The Digital Pulpit: How Tech Became the New Strategy for Church Growth
Analysis By: Oudney Patsika | Topic: Religion, Technology & Marketing
Technological tools have become the latest strategy being used by religious leaders to lure followers. It has been a steady but sure advancement of ways in which religious ministries strive to influence the communities around them.
From Tradition to Tech
When Christian communities were still conservative, women would only wear long-sleeved dresses while men were mandated to always wear jackets in church. But times have evolved. A Bible is now available to be read from the phone. Religious leaders have turned social media platforms like Facebook into pulpits, sending their messages to platforms where millions of followers spend much of their time.
Through live streaming, people attend church services in the comfort of their homes or at their workplaces, anytime of the day. The sanctuary has expanded beyond four walls into the digital realm.
The Digital Innovators
Charismatic leaders like Nigeria’s Pastor Chris Oyakhilome started the Yookos platform. Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri runs the Prophetic Tube and a Prophetic Chat platform accessible via Facebook or Google.
Locally, Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries leader Prophet Walter Magaya recently launched the 'Let’s Chat' application. "The common apps like WhatsApp and Facebook have failed to get them closer to me," Magaya stated. "I have decided to think big and created Let’s Chat."
The Challenge of Engagement
An expert in the field of technology noted that while setting up these platforms is easy, maintaining them is technically challenging. "You will also be competing with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn... And with only 24 hours in a day, it can be a challenge for one to share their time."
To succeed, these ministry apps must offer an experience as interactive and enjoyable as the tech giants, which employ thousands of engineers.
There are financial gains to be realized. "Advertisers will check who has the greatest audience online... So it’s an opportunity to make money," the expert noted. Church ministries, however, state they establish these platforms for prayer requests, tithes, and digital impartation.
The Religious Marketplace
Professor Nisbert Taringa, Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zimbabwe, observed, "The religious market is open so people move around shopping... Followers are not going to religions while blind, they look for something as economists do."
With the mushrooming of ministries, aggressive marketing has become a priority to establish identity. "You find that there are marketing teams for these ministries, advising them behind the scenes," Taringa added. "The shortest and most effective way to stay ahead is through opening their own channel."
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