Digital Marketing and Post-Pandemic Christian Practice in Ghana: Congregants' Perceptions across Five Greater Accra Churches

COVID-19 restrictions accelerated the use of livestreaming, social media, digital payments and online religious resources by churches. Evidence about whether these practices retained value after restrictions eased remains limited in Ghana. This study examined congregants' perceptions of digital marketing and Christian practice across five Pentecostal-Charismatic churches in Greater Accra. A cross-sectional online survey generated 281 usable responses, supplemented by a semi-structured interview with a senior Ghanaian church leader. Twelve five-point Likert items measured perceived effects on connection, gospel dissemination, worship access, religious resources, participation, audience reach, community, outreach, adaptation, dependence and giving. Descriptive statistics and two chi-square tests of independence were used. Ninety per cent of respondents reported active social-media use. Agreement was strongest for maintaining member connection (94.0%), spreading the Christian message (94.0%), supporting worship services and religious events (94.0%), improving access to religious resources (92.5%) and reaching people beyond physical services (91.8%). Agreement was lower for strengthening community (72.2%), enabling charitable outreach (66.9%), creating institutional dependence (60.9%) and increasing or facilitating digital giving (52.7%). Perceived dependence on digital marketing was significantly associated with perceived member connection, chi-square(16, N = 281) = 97.82, p < .001, Cramer's V = .30, and resource access, chi-square(16, N = 281) = 179.95, p < .001, Cramer's V = .40. The interview contextualised these results by identifying wider reach and remote giving alongside distraction, privacy exposure, impersonation fraud and possible substitution of online viewing for physical attendance. The findings indicate that digital channels have become persistent components of Ghanaian church communication, but their perceived value is uneven across outcomes. Churches should therefore pursue governed hybrid ministry, combining measurable digital access with embodied fellowship, safeguarding and financial transparency.

Media and Communications

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