Impact Of Digital And Information Technology On Church Growth

This study was carried out examine the impact of digital and information technology on church growth with a particular reference to the selected churches in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of River State, Nigeria. To achieve this objective, four research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages and tables to analyze research questions and Chi-square statistical tool was used for testing of research hypotheses. A structured questionnaire was used as the major instrument for data collection in the selected churches in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of River State, Nigeria. After the careful analysis of the data, the following findings were revealed that; there is a significant relationship between Information and Communication Technologies and spiritual growth of the church and there is a significant influence of Information and Communication Technologies on church development. The study was concluded with some recommendations that ICT training and education should become a core part of the curriculum in seminaries and colleges of theology where these pastors are trained and selected churches should seek to conduct in-house training on ICT for their pastors.

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

The wheel of progress each day continues to turn bringing about significant changes in human endeavours. Man, the rational animal on the face of the earth, has from crude methods of communication developed highly sophisticated ways of communicating. The new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are rapidly changing our old ways of sending, receiving, storing and analyzing messages and data. Many barriers that militated against effective communication are day-after-day being dismantled. Every sphere of life is now caught in this inevitable web of information revolution. Reflecting on this era of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Toffler (1980) ascertained that a new civilization is emerging in our lives, and blind men everywhere are trying to suppress it. This new civilization brings with it new family styles; changed ways of working, loving and living, a new economy; new political conflicts; and beyond all this an altered consciousness as well. Pieces of this new civilization exist today.

Undoubtedly, ICT is rapidly constructing the rhythms of tomorrow"s style and no one can stop it. Communication strengthens life, makes it enjoyable and meaningful. McBride et al, (1980) explained that communication maintains life. It is also the motion and expression of social activities and civilization; it leads various processes and systems of enquiry, command and control; it creates a common pool of ideas, strengthens the feeling of togetherness through exchange of messages and translates thought in action, reflecting every emotion and need from the humblest tasks of human survival to supreme manifestations of creativity-or destruction.

The invention of the internet has greatly revolutionalized communication systems globally. This global network of computers has injected more strength into Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) dominated by the developed countries. In developed and les developed countries many media institutions, schools and colleges, organizations, individuals now make tremendous use of the Internet (Net) on daily basis to send and receive information within and outside their countries. The "Global Village" is rapidly turning into a "Global Parlour". We now live in a world of "e-communication".

Okoro (2006) opined that our world has become a world of fax machines, mobile phones, computers, satellites, videotext, telex cable, you name it, thus giving rise to life of ... e-learning, e-business, e-trading, email, e-library, e-fund transfer, e-banking, e-conferencing, e-enterprise, e-research, and the like. In this globalize world of computer mediated communication and cyberspace, life and things move at a fast clip while man adapts his behaviour to match the tempo of change.

This global growth of telecommunications industry is making many countries, especially the less developed countries, feel uneasy for they strongly believe that what is happening now in the field of telecommunications will set terms of life in the near future just as 19th country industrialization set terms of life for our present ear. Indeed, many nations strongly believe that sovereignty, economic, social, political and religious affairs and other national issues, now and tomorrow, will greatly depend on telecommunications. It thus follows that to be left behind in the telecommunications "hot race" means disaster (Iyere, 2001).

The Church, being a human organization, cannot be a passive observer of the vast arrays of developments in Communication Technology. This is because she has to adequately use them for effective and efficient management, administration and evangelization of people in the world. In fact, the Church has to use the mass media available in our time to properly execute God"s mandate to her "Go, teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19). The views of Azuzu (1987) corroborates the expression that communication is a ministry and it is needed everywhere in the Church today than ever before. This fact should strike a meaningful note in the hearts of every commitment Christian in our time. The response should be demonstrated in having men and women who identify themselves professionally to tackle the challenging problems, and of enormous dimensions posed for the Church in this media-invaded world of ours. This research work, therefore, aims to x-ray the impact of digital and information technology on church growth.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Important changes in different aspects of human life are recorded daily as a result of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). As a human organization, the Church cannot afford to be a passive observer of the fascinating benefits and challenges the new information revolution presents to mankind in this 21st century. Some Church authorities, especially those in urban areas in Nigeria, have taken dynamic and progressive steps to use some of the tools of information technology in their daily management, administration and evangelization of people. This study thus takes a firm stand by positing that Churches in the urban areas in Nigeria, should make adequate use of the abundant resources information and communication technology presents, if they are to be relevant and dynamic participants in the ongoing information revolution.

1.3 Research Objectives

The general objective of this study is to investigate the impact of digital and information technology on church growth. The specific objectives are:

1. To investigate the level of exposure of churches in Nigeria in area of Information Communication and Technology
2. To ascertain the benefits and challenges of computer literacy to religious leaders and members of Nigerian churches
3. To determine the factors militating against better and wider use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Nigerian churches
4. To proffer solutions to the identified problems because of the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in effective management of church.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study

1. What is the level of exposure of churches in Nigeria in area of Information Communication and Technology?
2. What are the benefits and challenges of computer literacy to religious leaders and members of Nigerian churches?
3. What are the factors militating against better and wider use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Nigerian churches?
4. What are the solutions to the identified problems because of the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in effective management of church?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses will guide the study.

There is no significant relationship between Information and Communication Technologies and spiritual growth of the church

There is no significant influence of Information and Communication Technologies on church development

1.6 Significance of the Study

The significance of the study is to make the church see the importance of the new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in management of Churches. It will also help the diocese in efficient and effective planning and execution of her daily pastoral programmes and activities within and outside the diocese. Equally, the study being the first of its kind in the diocese, future researchers will find it very useful as it forms a springboard for further research work in related areas.

1.7 Scope of the Study

As this study focus on the impact of digital and information technology on church growth and therefore will be carried out among selected churches in Nigeria.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The researcher encounter so many problems such as; stress, time, poor response from the respondents.

1. Financial Factor:

inadequate funds affected the way data were collected since the researcher had to travel long distances for the distribution of the research questionnaire forms.

2. Material Factor:

Shortages of relevant materials for literature review to obtain more fact about the study.

3. Time Factor:

limited time affected the size of the sample used for the study.

However, to eliminate and minimize these problems against future occurrence, the researcher suggested that enough time should be given in order to get quality information and better result. Materials should be made available in the school library to enable the researcher obtain more facts about the study.

1.9 Definition of Terms

The following terms were used in this study:

Administration:

it is the organization and direction of persons in order to accomplish a specific goal or end. Its main focus is on getting things done through other people by planning, organizing, directing and controlling (Adebayo, 1982).

Internet:

It is a global network of interconnected computers that communicate freely and share and exchange information. It contains vast array of information.

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the summary, conclusion recommendations for further studies.

5.2 Summary

This study was carried out examine the impact of digital and information technology on church growth with a particular reference to the selected churches in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of River State, Nigeria. To achieve this objective, the findings revealed that;

In table 2, it was discovered that 35 (43.2%) of the respondents indicated yes while 30 respondents representing 37% pointed no, and also 16 respondents (19.8%) opted no idea on the question. From the analysis, it was deduced that there is a level of exposure of churches in Nigeria in area of Information Communication and Technology.
In table 3, it was found out that 53 (65.4%) of the respondents indicated yes while 15 respondents representing 18.5% pointed no, and also 13 respondents (10%) opted no idea on the question. From the analysis, it was deduced that there are benefits and challenges of computer literacy to religious leaders and members of Nigerian churches.
In table 4, it was revealed that 42 respondents representing 51.9% pointed yes and 25 (30.9%) of the respondents indicated no while 14 respondents (17.3%) asserted no idea on the question. Therefore, it was deduced that there are factors militating against better and wider use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Nigerian churches.

In table 5, it was discovered that 62 respondents representing 76.5% indicated yes that there are solutions to the identified problems because of the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in effective management of church. While 12(14.8%) of the respondents asserted no and another 7 respondents representing 8.6% opted no idea on the question.

5.3 Conclusion

Based on the findings of this research and subsequent recommendations, it is concluded that Church growth is a trending area that many churches and mission want to know about and experience, and there are many authors who has written on this, far fewer have attempted to give detail on the impact of use of Information Communication Technology on the church of Christ. Equally important, among those few authors who have attempted to research on the relationship of the church and ICT, there is paucity of any experimental or empirical work on how the use of ICT affect church growth in rural. Jesus" words, ".....upon this rock will I build my church"1 is magnanimous. The creator may use any of His creation - technology, to fulfill His words. In relation to ICT, identifying the perception of the church, usage level and opportunities for church growth requires a thorough work.

5.4 Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following recommendations:

1. ICT training and education should become a core part of the curriculum in seminaries and colleges of theology where these pastors are trained.
2. Selected churches should seek to conduct in-house training on ICT for their pastors.
3. Church leaders should expose their pastors to the use of ICT and its benefits like in secular organizations and enterprises.
4. Pastors should be encouraged to buy personal computers and use it in their studies and teaching through provision of finances to finance the purchase by churches.
5. Churches should make purchase of ICT infrastructure and its development a deliberate policy for ICT use in the churches.

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