Abstract:
The dissertation Fides ex auditu (Romans 10:17) Propaganda first, faith after The internal marketing as instrument of mission in the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brasil (ECLCB) arises from the uneasiness of the daily life of an Ordained Minister. The so called Historical Churches, to which group the ECLCB belongs, are facing great difficulties to keep their members. These
difficulties to keep members is the issue of the first chapter. Through two researches
taken in the ECLCB, the suspicion of numerical stagnation, even with strong
tendency towards lowering numbers, is confirmed. The two researches analyzed
point to the same, although one presents the question in a national view and the other
brings numbers of a small town in the open country of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The search for help comes to the field of marketing. While taking out prejudices, we
seek to draw nearer to this field of human knowledge. Yet, before we begin the
dialog, it is necessary to respect the organizational culture of the institution to which
marketing action might become useful. The second chapter presents, therefore, the
pillars of the Lutheran Theology. It is on these pillars that the way of being of the
ECLCB is laid upon. Thinking on adult congregations, internal marketing actions
arise as the more efficient actions at the moment. The third chapter presents the theme
of marketing, looking specially to internal marketing. Seeking to analyze the internal
communication in the ECLCB, theme that the internal marketing reflects, it was
collected information with various leaders of this church. What this data collection
revealed is presented, along with its explanation and analysis, in the forth chapter.
Church and marketing is a challenge! In a well directed dialog, with the help offered
by the marketing, the Church can become more efficient in its way to communicate
what is most precious: the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
