By Larry D. Witzel
Unpublished manuscript (October 8, 2023)
School of Communication and the Arts, Liberty University

Abstract

In the post-Covid-19 era, people are more isolated than ever, making it even more difficult for pastors and evangelists to establish redemptive relationships with people in the community. The development of parasocial relationships through digital video advertising is proposed as an evangelistic path to reach people where they are. Once established, these parasocial relationships can be leveraged to engage these people in person, leading the relationship to transition to a social one based on two-way communication, which in the context of evangelism is a proven method to help someone embrace religious belief and join a spiritual community of faith. If this methodology is successful, it could unlock new evangelistic channels. It also has the potential to expand parasocial relationship theory to better understand the mechanics leading to a transition from parasocial to social relationship.

Keywords: parasocial relationships, Seventh-day Adventist evangelism, YouTube advertising

Citation

Witzel, L. D. (2023, October 8). Research proposal: Transitioning from parasocial to social relationships in Seventh-day Adventist evangelism [Unpublished manuscript]. School of Communication and the Arts, Liberty University.