Online Community Building for Religious Non-Profits: Participation, Moderation, and Digital Belonging
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Journal: NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies (ERDO)
Year: 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-online-community-2025
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About the Article
Online communities are increasingly central to the strategies of religious non-profits, serving as digital spaces for spiritual support, participation, and organizational resilience. This article examines the principles of online community building, including defining purpose, choosing platforms, setting inclusive guidelines, and fostering participation. Drawing on global case studies from Nigeria, India, Brazil, the Philippines, and Kenya, it illustrates how faith-based organizations adapt digital tools such as Facebook Groups, WhatsApp, and Telegram to sustain belonging and engagement. The analysis emphasizes the importance of proactive moderation, cultural sensitivity, and recognition of member contributions in maintaining healthy communities. By integrating academic insights with practitioner examples, the article shows how online communities support both sustainability and accountability in religious non-profits.
Key Topics
- Defining purpose and mission alignment for online communities
- Platform selection: Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, and local forums
- Establishing inclusive community guidelines and onboarding processes
- Interactive activities and recognition of member contributions
- Moderation and conflict resolution in digital religious spaces
- Case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America
Academic Value
The article contributes to scholarship on digital belonging and participatory communication, situating online communities within the broader debates on civil society resilience and faith-based organizational governance. For practitioners, it offers actionable strategies to build inclusive, moderated, and sustainable online communities that extend religious practice and mobilize grassroots participation.
References
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Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Online community building in religious non-profits: Participation, moderation, and cultural sensitivity. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-online-community-2025
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https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-social-media-2025
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