Date of Conferral
7-23-2024
Date of Award
July 2024
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Franz Gottleib
Abstract
A dwindling number of congregational members poses a significant risk to the continuity of U.S. churches. Leaders in traditional congregations need effective tactics for membership expansion. Drawing upon Bolman and Deal’s four-frame theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies leaders of traditional churches use to build membership. The participants were six leaders from traditional churches situated in the Southern and Eastern parts of the United States. Data were collected by conducting semistructured interviews and archival documents. Thematic analysis of the data revealed four prominent themes: influential leadership, community involvement, use of technology and social media, and leveraging of social connections. A recommendation is for leaders of traditional churches to implement strategy workshops to educate church members about membership expansion. The implication for social change includes the potential for church leaders to create growing churches equipped to address poverty, homelessness, and inequality in their communities, leading to tangible improvements in the lives of marginalized individuals.
Recommended Citation
Blake, carlos, "Effective Strategies for Building Traditional Church Membership" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16028.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16028
