Religious deal providers are banking on the idea that deep discounts for targeted niche markets will be more relevant to consumers, and generate higher redemption rates by consumers and interest by merchants.

Social deals are going spiritual.

Inspired by their religious callings—and the $713 million in revenue that social deal pioneer Groupon took in last year—a growing number of entrepreneurs are making a go of the fast-growing social coupon space with sites specifically targeting religious groups.

Jewish sites Jewpon, Jdeal and OyWhataDeal paved the way late last year, taking their cue from sites like Groupon or Living Social, which offer deep discounts to members on everything from meals to movies to skydiving.

While Groupon can get members 40 percent off the cost of hang-gliding lessons in Chicago, for example, Jewpon recently offered half off the “Fundamentals of Talmud” learning system. Jdeal touted a 46 percent break on etrogs, a citrus fruit used for the upcoming harvest festival of Sukkot, while OyWhataDeal members could get half-priced challah bread from Challywood.net.

“I read an article about Groupon and realized there was an opportunity to bring the Groupon model to our Jewish community,” said Jdeal co-founder Jodi Samuels. “We’re really focusing on deals that are relevant to the Jewish community, so people have this incentive to be on our list.”

Christian variations followed suit. Last January, Only144.com began staging 144-hour sales for deeply discounted church materials, like $1,000 worth of ministry resources for just $97 in August.

In May came Grouptune, which sells discounted Christian albums and offers free song downloads. ChristianDeals.org, launched a month later, recently offered a 16 percent discount on flip-flops from Christian retailer God Feet.

Next up? Muslim-Deals.com, a domain name that’s already been purchased with the promise of an impending daily deal site.

U.S. consumer spending on social deals is expected to hit $2 billion this year, ahead of the $873 million spent in 2010, according to a September forecast by local media industry consultants BIA/Kelsey in Chantilly, Va. By 2015, spending is projected to top $4 billion.

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