Contemporary Church Management: Reframing Ministry through Theological, Economic, and Business Insights for a Sustainability Future

Abstract

This study addresses this gap by constructing and proposing a Theologically Grounded Integrative Management Framework as a novel conceptual contribution. A systematic literature review methodology was adopted, guided by the PRISMA protocol, drawing on 52 peer-reviewed sources indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and reputable theological databases published between 2000 and 2024. Sources were thematically coded and synthesized across three analytical dimensions: theological stewardship, faith-based economics, and church organizational management. Results: The analysis reveals that sustainable church management requires the coherent integration of three pillars: (1) servant-leadership theology as the normative foundation, (2) transparent and missionally oriented economic stewardship, and (3) adaptive business governance strategies. Each pillar reinforces the others and, when aligned, produces measurable gains in congregational trust, ministry effectiveness, and organizational resilience. The TGIM Framework offers an original interdisciplinary contribution by providing church leaders, governance bodies, and theological educators with a structured, operationalizable model for contemporary church administration. Unlike prior models, TGIM explicitly positions theology as the governing logic of economic and managerial decisions, ensuring that institutional professionalism remains anchored in Christian mission.