenskap lewer. So, in September het ons vir al die dokters en die verpleërs ietsie gevat, en nou in Oktober is dit vir al die ander mediese personeel, en in November is dit vir al die, wat bejaardes versorg… en almal wat kankerpasiënte versorg." 66 Table 4-6: The sub-themes and categories related to the elements of a marketing strategy Theme Sub-themes Categories Marketing strategy • Digital marketing Market identification (Concept) • Society • Expertise Social media • Projects awareness Lifestyle of congregations • Word of mouth The theme of a marketing strategy emerged from the question: What will you include in a marketing strategy? Kotler and Keller ( 2016:36) say that a marketing strategy and plan of an organisation could only be successful if it consists of the following (Kotler & Keller, 2016:39): • It gains marketing perception - P1. "...ons dit doen deur digitaal..." • It communicates with customers - P3. "…besef post-COVID.. meer effektief ook moet kommunikeer…” • It creates a solid brand. - P6 "… ons voetspoor lê wyd genoeg dat nie-lidmate nie en nie- kerkgangers nie, bewus geraak het van die diens wat ons lewer…" • It is innovative and creative - P1. "...ons dit doen deur digitaal..." • It promotes norms and values - P2. "… leefwyse, Leefstyl…leef dat mense sien jy weet waarin jy glo, …'n stil manier van bemarking…" Fahy and Jobber (2019:5) furthermore indicate that the following marketing concepts are important to achieve the corporate goals and beat the competition (Fahy & Jobber, 2019:5-11):- • Consumer satisfaction - P2. "… leefwyse, Leefstyl…leef dat mense sien jy weet waarin jy glo, …'n stil manier van bemarking…" • Profitability - P5. "…Organiese groei." • Integrated systems - "…verskillende medias waarmee ons werk…deur WhatsApp's…" • Community orientation - P8 "…fokus is op die gemeenskap rondom die kerk en nie net die gemeenskap van die kerk nie…" This supports a marketing strategy as a theme. 67 4.2.2.1.4 Which marketing tool/s do you think will provide an effective and efficient marketing tool for your congregation? (a) Visibility (b) Media publishing (c) Radio broadcasting (d) Infographics (e) Social media (f) Digital marketing (g) Added - Word of mouth Table 4-7: Marketing tool/s for an effective and efficient marketing strategy Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 1. Word of mouth. 1. Word of mouth 1. Word of mouth 2 Digital marketing 2. Social media 2. Visibility 3. Social media 3. Digital marketing 3. Radio broadcasting 4. Visibility 4. Visibility 4. Digital marketing 5. Infographics 5. Infographics 5. Social media 6. Media broadcasting 6. Radia broadcasting 6. Infographics 7. Radio broadcasting 7. Media publishing 7. Media publishing. Two-thirds of the focus groups prioritised the same marketing tools. All focus groups agreed that the best marketing tool is word of mouth. Focus Group 3, which has a geographical urban and rural composition, ranked radio broadcasting much higher than the other focus groups. That is the only significant difference between the focus groups. 4.2.2.1.5 What is the reason/s for your selection in the previous question? Table 4-8: Reasons for using the marketing tool/s Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1. "… dit hang af van die P1 "...leeskultuur het P1 "…ons is baie subdued teiken mark." verander…hulle lees tipiese wat betref ons uiterlike P2. "…Media en radio kort kragtige sosiale media bemarking .…wat ons doen, …negatiewe ding geraak." posts…mense is moeg vir wat ons sê, hoe ons leef…" negatiwiteit..." 68 Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P3. "…Kerklike publikasies P2 "…sosiale media en hoofsaaklik gelees deur digitale bemarking …ons wil mense binne die Hervormde 'n baie sterk virtuele Kerk. …in terme van teenwoordigheid in die bemarking gaan baie oop gemeenskap hê." wees op die nie-Kerklikes P3 "…hoe waardevol digitale ….beperkte teiken mark…." bemarking en sosiale media vir ons was. En veral vir jonger mense." Table 4-9: The sub-themes and categories related to marketing tools as part of a marketing strategy Theme Sub-themes Categories • Short positive communication Differentiated • Young people Virtual communication communication • Society • People not affiliated with a church The theme of differentiated communication was identified and was supported by the sub-theme of virtual communication. Virtual communication refers to all the different digital platforms available to communicate virtually to the youth and to people who are not affiliated with a church. Tate (2020) suggests that churches have to fine-tune their communication systems and processes for the first time because of the different channels and messages during uncertain times (Tate, 2020). 4.2.2.1.6 Do you think that digitisation will impact the marketing of the congregation? Please elaborate Table 4-10: Impact of digitisation on the marketing in a congregation Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1. "…Digitalisering werk P1 "…ons wil spesifiek fokus P1. "…lidmate wat eerder op juis … as gevolg van die op jongmense…en op 'n 'n Sondag die dienste stream omstandigehede waarin die digitale bediening…" as om fisies kerk toe te wêreled op die oomblik is." kom…" P2 "…digitale strategie moet P2. "...baie van die studente hê…omdat elke platform 'n swot aanlyn …meeste teikenmark het …en elke jongmense gebruk sosiale platform verskillende media en Internet…" moontlikhede…" 69 Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P3. "…WhatsApp-groepe werk ook baie goed…veral nou met COVID.." Table 4-11: The sub-themes and categories related to the impact of digitisation on the marketing in a congregation Theme Sub-themes Categories • Youth market Impact of digitalisation Communication • Communication platforms Nieuwhof (2020) states that digital worship has become the new normal, and those who ignore it will miss the most incredible opportunity to reach people (Nieuwhof, 2020). The literature supports this theme and the impact digitalisation have to communicate precisely to the youth target market. 4.2.2.1.7 Do you have any suggestions to improve a marketing strategy in your congregation or the NHKA? Table 4-12: Suggestions to improve a marketing strategy in your congregation or the NHKA Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1 "…Voordat ons praat oor P1 "...Kerk kan meer visible P1. "…die Kerk moet meer bemarking …wat is ons wees…" hom uitspreek oor aktuele strategie… doelwitte vir die P2. "… digitale media het sake en op hierdie manier die toekoms…". geen grense nie.. dis nie gesig van die Hervormde P2. "...Gemeentevlak … beperk tot die 10 000 Kerk duideliker uitbeeld..." kritiese evaluasie op n publikasies wat uitgegee P2. "vandag het ons eintlik deurlopende basis… word…” half bang geword om te veranderde omstandighede, P3. "ons In tyd vining moet praat…as dit verkeerd is, dan behoeftes …” kan reageer op moet dit gesê word…sonder P3. "…nie 'n bemarking samelewingsprobleme…" om die basis en die beginsel strategie, 'n oorlewing- van die Kerk te verloor…" P4. "… vensterperiode wat strategie …of ander gevalle daar oopgaan moet gebruik groeistrategie." en die Kerk se stem laat hoor" 70 Table 4-13: The sub-themes and categories related to suggestions to improve a marketing strategy in your congregation or the NHKA Theme Sub-themes Categories • Digital media Marketing strategy Visibility • Community involvement • Growth strategy Kotler and Keller (2016) indicate that a marketing strategy has to be revised frequently in a fast- changing environment to support growth (Kotler & Keller, 2016). Kotler and Keller furthermore indicate that one of the pillars is community involvement, a view confirmed by Participant 2 of Focus Group 1 - P2 ".. Gemeentevlak … kritiese evaluasie op n deurlopende basis… veranderde omstandighede, behoeftes …” 4.2.2.1.8 Are all the different age groups in the congregation involved in the marketing of the congregation? Table 4-14: Involvement of different age groups in the marketing of a congregation Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1. "beter geleetheid te P1. "…ek dink nie ons vaar P1. "…as die studente nie wees,…” goed met dit…" self praat onder hulle P2. "… ons betrek nie P2. "… nie al die kinders se medestudente nie, en hierdie …verskillende groepe nie…” nommers nie… Op tipiese ouens intrek en saambring P3. "…begin by platforms waar kinders op is nie, dan gebeur dit nie…" eienaarskap…moenie skaam … Twitter en Instagram is P2. "hoe jy die ding bekend wees ...” ons nie teenwoordig nie." maak …daar is potensiaal P3. "…'n klomp dinge by die maar ons kan nie daarby P4. "...ouens betrokke begin uitkom nie..." raak…hulle voel nie deel nie.” jongmense gehoor, maar ons sukkel om dit wat ons hoor P3. "…Charismatiese kerke P5. "… verskillende groepe geïmplementeer te kry...” in ons stad is nou so 10 000 te indentifiseer…wat is hulle plus lidmate…maar groei en behoefte en hoe vat ons dit groei en groei…hulle het vorentoe." orkeste, en hulle bemark op daai manier vir die jeug, kom geniet dit hier by ons…" Table 4-15: The sub-themes and categories related to the involvement of different age groups in the marketing of a congregation Theme Sub-themes Categories • Involvement Stewardship Different age groups • Implementation • Ownership 71 The theme that was identified was – All age groups involved in marketing. All the participants indicated that the youth does not play a role in the marketing of their congregations. Participant 3 of Focus Group 1 suggested that one should start with stewardship to involve other age groups in different ways - P1. "…as die studente nie self praat onder hulle medestudente nie, en hierdie ouens intrek en saambring nie, dan gebeur dit nie…" According to Hartman (2022), stewardship will help businesses (congregations) find sustainability and improve their reputation (Hartman, 2011). 4.2.2.1.9 Will you be interested in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy for your congregation? If yes/no, indicate why? Table 4-16: Interest in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy for your congregation Focus group 1 Focus group 2 Focus group 3 P1. "…leemte …totale P1. "… hoe om effektief P1. "…die mense 'n kans bemarkingstrategie. …tot by sigbaar te wees in die wêreld gee om te praat. Om die kleinste element van en in ons gemeenskap…" gemakliker te praat.. mense kommunikasie.” is te beskeie..nederig… en P2. "...bereik ons mense op bang …om rondom Kerk en die regte manier, kry ons die Kerkwees te praat..." boodskap uit en betyds." P2. "…soveel P3. "... ons focus baie beslis antwoorde…oor wat om te om 'n bemarkings doen en watter rigting 'n ou kommunikasie plan." kan beweeg…" P4. "…verskillende bedieningskanale wat ons op begin focus… focus op bemarking op alle vlakke…" Table 4-17: The sub-themes and categories related to a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy in your congregation Theme Sub-themes Categories • Digital communication Interest in a marketing plan Marketing communication. • Visibility • Ministries The theme that was identified was the participants' interest in a marketing plan. The marketing plan has to cover all forms and levels of communication within a congregation - P1. "… hoe om effektief sigbaar te wees in die wêreld en in ons gemeenskap…". 72 Kotler and Keller (2016:26) define marketing "as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large" (Kotler & Keller, 2016:26). In this definition, Kotler and Keller value communication as part of the marketing plan. 4.2.2.1.10 Will your congregation be interested in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy? If yes/no, indicate why? All focus groups were interested in a proposed guideline for a marketing strategy for the NHKA. 4.3 A few prominent findings to conclude the results of the empirical research • The first finding is that the NHKA does not have a marketing strategy but the church values communication. Communication should preferably make use of any digital communication platform as long as it is short messages. • The principle of stewardship is essential to get all different age groups involved to take ownership of the implementation of the marketing plan. • The marketing plan should be aimed at growth and it can not go without the necessary changes and mind shift among the people. Digital marketing and communication and the use of technology, especially in the post-Covid-19 era, have to be part of the marketing plan of a congregation and the church. • The inside-out approach emphasises the internal strength of a church as a means to succeed with a marketing plan directed at the external environment. • Two-thirds of the focus group in the empirical research indicated that they would use the same marketing tools for an effective and efficient marketing strategy. 4.4 Conclusion The data gathered by means of the empirical fieldwork indicate that the church has not protected its market share since the changes that occurred from 1994 onwards. It seems that churches are stuck in the mindset they had in the era when they had state protection, as the results show that the NHKA does not have a marketing strategy. All of the participants of the focus groups were open to a proposed marketing strategy. The average age of the participants at the time of the interviews was 49. 73 The information received from the empirical process suggests tools for use for effective and efficient marketing of the congregation's operational ministries. These tools reveal an inside-out communication strategy. 74 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUDING INFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Introduction The NHKA and the other sister churches have to overcome the challenge of a gradual loss of members year by year, and they have to compete with other religious groups. This challenge correspond with Porter's five forces. One of the forces at play in the case of the NHKA is that the denomination did not consider the power or threat of new entrants (Walker & Mullins, 2014:99). Two questions emerge: (i) Why is the NHKA losing members each year? and (ii) What can the NHKA do to stop the decline or turn it into growth? A marketing strategy can enable the church to make people more aware of the church's services and what those services are all about. The main aim of this study was to: Develop a marketing strategy for ministries within the reformed churches The research question that guided the research was:- What marketing strategy can be developed to help the NHKA recover market share by effectively and efficiently marketing their ministries? 5.2 Structure of the study This study examined a particular phenomenon using a deductive phenomenological method to understand people's experiences, behaviours, socialisation, cultural values and everything related to bodily action (Botma et al., 2010:190). Empirical data were captured by means of focus groups interviews to capture people's experiences, values and behaviour. A qualitative, non-probability purposive sampling method was selected as the most suitable for the aim of the research. Therefore, the findings of this research can not be generalised as they are relevant only to the specific context. The development of a marketing strategy for the NHKA addresses the research problem and offers a solution that can be implemented. 75 5.3 Research objectives Marketing research is a complex process. It becomes even more complex when a researcher does marketing research within a conservative religious environment. The research objectives below aimed to answer the research questions to support the primary objectives. 5.3.1 Objective 1 - To gain insight into the current marketing strategy of the NHKA Question 5 and 6 of the interview guide probed the participants' views in this regard. In answer to Question 5 of the interview guide, the participants offered their views on the marketing strategy of the NHKA. Participant 1 of Focus Group 1’s first reaction was P1 "……ek dink nie daar bestaan so iets nie...". Participant 2 of Focus Group 2 mentioned that members want guidance in this regard - P2. "…meer leiding kry...lidmate….verwag leiding". Participant 2 of Focus Group 3 in turn indicated the importance of a marketing plan P2. "… belangrik dat ons die buitewêreld laat weet wat ons as Hervormde Kerk doen.." All the focus group participants agreed that the church does not have a marketing strategy. Participant 10 of Focus Group 1 suggested different strategic levels - P10. "… twee vlakke van bemarkingsplan… Een strategiese plan om die mense 'n kopskuif te maak…." Tweedens "…operasionele plan …dag tot dag se bemarking." The participants indicated that although they do not have a sound, worked-out marketing plan, they do engage in certain aspects of marketing. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the congregation from which this focus group was selected used digitalisation to improve their communication. Participant 1 of Focus Group1 - P1 “…element van meer die sosiale media wat absoluut die huidige en die toekoms is”, and Participant 1 of Focus Group 2 said – P1 “…ons dit doen deur digital..” These contributions by the participants of the focus groups gave a thorough indication of the current approach to marketing within the church. As such, Objective 1 of the study was met. 5.3.2 Objective 2 - To conduct a literature study of related sciences to understand the current situation and the cultural differences between the different age groups present in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika The current body of literature offers the following insights related to Objective 2: 76 Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AC, granting Christians freedom of religion (Dreyer, 2016:2). Martin Luther, who is widely regarded as the catalyst of church reform and the father of Protestantism, nailed his 95 statements to the church doors in Wittenburg (Van Wyk, 2017:95-96). After Luther, Calvin made a meaningful impact on how the church developed throughout the Reformation and how they functioned as a protestant church. Calvin established the presbyterial order, which is today the basis of the three sister churches (Dreyer, 2016:115). Calvin's viewed the church as an organic unity between the church, nation and government. This means that the church is not of the world but works with the powerful Word of God through his Holy Spirit in the world to make an impact in the community (Dreyer, 2016:116 & 117). When Van Riebeeck, a protestant, arrived in the Cape and the Dutch East India Company commercialised a refreshment station, different cultures started to develop from the communities that had settled at the southern tip of Africa (Van der Merwe, 2014:115). These cultures developed into new nations with new languages, one of which is the Afrikaners (Oliver, 2019). From the moment the first religious minister (Johannes van Arckel) arrived in the Cape, the church had much influence and enjoyed the protection of the state, but it also had to adhere to the dictates of the government (Van der Merwe, 2014:116). Ordinance 7 of 1843 technically gave the church freedom within its own sphere, but it was never really realised (Coertzen, 2016:193). With the acceptance of the interim constitution in 1993 and the final constitution in 1996, the sister churches lost their government protection. The Constitution of 1996 prioritises individual rights over group rights and makes Christianity equal to all other religions (Barnett, 1998:557). In Matthew 28:19, believers receive the call to go to all the people and make them disciples "….teaching them to observe everything I commanded…." (Bible, 2018:61). This is an instruction to do missionary work. The term "mission Dei" refers to missionary work (Dreyer, 2020:253). From a Christian point of view, it is a call to go and tell people about God, from a world perspective, it refers to marketing. The church not only has to compete with other religious groups but also has to keep up with developments in technology like social media and digital communication to accommodate the youth. Participant 1 of Focus Group 2 indicated in reaction to Question 10 of the interview guide - P1 "…ons wil spesifiek fokus op jongmense…en op 'n digitale bediening…" The historical development, structure and basic premise of the three sister churches mean that they have no written marketing strategy to compete with the other religious groups in the same 77 market segment. The three sister churches have the Apostolic Creed in common, which supposes unity. This can give them bargaining power and an economy of scale. The above information gathered from the literature meets Objective 2. 5.3.3 Objective 3 - To determine the marketing tools that can be used to support the NHKA's objectives so that the church can effectively and efficiently market their operational ministries The qualitative phenomenological research design focused on people's experiences and the meaning they ascribe to their experiences by means of focus group interviews (Botma et al., 2010:190). The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the world to turn to digital technology. This was also the case for the church. The following participants from various focus groups indicated that digital media is one of the tools they have been using to communicate with their members. • P1. "…Digitalisering werk juis … as gevolg van die omstandigehede waarin die wêreled op die oomblik is.” • P2 "…digitale strategie moet hê…omdat elke platform 'n teikenmark het …en elke platform verskillende moontlikhede…" • P2 "…sosiale media en digitale bemarking …ons wil 'n baie sterk virtuele teenwoordigheid in die gemeenskap hê." • P2. "… digitale media het geen grense nie.. dis nie beperk tot die 10 000 publikasies wat uitgegee word…” In answer to Question 12 of the interview guide, the focus groups acknowledged gaps when it comes to ministering to the youth. The participants of Focus Group 2 said:- • P1. "… ek dink nie ons vaar goed met dit…" • P2. "… nie al die kinders se nommers nie… Op tipiese platforms waar kinders op is … Twitter en Instagram is ons nie teenwoordig nie." • P3. "…'n klomp dinge by die jongmense gehoor, maar ons sukkel om dit wat ons hoor geïmplementeer te kry...” 78 The majority of the focus groups indicated that they are prioritising digital marketing tools. In answer to Question 8, participants identified the following marketing tools: • Word of mouth • Digitalisation (Digital marketing and social media). P1 " leeskultuur het verander…hulle lees tipiese kort kragtige sosiale media posts…mense is moeg vir negatiwiteit..." • Visibility and infographics - P1 "… dit hang af van die teiken mark." • Media (radio or published) - P2. "…Media en radio …negatiewe ding geraak." The above information gathered from the interviews addresses Objective 3. 5.3.4 Objective 4 – Propose a marketing plan to market the NHKA’s operational ministries The recommended marketing strategy is a differentiation focus strategy. Such a strategy would mean that the NHKA would target a small number of target market segments to differentiate the services offered. This strategy would give the NHKA the opportunity to compete within a broader target group. All the interviewed focus group participants agreed that there is currently no marketing strategy for the NHKA. A proposed conceptualised marketing plan was developed as presented in Appendix D. Although the study's aim was not to offer a marketing plan for the sister churches, Appendix D proposes a relevant marketing plan, meeting Objective 4 of the study. 5.4 Final inferences As indicated in Chapter 1, the sister churches are losing members each year, despite the fact that the white population of South Africa, which is the target market of the three sister churches, has grown by 2% from 2011 to 2020 (Stats SA, 2020). In contrast with the declining number of members in the three sister churches, churches that follow a prosperity theology keep growing. The literature study in Chapter 2 follows the development of the church globally and shows how the Afrikaans churches enjoyed state protection until 1996. This meant that the churches did not necessarily have to do any marketing. After 1994, churches that promote a prosperity theology, such as the Christian Revival Church (CRC), became some of the fastest-growing communities. 79 The Apostles Creed is one of the things the three sister churches have in common, something they may perhaps use to their advantage. Chapter 3 gives an outline of the research method, including the process of thematic analysis of the data retrieved from the focus group interviews. The chapter also addressed the trustworthiness of the study. In Chapter 4, the researcher identified themes from the focus group interviews. These themes revealed an inside-out communication strategy. The researcher views this study as relevant, valid and significant. The next section offers recommendations. 5.5 Recommendations The following recommendations flow from the study:- • Churches should be made more visible using a marketing strategy. • A new logo/brand will give the church an opportunity to roll out a marketing strategy. The newly developed logo should be promoted by branding buildings, cars etc. • The church's services in the community should be marketed in a more prominent, effective and efficient way. These services include social development in the community. • The youth can be involved in the marketing of the congregation’s operational ministries to make it fun during the week. • The church should consider the provision of VR (virtual rooms) to broadcast worship services to old age homes, hospitals and other institutions like correctional facilities so that members and non-members can attend worship services virtually. • The church should make better use of digital marketing to improve the inside-out communication strategy. • The church should create an opportunity for discussion to interact (blog/social media) with the minister after the worship service. 5.6 Suggestions for future research Future research on this topic can explore the following themes: 80 • How the three sister churches' marketing differs • A comparative study to compare the three Afrikaans sister churches and the prosperity gospel churches' views on marketing. • A marketing strategy for the organs of assistance shared by the three sister churches • The development of a complete marketing plan. 5.7 Conclusion The study has proven the importance of marketing in the three sister churches. 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South African Computer Journal, 32(1):113-132. 89 APPENDIX A: A LETTER OF CONSENT OF THE NEDERDUTSCH REFORMED CHURCH 90 APPENDIX B: KERKSPIEËL ETIESE MAGTINGING 91 92 93 APPENDIX C: INTERVIEWED GUIDE TO OPEN-ENDED QUESTION 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 APPENDIX D: PROPOSED CONCEPTUALISED MARKETING PLAN 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 APPENDIX E: EMS REC FEEDBACK 130 APPENDIX F: INTERVIEW 1 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 APPENDIX G: INTERVIEW 2 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 APPENDIX H: INTERVIEW 6 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 APPENDIX I: LETTER OF APPROVAL TO SUBMIT IN MARCH 2022 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 APPENDIX J: DECLARATION OF LANGUAGE EDITING 206 207 APPENDIX K: SOLEMON DECLARATION 208