Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
3-2012
Publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Source Publication
International Journal of Social Economics
Source ISSN
0306-8293
Abstract
Purpose – Megachurches are thriving in religious markets at a time when Americans are asserting their ability as consumers of religious products to engage in religious switching. The apparent success of megachurches, which often provide a low cost and low commitment path by which religious refugees may join the church, seems to challenge Iannocconne's theory that high commitment churches will thrive while low commitment churches will atrophy. This paper aims to investigate this issue.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper employs a signaling model to illustrate the strategy and organizational forms megachurches employ to indicate a match between what the church produces and the religious refugee wishes to consume in an effort to increase their membership. The model illustrates that megachurches expect little in regard to financial or time commitment of new attendees. However, once the attendees perceive a good fit with the church, the megachurch increases its expectation of commitment. Data from the FACT2000 survey provide evidence in support of the model's predictions.
Findings – Data from the FACT2000 survey provide evidence in support of the model's predictions.
Originality/value – The paper serves to illustrate the dynamic process by which megachurches attract new attendees and transform those that find a good fit between their needs and what the church offers into full members of the church.
Recommended Citation
Daniels, Joseph P. and von der Ruhr, Marc, "Examining Megachurch Growth: Free Riding, Fit, and Faith" (2012). Economics Faculty Research and Publications. 139.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_fac/139
Comments
Accepted version. International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 39, No. 5 (March 2012): 357-372. DOI. This article is © 2012 Emerald Group Publishing. Permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.