A Study of The Effectiveness of Media in Evangelism

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Evangelism is not a new thing to many of present day world, although there are many
changes that have happened in the recent times. The methods of doing evangelism have
changed. It has changed in the sense that, there is a change from the initial method of doing
evangelism though that did not change evangelism but only the method of doing it is
changed. Initially, evangelism was done by establishing a physical contact with the person or
persons evangelizing with the recipient or recipients of the good news. On the other hand, the
method of evangelism has moved to the point of a preacher preaching at a fixed position and
reaching a heterogeneous and very distant audience at the same time or later. This change is
possible as a result of the availability of new media. Following the advent of new media,
people, organizations and churches had tended to add to their means of reaching the general
public and foster religious belief using the new media. The media, therefore, serve, in most
cases, as avenues through which evangelical activities are realized. Digital communication
and social networking dominate youth activities today, making it imperative that future
pastors and “gospel handlers” use new media for effective evangelization. The interactive
feature of the new media, for instance, has made it easier for communicators to receive
instant feedback to messages communicated and questions asked. The new media are as
pointed out by Diri, are those methods and social practices of communication, representation
and expression that have developed using digital, multimedia, networked computer and the
ways that this machine is held transformed work in other media, like books, movies,
newspapers, magazines, radio, television, telephone, and so on. 1 As a result of the availability
of the youths in the new media evangelization, there are left so many implications and effects
that the evangelism will leave on the youths.
1
This work tried to establish that there are ways in which new media evangelism affect the
youths, both positively and negatively.
Evangelism has taken an overwhelming stride in recent times. With the advent of the Internet,
Christian evangelizing took a new turn.2 It has moved from the old system, that is, moving
from place to place to evangelize, to evangelizing from a fixed position to various places in a
synchronized way. This movement left some effects on the recipients. Youthfulness, been
one of the exuberant stages of humankind, had always embraced this giant stride visible in
evangelism. They have been affected in virtually every aspect of their lives. 3 There are
specific experiences traceable to the things that youths hear and see in their day to day affairs.
Some youths have been influenced in their perception of things as a result of their exposure to
new media. Iduma, quoting Walt Mueller on the Power of the Media on Youths wrote, “The
mass media define reality and therefore shape who our youths become”. 4 This change in their
worldview can be attributed to their exposure on the new media. The responses of the youth
to religious activities have not been left out in this dispensation as well. This is because in
every action, there is always a corresponding reaction.
In Nigeria, more and more young people are turning to the internet to find personal, social
and religious information; and ecclesiastical institutions are devoting more and more
resources to improving their presence on the web. In a world which becomes more
interconnected daily, the global visibility of churches is clearly linked to their commitment to
the worldwide web. Virtual learning programs and open access initiatives allow Bible
knowledge to spread beyond physical boundaries, thus, enhancing the church’s important role
in raising new generation of leaders with character. New media has some implications for the
Church especially as it has to do with youths. As new media continue to develop even further,
evangelism is expected to be moving with the dynamism associated with new media. This
2
work hopes to present the facts that have been observed to be associated with the youths as
they patronize the new media evangelism.5
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It is obvious that some works have been written concerning new media, evangelism and the
youths. This is because, these issues are public issues. Although authors have written on these
topics, this topic is yet to be studied in the context of the effectiveness of media in effective
evangelism. Since there exists a good number of youths in our churches, there is a need to
carry out this research on them to know how they are affected with New Media Evangelism.
This is what prompted this research.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this research is to achieve the followings:
1. To ascertain the degree of the involvement Christ Apostolic Church in the new media
evangelism.
2. To understand how Christ Apostolic Church access the new media evangelism.
3. To determine the influence of new media on the Christ Apostolic Church.
4. To determine whether the new media evangelism has the same impact on the youths in
our churches as conventional evangelism.
1.4 Research Methodology
As a result of the nature of this topic, different methods were employed. The works of
scholars in the field related to this topic were consulted and some unpublished books. Other
library works, were equally made use of in handling this topic.
3
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is of a great importance in the following ways:
(i) Discovering some of the dynamisms of evangelism in our contemporary times.
(ii) Giving guidelines to the general public on the best way to manage the information
gathered from the new media evangelism giving that there are lots of misinformation going
on in the new media.
(iii) This work will equally contribute to further researching exercises on academic and
learning processes.
(iv) Finally, the recommendations made in this study would guide the youths, the parents,
guidance, counselors, teachers, ministers and the society on the need to be mindful of what
they engage their time in viewing and listening.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Due to wideness of the country, the researcher work could not get primary sources of the
effectiveness of media in effective evangelism. Furthermore, there was financial constraint
which served as a limitation. But the researcher tried as much as possible to gather fact, even
when he encountered books that were detrimental due to their own biases and prejudice.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Study: This is a piece of work that is done to find out more about a particular subject or
problem, and usually includes a written report. Examining or consider something very
carefully and in detail.6
Concept: An abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances. Something
formed in the mind; a thought or notion. An idea or a principle that is connected with
something.7
4
Work: Activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something,
sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result.8
Effectiveness: The quality of being able to bring about an effect, capacity to produce strong
physiological effects.9
Media: This is the communication outlets or tools used to store and deliver information or
data. The term refers to components of the mass media communications industry, such as
print media, publishing, the news media, photography, cinema and many others.10
Effective: producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect. Effective stresses the actual
production of or the power to produce an effect.11
Evangelism: The Greek verb evanglizesthai (evanglizesthai) means, “to announce good
news;” The noun euangelion) means, “Good news.” Evangelism, then means, “to share or
announce the good news”. Evangelism is to communicate the gospel in such a way that men
and women have a valid opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and become responsible
members of his church.12
5
Endnotes
1. Diri, C. T. Old Media, New Media: An Exploration in Relevance, Convergence and
Divergence. International Journal of Communication. 10. (2009), 174.
2. Orlu, Hyacinth Chimene. “Evangelization in Cyberspace for the Promotion of Moral
Development of the Nigerian Youths” International Journal Of Information And
Communication Studies 1.2 (2015): 15.
3. Iduma, Francis. The Cry of the Youths. (Lagos: Mbeyi& Associates Nig. Ltd., 2008), 11.
4. Ibid. 23.
5. Dankasa, Jacob. New Media as Tools for Evangelization: Towards Developing Effective
(Ann Arbor Print: ProQuest LLC, 2014), 23.
6. The Merriam Webster Dictionary, updated version Webster’s all in one Dictionary &
Thesaurus (Merriam Webster Pub, 2008), software.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. The New International Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language
(Florida: Trident press Int. 2004), 461.
10. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_(communication), accessed on 11-03-2021 by
02:14pm
11. The New International Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language
(Florida: Trident press Int. 2004), 461.
12. Dayton, Edward R. and David A. Fraser. Planning Strategies for World Evangelization.
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980), 80.
6
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 The Concept of New Media
According to Diri, the new media are those methods and social practices of communication,
representation and expression that have developed using digital, multimedia, networked
computer and the ways that this machine is held transformed work in other media, like books,
movies, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, telephone, and so on.1 To McQuail, the
new media are sets of communication technologies that share certain features, apart from
being new, made possible by digitalization and being widely available for personal use as
communication devices.2 Although, McQuail noted that it is not easy to define the term new
media, but that whenever the explanation of new media is done, it would be imperative to
look at those aspects that have to do with mass media as against the private communication
that the internet provides. McQuail noted that, attention should be paid mainly on the
collective ensemble of activities that fall under the heading “Internet‘, especially on the more
public uses, including online news, advertising, broadcasting applications (including
downloading of music, and so on), forum and discussion activities, the world wide web
(www), information searches and certain community-forming potentials. There are less-
concerns on private e-mail, game-playing and many other more or less private services
provided by way of the Internet.3
In trying to bring to limelight the exact thing that is new about the new media, McQuail
identified two major concepts which are digitalisation and convergence. He observed that
digitalisation is the process by which all texts (symbolic meaning in all encoded and recorded
form) can be reduced to binary code and can share the same process of production,
distribution and storage, while convergence is the conglomeration of all existing media forms
in terms of their organisation, distribution, reception and regulation. The ‘new electronic
7
media‘can be viewed initially as an addition to the existing spectrum rather than as a
replacement. Finally, McQuail noted that digitalization and convergence might have much
more revolutionary consequences.4
It is clear from the opinion of the above authors that new media cannot be easily defined with
specific terms. This is because there are many things that make up the new media such as;
blogging, World Wide Web (www), social media networking etc. In summary, it can be said
that new media has to do with the communication gadgets as well as platforms that make
communication more effective and efficient than the earlier known communication tools like:
E-mails, Televisions, Radios, Newspaper and so on.
2.1.1 A Brief History of New Media
The idea of new media can be best appreciated if its brief history is stated. This is important
as some people have differing thought concerning it. According to Okunna and Omenugha,
the history of the new media should be traced down to the invention of the Internet which of
course have been seen as a tricky one; because the internet emerged from several separate
programs that were invented and in use by different governments and government
organizations at the time.5 This, therefore, means that there are conflicting versions about the
origin of the internet. However, there seems to be agreement that what later became the
internet grew from what used to be known as ARPANET. The ARPANET was a product of
the Cold War when the United State Department of Defense, (wanting to sustain the
military‘s ability to transfer information around the country even if a given area was
destroyed in an enemy attack) commissioned leading computer scientists to develop the
means to do so.6 Dominick made this point clearer, when he noted that: Consequently,
defense computer experts decentralized the whole system by creating an interconnected web
of computer networker. The net was designed so that every computer could talk to every
other computer. Information was bundled in a packet, called internet protocol packet which
8
contained the destination address of the target computer. The computers themselves figured
out how to send the packet; thus if one portion of the network happened to be disabled, the
rest of the network could still function normally. The system that the pentagon eventually
developed was called ARPANET. The ARPANET became the pioneer of what has been seen
today as the Internet. However, the basic application and guidelines that make the Internet
possible has existed for almost two decades before the network gained a public face in 1990
with the development of the world wide web (www), which Dominck noted as: “Engineers
working at a physics laboratory in Switzerland created and interconnected set of computers
on the net that all used the same communications programme. This programme took
advantage of hypertext, a navigational tool that linked one electronic document, either test or
graphics, with another, thus creating a virtual web of pages”.7
The concept ‘Internet’ and ‘Web’ are often used synonymously. This is wrong; the two terms
are not synonymous; the Web is part of the Internet. The Internet is the fundamental network
that carries messages, the Web is a structure of codes that permits the exchanges not only of
text but of graphics, video and audio. By 1993, the Internet had continued to expand with the
creation of the user friendly navigation tools that make it easier for consumers to find what
they are looking for on the Web. This is called browsers. Thus the browser allows people to
search electronically among many documents to find what they want. The browsers simplify
navigating the Internet:
1.) The first of these browsers is called Mosaic. In 1994, one of the developers of Mosaic
formed a commercial company called Netscape.
2.) The internet explorer is another browser. It is owned by Microsoft, the software giant.
3.) Another browser that is fast gaining popularity is the Mozilla Firefox. 8 There are lots of
other browsers in the market today e.g. Flock, Opera Mini etc. The internet continued to grow
9
in popularity, for which the search engine has been seen as another contributive factor that
led to more popularity of the Internet.
The search engine scans the Internet for terms selected by the user, displaying the results
according to some predetermined criterion, such as relevance. Put simply, the search engine
is a tool used to locate information in a computer data base. Popular examples of the search
engine are Google, Devil finder, wiki, Bing, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo etc. These devices turn
the typed request for information into digital bits and then go and search for what the user
wants and return the information for use. For example, when a user who wants to locate a
message on the internet goes to Google search, the person is required to type in the concept of
search, for example, ‘new media evangelism,’ and then click on go icon; the information
sought would be displayed.
Okunna and Omenugha noted that the three developments mentioned above: the www, the
browser and the search engine all help in the downloading of information. By the mid 2005s
some software programmes were developed that make it easy to upload content on the
Internet. This has encouraged the development of user generated contents such as blogs,
social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter) etc. which have continued to make
the Internet more popular than ever.9
2.1.2 Development of Media in Nigeria
According to Ayotunde discussing on the Changing Technologies and The Nigerian Mass
Media, The print generally was invented in the 15th century and it created a major
breakthrough in technology, which was the invention of “the movable type”. It enabled
people to produce and send messages faster than before. The two important developments
followed the invention of Kuwait Chapter of Arabian movable type. First, the use of the
papermaking machine in the eighteenth century made it possible to mass produce and cut
paper in specific sizes, reducing the cost of production. Second, the application of steam
10
power to the printing press, an alternative to human labour, made possible true mass
production of printed material. Sources of power, improved printing presses, and improved
paper manufacturing processes developed during the nineteenth century.10
This is to say, print media was the first formal media in Nigeria. It was followed by Radio.
The history and growth of Radio can be linked to the intervention of the British Empire
Service from Daventry, England. According to Ayotunde, in 1936, the first Radio
Distribution Service (re-diffusion) came into Lagos, as a means of distributing programmes
that originated from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). After some years, many
people subscribed to these programmes and re-diffusion service became very popularly
wanted in Nigeria. At a point the number of re-diffusion boxes that were available couldn’t
meet the demand for it by people in Nigeria. It was from this stage that various regions
started their own indigenous radio stations, starting from the west in 1959, Eastern Region in
1960 and the Northern Region in 1962.11
After the introduction of the Radio came that of Television. And the history of Television in
Nigeria followed the same pattern as that of the radio. While it was the Federal Government
that started the first radio broadcasting station in the nation, the regional governments were
the first to venture in T.V. broadcasting. It was on October 31, 1959 that the former Western
Region produced and transmitted the first television signals in the whole of Nigeria and
Africa. So it is visible from the above noted fact that the print was the first of media to arrive
in Nigeria which the Radio house became the second, while others followed suit.12
2.1.3 History of Internet in Nigeria
The history of Internet accessibility and use in Nigeria started in 1991 when a few pioneering
groups began to offer limited e-mail services. 13 In July 1995, the Regional Information
Network for Africa (RINAF) commenced Internet services at the Computer Science
Department of Yaba College of technology, and through the Nigerian postal service
11
(NIPOST), in a collaborative effort with Rose Clayton Nigeria Limited. 14 The Internet
services at that time included email, telnet, and gopher. Internet users had to pay for both
access and usage for sending and receiving e-mail messages, with the billing system being
based on the length of message being sent. Most of the Internet service providers (ISPs) then
operated a store-forward messaging system using unix-to-unix copy protocol (UUCP). The
world wide web (www) became available in Nigeria in 1996, while full Internet services
became available in 1998, and number of NCC (Nigerian Communications Commission)
licensed Internet service Providers rose to over 150 by 2001. With an estimated total
population of over 140 million people (National Population Commission 2006), Nigeria is the
most populated black nation in the world, with Internet hosts as low as 1,094. In late 2003,
Nigeria had a total of 750,000 Internet users and 60 users per 10,000 inhabitants representing
0.5 percent of the population. Nigeria had a total of 853,000 PC’s and 0.71 pc’s per 100
inhabitants as at 2003. As a matter of fact, Adomi stated that the first cyber café in Delta
State was set up in 1999, and by 2001, there were nine (9) of them and by 2003, there were
18 of them. This number has increased tremendously. The history of the Internet has long
been linked to university education. This is because the adoption of the Internet in university
system has intensified access to information and communication by providing un-reserved
access to e-mail messages, web boards, online services, e-publication and so on.15
2.1.4 New Media Usage in Nigeria
Orimisan writing on Internet users in the Nigeria rise to 93.5m said, Internet users on the
Nigeria’s telecom networks increased to 93.5 million as at July 2015, the industry regulator–
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said. The commission made this known in
its monthly Internet Subscriber Data, which revealed that internet users on both the Global
System for Mobile communications (GSM) and the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)
networks rose to about 735,239 in July. According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),
12
number of phone subscribers that surfed the internet in June was put at 92,816,572 but
increased to 93,551,811 in the month of July. The data shows that of the 93,551,811 internet
users in July, 93,403,147 were on GSM networks, while 148,664 users were on the CDMA. It
explained that the increase in the use of the internet in the month of July showed that more
Nigerians were embracing ICT. NCC noted that the country was making progress towards
achieving 30 per cent broadband penetration.16
According to Internet World Stats, Nigeria is reputed to have the largest internet population
in Africa and is 11th in the world (n.pg). And Terragon Insights puts Internet penetration in
Nigeria at 39.7 % in 2013 up from 28.4% in 2012 and that the average Nigerian spends not
less 3 hours on the internet daily(n.pg). Corroboratory statistics released by market research
and statistics specialists show that Nigeria’s internet connections have grown to about 200
per cent in the last four years spanning 2009 and 2013(Azeez, n.pg). On use of Social
Networking Sites (SNS), Terragon Insights quotes data from Internet World Stats, June 2012,
as putting social media penetration in Nigeria at around 5.4% albeit young adults (age 15 to
34) demonstrate greater likelihood of being social network users than those 35 and older. And
Nigeria’s most frequently used Social Networking Sites appeared to be Facebook, 2go,
Whatsapp, Twitter, Eskimi, Google+, Naij, Skype, Mobofree, Nairaland and Linkedin with
top online activities among the older population being work and business/studies, email, news
and information, social networking, downloads, entertainment (music, videos, gaming) and
online shopping. A survey also found that sending or receiving email, finding the latest news,
and updating a social networking profile are the most popular activities on the Internet
among.17
13
2.2 The Concept of Evangelism
For the purpose of this work, we would be discussing Christian evangelism (there are other
forms of evangelism in other religions). Evangelism means presenting Christ Jesus to those
who do not have relationship with Himas their only hope, in this world or the next. Packer
puts it in this form, Evangelism means exhorting sinners to accept Christ Jesus as their
saviour, recognizing that in the most final and far-reaching sense they are lost without Him.
Evangelism also means summoning men to receive Christ Jesus as all that He is ( Lord), as
well as saviour and therefore to serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His Church, the
company of those who worship Him, witness to Him, and work for Him here on earth. In
other words, evangelism is the issuing of a call to turn, as well as to trust; it is the delivering,
not merely of a divine invitation to receive a Saviour, but of a divine command to repent of
sin. And there is no evangelism where this specific application is not made.18
On who is to do the work of evangelism, Kennedy writes, “The first and most obvious
principle then is that the Church is a body under orders by Christ to share the Gospel with the
whole world. But the question then arises, how is this to be done and by whom?” Kennedy
equally went on to answer the question by writing, We are commanded to go, preach, teach,
and make disciples, but only the Holy Spirit can convict and change hearts. You do the
evangelism. You are the tool in which the message is delivered, not the tool of saving.
Evangelism is a way of life. Not only did all the early Christians witness, but they witnessed
daily and to everyone they met-especially to those who were in their network of friends,
relatives, associates, and neighbours. In the New Testament, it is very evident that
evangelism was not a special activity to be undertaken at a prescribed time, such as a once a-
year crusade or a once a week visitation effort, but it was the constant overflow of individual
and corporate experienced and knowledge of Christ. In other words, the Christians are those
14
who have the responsibility to do the evangelism whereas the conviction and conversion are
done by the Holy Spirit.
On the message of evangelism Jesus’ message in Matthew 4:17 reads thus, "From that time
Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”(KJV).
While Mark 1:15 puts same like this “And saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (KJV). Yet, Peter and John after the
resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ put the same message in this form, But those
things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should
suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive
until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy
prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the
Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all
things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which
will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the
prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise
foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God
made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindred’s of the
earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in
turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (Acts 3:18-26 KJV)
From the above discussion, it is clear that those who had the message took it to those who did
not have it. The message is simply to return to the true God and to do that was by believing
on Him (Jesus Christ) through whom God has brought this work of reconciliation into reality.
15
On the attitude that has to be adopted towards doing the evangelism, Parker writes, “The
attitude which Paul evangelized was with love as found in 2 Thessalonians 2:4-7. All our own
evangelism must be done in the same spirit. As love to our neighbour suggests and demands
that we evangelize, so the command to evangelize is a specific application of the command to
love others for Christ’s sake, and must be fulfilled as such”. 19 In other words, for evangelism
to be effectively done, there is a need to device modalities towards reaching the “unreached”.
Doing this means (among other things) to look for the areas where these “unreached” are
mainly accessible, and then take the gospel to them (New Media been one of the places this
could be done).20
2.3 The Concept of New Media Evangelism
In the entire Christendom, it is believed that the authority to preach the Word was handed
down by Jesus Christ in what is now referred to as the Great Commission in Mark 16:15
where He charged His disciples, saying to them “Go ye into all the world and preach the
gospel to all nations” (KJV).One clear thing is that the method was not specified. In other
words, what is left is to devise such legitimate means of doing it. Since this commission,
Christians have devised various means of spreading the good news. Early missionaries had to
travel great distances at grave risks to their lives to preach the Word. However, with the
advent of the modern media which makes communication possible between a source and a
heterogeneous audience scattered in widespread locations, modern missionaries have taken
the Gospel to the four corners of the world while sitting in quiet corners of the globe. Yet
many effectual doors of evangelism have been created with the coming of new media. The
walls of uncertainty have fallen to the remarkable combination of audio-visuals - the
streaming of clear images and voices that heighten believability and makes for aesthetic
entertainment. Televangelism (which could be said to be the door to new media evangelism)
as a term was first used by Jeffrey K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann as pointed out by Land. 21
16
According to Land, it was used to describe a new form of religious broadcasting combining
television and evangelism. Wilson and Wilson point to a popular reference to it as the electric
church by Armstrong and the term serve to encompass all religious broadcasters with an
evangelical Christian message.22
On the commonness of new media evangelism Orlu has this to say from his work on
“Evangelization in Cyberspace for the Promotion of Moral Development of the Nigerian
Youths”, Online evangelism is now very popular. For instance, when one opens a website,
one sees various advertisements about Christianity and Jesus Christ. A lot of pastors preach
online and have online streaming of their services while others send tracts to various e-mail
accounts and websites. Thus it is not rare to see so many unsubscribed evangelical tracts in
one's email. The large churches all have satellite branches while other members can worship
online at the church's website. Apart from these online services and websites, there are
telephone services for calls on the Internet. There are also video tracts in which preachers use
animation and music to win the hearts of Internet surfers. Also, there are free downloads of
CDs that enable Internet users to listen to sermons. The popular pastors have their sermons on
people's phones, all downloaded from the Internet. Christian literature or books are also
available for free or paid download online. A lot of popular topics are discussed online like
topics about sending Christian kids to public schools where they will not be exposed to
atheists and indecent behavior. Apart from these, there are online churches, some of which
only operate online. There are also mailing lists where church members can put the e-mail
addresses of their friends and loved ones for them to be sent gospel tracts, videos and CDs.
The biggest of these feats is the fact that aspiring pastors can go to online bible schools.
There is also online evangelism training to help educate people on effective online
evangelism. Some pastors have their live video streaming time where members from all over
the world can interact with them.23
17
Also to support the existence of new media evangelism in Nigerian society Obiano says,
“Interestingly, some of our Pentecostal brethren seem to have adopted the social media faster
than us (talking about the Roman Catholics in Nigeria). The leaders of the mega Pentecostals
like Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo and Bishop Mike Okonkwo have active
Facebook accounts” (n.pg).With the dawn of the digital age, the Nigerian Pentecostals were
quick in appropriating the new information technology, especially the internet and satellite
broad-casting. Pastor Chris Oyakilome of the Christ Embassy runs a very successful satellite
television broadcast from South Africa.24 Still supporting the availability of new media
evangelism in Nigeria, Ihejirika’sarticulation of the cyber-ministry of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God, (one of the mega-Pentecostal churches in Nigeria) presents a good
example of the Pentecostal ministry in cyberspace: The Redeemed Internet Outreach could
be accessed at www.rccg.org. It is a well packaged web-site and has a lot of useful
information about the church including a parish directory that lists the major parishes in
Nigeria and abroad, their pastors and contact addresses. There is also a section providing
information on past conventions of the church as well as the Holy Ghost Services and
Festivals, with a section showing some pictures taken in past festivals. The website is also
interactive, and provides members with a discussion forum and a testimony forum where they
can share with others the blessings they have received. Members can also receive prayer
points as well as make prayer requests. With the provision of free e-mail boxes, members
have greater possibility of communicating among themselves and with the leaders of the
church. The site also hosts an on-line bookstore where one can purchase electronically most
of the books written by Pastor Adeboye, and other titles in the Redeemed bookshops.
Through the Support RCCG section, the church also solicits for the financial support of
members and other users of the site. The most recent introductions to the website are web
radio and television. These provide access to both live streaming and archives of Pastor
18
Adeboye’s preaching and ministrations. Obiano quoting Pope Benedict on the need to
embrace the new media for effective evangelism while speaking on ‘Spaces for
Evangelization’ urged the faithful to embrace the phenomenon, saying, “Unless the Good
News is made known also in the digital world, it may be absent in the experience of many
people for whom this existential space is important”. Interestingly, many pastors have begun
to incorporate Twitter into their sermons, encouraging congregants to “tweet” their reactions
to the preacher. Preachers then incorporate the real-time feedback into the sermon. Using
Twitter, services are becoming more of a conversation between preachers and listeners. One
of the most prominent young churches using Twitter, Mars Hill Church, uses Twitter to
connect the congregants and staff of its nine campuses.25
New media allow every Christian to share their unique, God-given gifts to reach certain
people. Santana quoting Dwyer said, There are many who had not heard the gospel in a
context that impacted them until a certain individual with a certain set of gifts was able to
reach them through the content they produced. As an example, Dwyer told the podcasters
present that their podcast may only have 10 regular listeners, but those 10 people are
experiencing the gospel in a new way that no other person but he or she could relay. So, new
media by their nature allow Christians to share the gospel by using their unique abilities.
Obinna contributing from ‘An Evaluation of the Perception and Use of New Media in
Christian Pastoral Communication in Southern Nigeria’ said, As members of the church seek
to communicate and connect with one another, social media are used exactly because they
meet the need in helpful, efficient, and natural ways. Leaders and congregants experience the
use of new media as beneficial to building and nurturing their community of faith, and so
they use it. In some ways, the Church uses the media to query Quest members about what
they experience as common-sense pragmatism in their use of new media. 26 Obinna further
stressed while discussing on relating new media theory to the Nigerian context, In relating
19
this theory to the happenings in Nigeria as it relates to the use of the new media, one would
argue that the quest to get gospel messages across to many has necessitated the use of the
new media. Conversely, the new media is influencing the way by which society respond to
pastoral communication, since sermons and other gospel related messages can be accessed by
Christians anytime anywhere. Churches now send text messages to member using the
Internet bulk message facility. This system makes it easier for the Church to be able to send
messages to many people at a low rate. Messages sent, in most cases, are in relation to the
topic or theme of the next Sunday sermon, the activities of the Church for the week, prayers
for the year, month, or week as the situation demands. In some cases, the messages are sent to
the e-mail addresses of the Church members, blogs or pasted on the Facebook, Youtube or
Twitter account of the Church or the Churches’ websites. In so doing, the Church is
responding to the social change made possible by the new media.27
This is to affirm the fact that New Media has become a platform through which Christians
engage in their quest to communicate with one another. Obinna’s contribution went on to
suggest that the New Media is also used to do those things that Ministers do in the real sense.
That is to say, if counseling is done in the church hall or at the Pastor’s office, then same are
equally been done with and in New Media platform. Furthermore, it is expedient to note that
new media has been adopted by some churches as their new way of communicating their
church programmes and activities to their members as Obinna confirmed it by writing, This
simply means that they would not have to use the traditional mass media only but adapt to
new form of communication using the modern day technology, which in this case is the
Internet. The issue of podcasting and streaming of sermons, Church services and other
pious/youths oriented programmes are new areas of the new media use for pastoral
communication. There are Churches that transmit their special programmes to people
instantaneously, using the Internet. This video transmission (streaming) enables the people
20
(Christians or interested people) to follow the development of the service or worship from
anywhere they are. These days, pastors use their Ipad to access the daily readings and other
relevant verses as they preach the gospel in the Church. Christians who were not able to
attend Church services as a result of other engagements are able to connect to the Church
service through the use of Internet.28
Chainarong discussing on the need to move beyond the common method of evangelism to
full new media evangelism said, When we speak about new evangelization in the Church, we
more often than not think of the so called ‘real world’, but billions of people live in the social
networks. These have been described as among the biggest countries in the world – and they
are countries with no barriers. For example, more than 1.2 billion inhabit the world of
Facebook. The majority of these people may never enter a Church, but if we are to respond to
the Gospel mandate given us by Christ to ‘go out to the whole world’, then we must include
the digital world and proclaim the Good News there also. Our challenge as evangelizers has
always been to reach out and encounter people wherever they are (and increasingly that
means going online). Describing the American scenario of new media evangelism, Fore
opined that what is obtainable in the American electronic church today is a phenomenon that
has gained immense power almost entirely through the use of radio and television. He further
observed that new media evangelists in America have used this power to join forces with the
political right in order to bring about a nation in conformity with what its adherents believe to
be the demands of Christianity.29
Burgess stressing on the effects of the influence of the heads of the church said; “Opinion of
the General Overseer or local pastor is rarely challenged publicly, presumably in recognition
of their status and role as power brokers. This is reflected in the choruses of ‘amen and
hallelujahs’ that follow their declarations from the platform during church services and
conferences”.30
21
Still on the influence of new media evangelism Ihejirika notes “They can now influence
media and social policies and even make important inputs in the ongoing efforts towards
creating a new Nigeria”. He further opined that new media evangelists have become suppliers
of symbols that people could use to define their own personal identities in this new socio-
cultural context.31 Although the better sides of new media to evangelism have been
stressed,we shall also present some negative trends in the Church and New Media
relationship that can affect the future of the Church and its members as discussed in New
Evangelization, New Media and Church Response, which states thus: The first undesirable
effect of the New Media is seen in the Internet’s contribution to the ease with which
pornography is made available in the privacy of homes, offices, Internet cafes, bringing about
unintended damages to reputation and relationships. Shallower Relationships New Media
tends to cultivate relationships that are a mile wide and an inch deep, reducing relationships
to sentence long Facebook comments and 140 character tweets. More troubling, this
shallowness affects offline relationships as well. New Media’s sporadic content makes it
difficult to sustain, long, in-depth conversations offline. Whether sitting at the bedside of a
sick friend, being present to a wife who lost her husband, or listening to the musings of a
toddler, “being present” to others – without the need to fix, solve, respond, or check our
phone – is difficult in our electronic culture. Brandon Vogt in his book “The Church and
New Media” quoted in ‘New Evangelization, New Media, and Church Response’ names
significant trends that the Church must face in the digital world, such as difficulty in Prayer
and Contemplation, stressing that, New Media’s scattered unfocused nature clashes most with
Christianity’s rich practice of Prayer and contemplation. Where most people take a pass on
YouTube videos longer than five minutes or blog posts longer than a few paragraphs, how
can the Church encourage people to center themselves in prayer?. 32 Consequently, as the new
media is seen as opportunity for the propagation of the gospel, steps should equally been
22
devised on how to overcome some of the negative effects it pose to the future of the youths
who are the future leaders of the church.
2.4 The Concept of Youth
The concept of who is a youth has been taken in various forms. There is no particular
definition that is generally acceptable for the youth. However, the UN has a statistical
definition for the youth. An article on “Who is a youth?” released during the UN World
Programme of Action for Youth 2000 and beyond has this to say, The United Nations, for
statistical purposes, defines ‘youth’, as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years,
without prejudice to other definitions by Member States. The Secretary-General first referred
to the current definition of youth in 1981 in his report to the General Assembly on
International Youth Year (A/36/215, para. 8 of the annex) and endorsed it in ensuing reports
(A/40/256, para. 19 of the annex). However, in both the reports, the Secretary-General also
recognized that, apart from that statistical definition, the meaning of the term ‘youth’ varies
in different societies around the world. When the General Assembly, by its resolution 50/81
in 1995, adopted the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and beyond, it
reiterated that the United Nations defined youth as the age cohort of 15-24. The General
Assembly resolution A/RES/56/117 in 2001, the Commission for Social Development
resolution E/2007/26 & E/CN.5/2007/8 in 2007 and the General Assembly resolution
A/RES/62/126 in 2008 also reinforce the same age-group for youth. Several UN entities,
instruments and regional organizations have somewhat different definitions of youth, which
the United Nations secretariat recognizes.33 Although the UN has given a statistical definition
of the youth, they equally gave another categorical definition saying, Youth is best
understood as a period of transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood’s
independence. That is why, as a category, youth is more fluid than other fixed age-groups.
Yet, age is the easiest way to define this group, particularly in relation to education and
23
employment, because ‘youth’ is often referred to a person between the ages of leaving
compulsory education, and finding their first job. 34 Yet, the second Nigerian National Youth
Policy defined youth to comprise of all young males and females aged 18-35 years, who are
citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. While it is true that this definition is broad, it is
understood that this is a time in life when most young people are going through dramatic
changes in their life circumstances as they move from childhood to adulthood. Young people
in this age group require social, economic and political support to realize their full potential.
Young people as defined by this youth policy are characterized by energy, enthusiasm,
ambition, creativity, and promise; they are also faced with high levels of socio-economic
uncertainty and volatility thereby becoming the most, vulnerable segment of the population.
They represent the most active, the most volatile, and yet the most vulnerable segment
of the nation’s population. Youth are one of the greatest assets that any nation can have. Not
only are they legitimately regarded as the future leaders, they are potentially and actually the
greatest investment for a country’s development. Young women and men are, in particular,
recognized as a vital resource whose future prospects are inextricably tied to that of their
country. They are the valued possession of any nation or region. Without them there can be
no future. They are the center of reconstruction and development.35
2.4.1 Youths and Social Network Sites
A study conducted in 2013 to find out students’ use of social media revealed that students
view social media for the purposes of leisurely entertainment, to watch films, to expose
themselves to phonographs, discuss serious national issues like politics, economy, and
religious matters on the new media.36 Buhari et al speaking on Use of Social Media among
Students of Nigerian Polytechnic has this to say, The mass appeal of social media on the
internet could be a cause for concern, particularly considering the gradually increasing
amount of time youths spend online. In Nigeria, undergraduates spend more time on
24
Facebook, Twitter etc. An International Conference on Communication, Media, Technology
and Design said that youths access other social media sites through Smartphones that are now
in abundance among them and most of them cannot go for two-three hours without checking
and updating their profiles on these social networks even at the detriment of other activities
such as educational and career pursuit. A study conducted in 2013 to find out students’ use of
social media revealed that students view social media for the purposes of leisurely
entertainment, to watch films, to expose themselves to phonographs, discuss serious national
issues like politics, economy, and religious matters on the new media.37
The majority of young people today utilize new technologies and social networking sites with
much greater regularity than traditional e-mail accounts. In fact, the use of such sites is so
popular among teenagers that it is increasingly difficult to reach a significant demographic in
that population without using this technology. Therefore, out of pastoral and practical
necessity, youth ministry and catechetical leaders, pastors, teachers, school staff, and
catechists use this technology to communicate with young people and their parents.38 Still on
this issue Chiemela, Ovute & Obochi writing on The Influence of the Social Media on the
Nigerian youths: Aba Residents Experience opined, Social media have provided an open
arena where the youths are free to exchange ideas on various violent. Most youths associate
social media with positive outcome, yet this is not always the case. Due to the increase in
social media websites, there seems to be a positive correlation between the usages of such
media with cyber bullying, online sexual predators and the decrease in-face-to-face
interaction. Likewise, social media seem to be influencing youths' lives in terms of exposing
them to images or alcohol, tobacco, and sexual behaviors. Instead of giving the youths as toy
at the dinner table to keep them quiet, parents are now resorting to iPods and other
technological devices that are more advanced. Youths are thus learning how to operate
technological devices at the ages where they are able to become experts as infants.39
25
Strasburger, Wilson and Jordan on the behavioural influence of the media on the youths have
this to say, The evidence that media contribute to child and adolescent behaviour is
substantial and can no longer be ignored. Half a century of research shows that the media can
have an impact on virtually every concern parents and pediatricians have about children and
teenager -early sexuality activity, drug use, aggressive behaviour, obesity, eating disorder.40
In a study conducted on Social Network Addiction among Youths in Nigeria, Buhari et al
quoting Ajewole, Olowu, and Fasola, concluded that majority of the respondents spend more
time on social networking sites, which affects their productivity negatively. The findings of
this study also indicate that youths in Nigeria are spending too much time on social
networking sites at the detriment of other necessary things such as their studies. Social media
like Facebook has improved the globe; provided various entertainment functions as a tool for
social change. With the internet one can create his/her own blogs communication, access to
news online, it has help individuals upload their business online and get new customers for
their product, it is an avenue to share or upload pictures of individual or events, groups can be
formed to meet people with similar interests an expression of ideas and knowledge using
tools usability differentiates social media from traditional media among others. However, the
criticism is on the reliability and trustworthiness, cyber bullying and time consuming . This is
to say, social network sites are not only used for their entertainment, but it equally contribute
to some ill effects found among the youths.41 Harmon stressed that the Internet is here to stay,
and certainly it is the first place the young generation will go for information for the rest of
their lives. Also Longville supported this fact by writing, The Internet has become a place for
searching for answers, particularly amongst the younger people of society who have grown
up in this post-modern world where authority figures are no longer trusted as holders of the
truth. When young people have a question, instead of asking someone like a parent or teacher
as was the ‘modern’ custom, they will often go online to look it up in Wikipedia or “Google
26
it” to find an answer, or join an online forum which discusses the topic they are concerned
about.42
Having noted the some of the things going on with the youths and media, the question
becomes, how do we handle it? In an attempt to answer this question, we are to guard the
youths from endangering themselves with media proceeds, as Ende and Udende say, “Serious
commitment to young media literacy will be one way of pursuing this goal” and quoting
Onumah they continued, “We will be investing in the future of this country and the
democratic process if we are able to produce young, active conscious citizens who are not
only able to ask questions and reflect on information but are critically aware of the media and
their impact” . This is to say media literacy is one of the best options for handling the issue.43
2.5 New Media Evangelism and the Youth
The youths are one of the populates that Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to reach out
to. Therefore, it is one of the duties of the gospel carriers to devise communicable means of
reaching the youths wherever they are including the new media. Discussing on reaching out
to the youths and what it entails, Werner opined, To reach the young generation with the
liberating news of Jesus Christ, we need to go beyond our comfort zones to meet them where
they are and accept them as they are. We need to understand deeply all issues related to the
real needs of young people and to seek to develop answers that are relevant both culturally
and spiritually. Mission to young people is in many cases a cross-cultural venture and must
be undertaken in the spirit of humility, teachability and sensibility which characterize every
true service in the name of Jesus, who took on a servant’s form for our sake. At the same time
we must be bold to engage the powers of darkness that try to destroy God’s purposes for the
young generation. Mission to young people remains under the promise which Jesus made to
his followers: “I am with you always until the ends of the earth . 44 Santana discussing on the
benefits of the new media evangelism said, “Video announcements for the youth group are
27
more attention-getting and memorable than having a person read them aloud week after
week. Besides their flashier nature, however, he says that video can help set the atmosphere
before events of any mood. For example, prayerful, serene videos might help prepare minds
and hearts for worship, while upbeat videos might excite them for group activities”.45
Also to stress the importance of actively engaging the youth with new media evangelism
Obiano opined, “But even so, this is not enough, in view of the growing influence of the
social media on the youths. What cannot be gainsaid is the fact that if the Church of Jesus
Christ must retain a firm hold on the youths, we must all keep a date with them on the social
media – the new rendezvous”.46
Chainarong likened the social media as Areopagus as it is seen in Acts of the
Apostles18:19ff. He then took the youths on social media as those who sat at Areopagus,
hungry of new idea. He said, If only to be able to reach our young people and an increasing
percentage of people of all ages, we need to be present in this new Areopagus. Nowadays,
people are spending huge and increasing proportions of their time in this virtual world. I
believe many of us, if not all, keep our mobiles with us all the time. Many keep social
networks open throughout the day in a distinct browser tab or app, so much that for them it is
becoming increasingly the place where they live their lives. When they go to bed at night
most of them check their phones one last time before placing it on their bed stand. What we
call the real world of face-to-face seems often dull and uneventful to them and their
secondary existence.47
Those who have the responsibility of teaching young people must not ignore the impact and
influence of the new media on the lives of the young. The involvement of the Church may
eventually be the last and best opportunity for them to learn how to evaluate the quality of the
information they find there. Educators, both secular and religious, need to play more active
roles in the activities of young people online, to serve as guides and content providers for the
28
young. Therefore, one should be ready to meet what may not go down well with him or her
while assessing the new media. However, it could be managed as one considers this,
Unfortunately the Internet does have a bad press - viruses, pornography, and child grooming
in chatrooms, to name just a few of its horror stories. These are indeed very real and
frightening issues and it is important to bear in mind that many people in the congregation
will need reassurance that the Internet can be used for good, and indeed for the furtherance of
God’s Kingdom. “Resistance can be overcome by careful explanation, a focus on the good
things that can happen with this new medium, patience, and then more patience”.48
In Nigeria, more and more young people are turning to the internet to find personal, social
and religious information and ecclesiastical institutions are devoting more and more
resources to improving their presence on the web. In a world where every day we become
more interconnected, the global visibility of churches is clearly linked to their commitment to
the worldwide web. Virtual learning programs and open access initiatives allow Bible
knowledge to spread beyond physical boundaries, thus, enhancing the church’s important role
in raising new generation of leaders with character. It is worthy of note that the youths need
well educated instructors to handle them in evangelism. This education goes beyond initial
mode of evangelism to the areas of new media evangelism. On the need to train trainers of
the youths for effective youth evangelism Werner wrote, Youth workers must become more
educated and aware of the specific media influences which affect their young people and how
young people are processing those influences. Youth ministries should provide youth with
tools to discern the messages they receive from popular culture and media. Youth workers
need to talk to kids about what they are watching and listening to and help them think
critically about the real results and consequences of the behaviour and lifestyle which the
media promotes. Finally, youth workers should develop programs that interface with pop
culture and media, and use current songs, video clips, etc. as teaching tools. 49 Still on the
29
training the trainers, the training should move to the point of educating the youths to
becoming disciples who will be able to convert and disciple other youths and not mere
converts with no knowledge of converting other. In line with this idea, Werner opined, The
church must begin to see youth not only as recipients of ministry but also as agents of
ministry. Jesus did not commission us to make converts, but disciples. Thus, our goal is not
just to evangelize youth, but also to equip them and send them out as “indigenous”
evangelists to their peers. The existence of a global youth culture means that youth across the
world share a common base of knowledge of music and media, clothes and other artifacts,
values, ideas, behaviour and even elements of language. In more and more instances, any
given young person might have more in common with another youth across the globe than
they have in common with an elderly person who lives a few blocks away. So who is best
equipped as an indigenous evangelist to unreached youth? A Christian youth, of course. The
most strategic thing the church can do to reach the youth generation is to equip those who
already believe as youth-evangelists who can start a chain-reaction of evangelism among
their peers.50 From the above, the researcher deduced that, education is a very important tool
towards running a youth evangelism that would make notable mark.
2.6 What is Social Media?
Social media “provides a way for people to share ideas, content, thoughts, and relationships
online. Social media differs from so called ‘mainstream media’ in that anyone can create,
comment on, and add to social media content. It can take the form of text, audio, video,
images, and communities.” It is “participatory online media where news, photos, videos, and
podcasts are made public; typically accompanied with a voting process to signal items
considered popular.”51
Here are some social media statistics: Three out of four people use social networks regularly.
a) Social media has overtaken email as the number one activity on the Web.
30
b) There are over 200 million blogs.
c) Every day sees some 900,000 blog posts.
d) Ninety-three percent of social media users believe companies should have a presence in
social media.
The first years of the Internet revolution were all about getting computers connected to the
World Wide Web. The following years have been all about getting people connected to one
another.
Social media communication tools have profoundly changed our lives, especially how we
interact with one another and the world around us. Here are the top areas in which it has
affected our daily lives:
1. Source of information. Friends on social media are increasingly becoming people’s trusted
sources of information, even more than search engines. Furthermore, by getting your news
from social media, you know who is recommending it and can easily communicate with that
person about it. News is more social than ever.
2. Launching a business. While business in the past was generally conducted with those in
one’s immediate environment, social media - everything from blogging to tweeting, to
posting videos on YouTube—has opened new possibilities for both customers and clients.
Who we do business with and how we promote that business has moved increasingly online,
and for small businesses especially, social media has proved invaluable.
3. Connecting with people. Social media helps find and maintain both old and potentially new
friendships.
4. Place for authenticity. The goal used to be to make sure that we always appeared to be in
complete control; but this is shifting, in part, because of social media. The paradigm is now
no longer to try to appear perfect but to be more transparent with your thoughts and feelings,
to reveal your humanness.
31
5. Power to influence. Even if we have few followers on Twitter or friends on Face-book or
subscribers to our blog, the average person’s influence increases as communication channels
become more open and fluid. As the networks for sharing and amplifying information
strengthen, so does the ability of each person to influence public opinion and policies. As a
result, we feel much less like passive bystanders and much more like participants who have a
voice in the events of our world. “The Internet has brought media to a global audience. The
Web has opened a tremendous opportunity to reach a great number of participants directly
with targeted messages.”52
2.7 Benefits and Challenges
Some of the benefits of social networking are:53
1. Tolerance. Networks are good for handling diversity. Behind our screen we can be any
color, any nationality, without the fear of not being accepted.
2. Friendship. Networks are about connections of nodes. I have a friend who knows a friend
who could recommend you for his company. Usually it goes that way, for we get connected
to each other very easily and there are no limitations or lack of trust.
3. Change. Networks are so versatile that everything can still operate effectively whether on a
large scale or for smaller, close-knit groups.
4. Communal. Groups are created so that people join and feel welcome in a community.
5. Equal, small versus big. For example Amazon.com vs. Waterstones. The latter is probably
the biggest and most well-known bookstore in the United Kingdom and Europe at large. At
one stage, nobody thought anything could surpass its size and reputation; especially not
Amazon.com, which started offline on a much smaller scale. Now Amazon has become a
multinational sensation. With social networking, both types of businesses can be put on the
same footing.
6. Fair. In previous years, the television producers and radio executives decided what featured
32
in the media. However, there has now been a redistribution of power; not only does the
average person sitting at home get to have a say in what they experience in the media, but
they also have the chance to actually participate.
7. Open. Those who are ready for experimentation are able to do so freely. They can reach
other users open to new things around the globe. This is how simple “home videos” end up
having a few million viewers on sites such as YouTube.
8. Authentic. Everyone has his or her own identity; no two “profiles” or blogs are ever
exactly the same. People can express their individuality through personal touches, without the
restrictions of conformity.
9. Global. There are no borders or obstacles in connecting.
10. Participator. Using their own online ID, everyone can participate in any discussion.
11. Seekers. The new rule of the information age: if you don’t, someone else will.
Social networking is not all positive. There are challenges of which to be aware:54
1. Internet addictions. The most common and dangerous addiction is pornography. Other
dangers include Face-book, games, gambling, and many more addictions.
2. Less contact with family members. People on social networks feel that they socialize
enough on the Internet and seem to reduce the time they spend socializing offline,
particularly with family members. As a result, they become less interested in family life and
tend to lose contact.
3. Feelings of loneliness and depression. Research shows that people who are spending more
time on the Internet are more depressed and lonely. They lose sight of living in the real
world.
4. Less active in social life. People who spend more time on the Internet lose the will to get
out and actively socialize.
5. Exposure to sexually explicit material. Sexually explicit material can be found everywhere
33
on the Internet. Even accessing a simple Web site for information, whether it be for work or
general research, exposes you to endless sex advertising pop-ups.
2.8 Social media and evangelism
Social media evangelism is the new frontline of evangelism, based on Christ’s method to
mingle with people where they are, sympathize with them, meet their needs, and invite them
to follow Jesus. Jesus’ method of spreading the gospel was through discipleship. We want to
embody this method at all times in our Internet ministry. Digital missionaries should see the
contacts they make as potential discipleship opportunities and the country Web pastor
ground. If we follow Christ’s method of reaching people, we can see that He spent time with
people and wanted the best for them. He sympathized with what they were dealing with, and
wherever possible, He met their needs. All of these factors gained the confidence of the
people He was interacting with, and only after this happened would He then invite them to
follow Him.55 Based on this method, here is a social media discipleship pathway:
(i) CONNECT (network) online: social networks, blogs, chat rooms, special interest sites.
(ii) SHARE (post) relevant material that meets the needs of people and invite them to visit
and explore wholistic life together through videos
and articles.
(iii) TALK (chat) with your online friends in order to understand their needs, and respond
with the relevant messages of hope found in the Bible, and perhaps by sharing your personal
story.
(iv) MEET (offline) face-to-face to develop trust and confidence in Jesus.
(v) INVITE (follow) Jesus on the journey of spiritual development.
Your intention, every step of the way, should be to treat each visitor and contact as a potential
disciple. You should take a personal interest in their lives. You cannot expect to disciple 500
to 1,000 people individually, but you can certainly take time to disciple a small group of
34
people and build personal relationships. These personal relationships will form the bonds
necessary to create the community that brings people back time and time again to your social
media evangelism network. This network goes beyond mere digital relationships. Ultimately
every disciple you create will become a real member, in a real church, somewhere in his or
her local community. This is the goal of social media evangelism should certainly treat every
visitor as a disciple in the making. Discipleship on the Web looks just like discipleship on the
Physical, digital connections with real disciples, leading to new membership in real
churches.56
2.9 Digital Missionaries
Who can be a digital missionary (DM)? Anyone. The main requirement for any DM is their
excitement about using the Internet as a way to reach out to unchurched people in their
language, in local communities, and around the world. DMs are perhaps the most important
players in this effort without them, this project would be unable to move forward. The DM’s
task will branch out in several different directions.
The role of DMs includes communicating with the Web pastor (WP) to help them in
delivering good content and promoting the site. They will be active on the site, post materials,
post comments, invite people, and interact with them. Facebook will be the predominant
marketing tool. Through different groups and pages, they will talk with and invite people to
visit and join their network. One thing that is certain is that the number of young people who
use the new technologies is fascinating. This is so because they grow up with information
technology and tend to be open-minded and enthusiastic about it. There is also the presence
of the church (who among other things does evangelism with their presence on line) on the
new media. The youths are not only going to the net to find information for use, they equally
learn new things that influence the patterns of their lives and behaviours.57
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Endnotes
1. Diri, C. T. Old Media, New Media: An Exploration in Relevance, Convergence and
Divergence. (International Journal of Communication. 10. 2009): 177.
2. Mcquail, D. Mcquail’s Mass Communication Theory. (6th Edition). (London: SAGE
Publications, 2010), 136.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid. 138.
5. Okunna, C. S. & Omenugha, K. A. Introduction to mass communication. (3rd Edition).
(Enugu: New generation Books, 2012), 149.
6. Ibid.
7. Wilson, Dominck. Mass Media: An Introduction. (London: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1988),
278.
8. Okunna, C. S. & Omenugha, K. A. Introduction to mass communication. (3rd Edition).
(Enugu: New generation Books, 2012), 151.
9. Ibid. 152.
10. Ayotunde B. Introduction to mass communication theories. (Nsukka: The University of
Nigeria Press Limited, 2008), 95.
11. Ibid. 95
12. Ibid., 96.
13. Eshekels Associates.Trends in Internet Usage in Nigeria. (Lagos: Information and
Communication technologies (ICTs) Resource and research Centre. 2001), 45.
14. Adomi, E. E. Internet Development and Connectivity in Nigeria Program: (Electronic
Library and Information Systems 39. 3 2005): 257-268.
15. Ibid., 495.
16. Orimisan F. Internet users in the Nigeria (Owerri: Top shelve Publisher, 2002), 67.
36
17. Internet World Stats, http//:www.internetworldstats.com/accessed on 28/04/2021,13:00
18. Peters, George W. Saturation Evangelism: Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives.
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970), 40.
19. McGavran, Donald A. Effecive Evangelism: A Theological Mandate, (Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1988), 67.
20. Ibid. 68.
21. Campbell, H. Exploring religious community online: We are one in the network. (New
York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2005), 89.
22. Ibid. 87.
23. Wilson, James and Wilson, Roy. Mass Media/Mass Culture: An Introduction. (London:
McGraw-Hill Inc., 1988), 280.
Communication Studies 1 .2 (2015): 13.
25. Ihejirika, Walter. From Catholicism to Pentecostalism: Role of Nigerian Televangelists in
Religious Conversion. (Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press, 2006), 82.
26. Ibid.83.
27. Obinna, Obayi Paul Martin. An Evaluation of the Perception and Use of New Media in
Christian Pastoral Communication in Southern Nigeria. Project Dissertation Presented in
Partial Fulfillment for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph. D) in Mass
Communication, Department of Mass Communication, University Of Nigeria Nsukka,
2012. Unpublished.
28. Ibid. 62.
29. Ibid. 65.
37
30. Burgess, Richard. Nigerian Pentecostal Theology in Global Perspectives.Pentecostal
Studies 7.2 (2008): 187.
32. Ibid.
33. United Nation (UN).World Programme of Action for Youth 2000 and Beyond.
25Dec.2015 http://un.org/esa/socdev/documents/youth/fact-sheets/youth-definition.
34. Ibid.
35. Ibid.
36. Buhari, SanusiRufai et al. Use of Social Media AmongStudents of Nigerian Polytechnics.
(International Conference on Communication, Media, Technology and Design 24 - 26
April, Istanbul – Turkey. 2014), 302.
37. Ibid. 306.
38. National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. Recommended Technology Guidelines
for Pastoral Work with Young People 2010. 17Jul.2015 nfcym.org/ resources/
technology/ index. Html
39. Ibid.
40. Strasburger, V. C., et al Children, Adolescents and the Media: What we Know, What we
Don’t Know and What we Need to Know (Quickly!) (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks: Sage,
2009.
41. Ikenwe, Joy I. & Adegbilero-Iwari, Idowu. New Media in Old Media: the Nigerian Case.
(Unpublished Thesis, 2002), 289.
42. Ibid. 302.
43. Ende, Ternenge Samuel and Udende, Patrick. Investing in Young People through Media
Literacy. The Journal of the African Council for Education (ACCE), Nigeria (2011): 79.
38
44. Ibid. 46.
45. Santana, Angela M. New Media, New Evangelization: The Unique Benefits of New
Media and Why the Catholic Church Should Engage Them. Texas: St. Mary's University
press, 2010), 21.
46. Obiano, Willie. World Communication Day: The Importance of the Mass Media in
Evangelism. 30Jul2015 http://fidesnigeria.org/article/17290/wcd- 20/April/2021.
47. Chainarong, Raphael. New Evangelization And Social Media. Unpublished, 2001.
Communication Strategy in the Catholic Church. (Ann Arbor: ProQuest LLC, 2014), 81.
49. Jewell, J. P. Wired for Ministry: How the Internet, Visual Media, and Other New
Technologies Can Serve Your Church. (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2004), 52.
50. Ibid. 53.
51. Ekelund, R. B., Hebert, R. F. & Tollison, R. D. The marketplace of Christianity.
(Cambridge: MIT Press, 2006), 35.
52. Buddenbaum, J. Social science and the study of media and religion: Going forward by
looking back. (Journal of Media and Religion. 1(1) 2002), 24.
53. Ibid. 25.
54. Barzilai-Nahon, K., & Barzilai, G. Cultured technology: The internet and religious
fundamentalism. (The Information Society. 21(1) 2005). 25.
55. Ibid. 40.
56. Livingstone, S., &Bovil, M. (2000).Young people, New Media. London: London School
of Economics and Political Science. http://www.lse.ac.uk/.accessed on 22/4/2021
57. Ibid.
39
CHAPTER THREE
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CONTEXT
3.1 A Study on the Internet Ministry
Historical Background of the Internet Ministry Media Revolution Human civilization has
incessantly reformed itself. When it comes to information management, people have
developed new measures to store more information and communicate it to a wider audience.
These attempts to communicate more information more accurately, faster, and to more people
gave birth to the mass media, one of most revolutionary human inventions. Beginning in the
fifteenth century‘s Gutenberg‘s printing press, through which the Bible was distributed to a
wider population, the media revolution had ignited and flourished throughout the
Reformation, the Renaissance, and the science revolution eras.1
Media development sped up during the industrial era. Churches in the past used the media to
spread the Gospel, whereas churches of our time are trying to keep up with the shift from the
analog to the digital era with through internet ministry ideas in more than one format,
including the text, graphic images, audio, video, and animation images. Along with the
remarkable progress in telecommunication, the advent of the computer technology ignited the
digital revolution and opened the door to the information age, where people excessively and
constantly consume various multimedia contents (e.g., E-book on Demand (EOD), Music on
Demand (MOD), Video on Demand (VOD), voice mail, etc.) using wired/wireless devices
and gadgets. This era is marked by the people‘s inseparable attachment to digital information,
and this poses both a challenge and an opportunity to churches. Churches need to remind that
themselves that following the trend is inevitable. In order to take the initiative in this era, they
are required to utilize the available cutting-edge technology in their ministry for what purpose
and where is internet ministry applied.2
40
(1) Evangelical mission The main purpose of internet ministry is to execute the Lord‘s Great
Commission of you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the
remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8 NASB) by expending God‘s sovereignty in cyberspace,
targeting not only the local audience but also the international audience from every nation
and class.
(2) Reclaiming God‘s reign on the Internet Everything is made by God and for him, as
written in Colossian 1:16. The Internet, as part of everything,‖ is created by him, in him, and
for him. Thus, reclaiming God‘s sovereign power in cyber space is self-evident, and internet
ministry is a direct tool serving the goal.
(3) Internet ministry can enhance offline discipleship training and mentoring All churches
bear the sacred responsibility of training their members as Jesus ‘disciples. In the current
society where everybody is preoccupied and gathering people in one spot becomes more and
more inconvenient, churches can maximize the advantage of the Internet‘s near omnipresence
in teaching the members. 40 Churches can utilize the Internet in training and mentoring
people more effectively online, where people can interact with each other undeterred by time
and space barriers.
(4) Internet networks can empower Christianity The word ―Internet is a shortened form of
Inter-networking, which means a network of data and information. The Web of internet
networks can be transferred to the wide Christian network through the help of internet
ministry. The network formed in cyberspace can lay the groundwork for a Christian network
at the local and international levels, realizing the greatest dream of building a truly global
church online. How can internet ministry be applied?
(A) Churches provide services to meet their members‘ needs Following God‘s will, churches
provide various services to people in need, both material and spiritual needs. These services
41
have often been hampered by people‘s time limitation and geographical distance. These
problems can be solved by utilizing internet ministry. People can avail of the church services
they require regardless of time and space.
(B) Churches need to take initiatives in cyberspace In the Internet, people form a society and
a unique culture. Churches need to appeal to these people through Web contents that are
interesting and educational enough as well as beneficial to them at the same time.
(C) Evangelism in the Internet One of most pivotal duties of the church is evangelism; that is,
preaching the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The focus of the entire internet ministry should
be on this mission because there are many non-Christians in cyber space that have yet to be
reached. Which group of people does the internet ministry target? The focus group should be
defined first before anyone can conduct internet ministry. The first issue that should be
settled is whether the target group is inside or outside the church. Thus, should the target be
Christians or non-Christians? The second issue is demography. That is, should the focus
group be seniors/youth, women/men, married/unmarried, locals/foreigners, and so on? After
the target group is defined, churches should determine which contents and services would be
most applicable, helpful to the target group, and able to provide tailored services according to
each group‘s interests and needs. What do churches provide in internet ministry?3
1. Which values should the digital contents focus on? What values should we convey
through the online service? This question is the first step in determining the internet contents
churches should provide to the people. These values can be slightly varied, whether they are
meant for Christians or non-Christians and whether they will be practiced at the local or
international levels. The first step in this project is value shift. There is a gap between the
priorities the traditional ministry values the most and the new value required by this new
internet ministry. Value shift can only be achieved by obtaining support from the pastor,
42
consensus of the board/elder groups, speed control, balance with the church‘s other ongoing
projects, and additional funds.
2. To whom should the services be provided? The internet service should then be given
according to the audience‘s age and background. Specifically, the sermon and the mentoring
should be tailored for each age group, the group‘s educational level, and the environment
they live in. The worship service should also be specified for each occasion. In education
service, similar contents can be provided to everyone, but how it is applied should be varied
by age and background. What cannot be ignored in the service is that people experience the
Internet differently. Churches should be able to define which groups of people are not
familiar or uncomfortable with the internet service.
3.3 The Scope of Evangelization
Evangelization covers the entire mission of the Church. It covers all the terrain and the
horizons that touch the existence of humanity, which is the object of evangelization. After the
first Synod of Bishops for Africa which took place in Rome in 1994, the Church in Africa
adopted for its pastoral identity the theme: “The Church Family of God in Africa: You shall
be my witnesses”. That theme shows an aggressively evangelical character and was laid out
fewer than five major activities namely: Proclamation, Justice and Peace Dialogue,
Inculturation and Social Communication. These five subthemes cater for practically every
facet of human existence, practically indicating that evangelization must take place through
every human activity and in every space where members of the Church can be found and
where the Church is therefore represented. Deriving from that, it is essential to emphasize
that the first and the most important “medium of evangelization”, so to speak, is every
individual Christian.4
It is in this light that the very theme of this Extraordinary Missionary month (EMM),
“Baptized and Sent: The Church of Christ on Mission in the World”, must be considered. The
43
special occasion reminds every baptized Christian that by virtue of that fact he is a “gift”, a
“mission”, called to evangelize, that is to help others to come to the knowledge of salvation in
Jesus Christ. In his message for the occasion, Pope Francis wrote: “Through our communion
with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we, together with so many of our other brothers and
sisters are born to new life. This divine life is not a product for sale – we do not practice
proselytism – but a treasure to be given, communicated and proclaimed: that is the meaning
of mission”.5
Unfortunately, the reality of our day is that most baptized Catholics do very little
evangelization, if at all. Some even deliberately avoid occasions and events that might
suggest such. However, it is the mandate of Jesus which every authentic Christian must obey,
to make disciples of all nations. The environment in which we live today even compels us to
spread the Gospel if the voice of God, Jesus Christ ad our Christian faith will not be totally
obliterated in our time. As a dear friend parliamentarian from the Philippines Francisco Tatad
once said. “In our day everyone and everything enjoys the freedom of speech except
Almighty God”. Catholics must see to changing that.6
On many occasions up till the launch of this Extraordinary Missionary Month, the Holy
Father, Pope Francis, has insisted that the Church must be a “church on the go” not in any
way playing safe where it can otherwise witness to Christ and bring forth the Gospel. A
friend of mine sent me a beautiful image of what every baptized Christ in should be as the
village cock which belongs essentially to only one household but when it crows, alerts the
entire village.7
The Church has taught that evangelization can only happen when we communicate the will of
God to people in a manner that they can relate with and that makes them want to follow
Jesus. From the Second Vatican Council, the Church has therefore insisted on the necessity
44
for the Church to evangelize the worked by means of the language that people in various
cultural and geographical locations understand.
3.3 The Scope of Media
The scope of the Media is to project the message of evangelization beyond the confines of
our habitual spaces, churches, and Religious Institutions. Here we must highlight the
spectrum and potential of the methods and means which man, the fundamental medium of
evangelization could appropriate today for effective evangelization. That spectrum is almost
limitless for all and every means communication from the traditional to the digital is still
valid and useable. From the word of mouth to signs and symbols of nature, to human
gestures, means of traditional and group communication, print, electronic to modern digital
communication everything lends itself to be used for evangelization. King David in the
psalms had this to say: “Heaven declare the glory of God and the firmament shows forth his
handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge” (Psalm
19:1-2). There is even a sense in which the words of Jesus at the triumphant entry to
Jerusalem supports this. He told those who would stop his followers singing “Hosanna to the
Son of David”, “If these were to keep quiet the very stones would rise up and sing” (Lk 19
40).
3.4 The Role of Media in Evangelization
However, coming to those media which, apart from creation, are the product of man’s
faculty’s creative intelligence, these exist to project the Church’s capacity to reach people
with the message of the Gospel.
1. In adopting these we have good antecedents. Jesus Christ taught by word of the mouth, he
used stories and parables, chose relevant locations like the sea, the mountains, or the plains to
communicate his message for greater effectiveness.
45
2. For the same reason, Saint Paul raised the bar further. He understood the importance of
writing letters to communities so that his teaching of the gospel could be used and applied in
many places simultaneously where he could not be physically present. Thus, he conquered
the limitation of time and space. Any wonder that his letter became so diffused and read?
3. This is the scope of media, to extend the Gospel beyond our confines of space and time
beyond our own physical reach for the advantage of many. This implies that the first thing to
think about in relation to evangelization is: “What would be the most effective means for the
job traditional modern or digital?”
4. According to Pope Paul VI in his message on the 1974 World Day of Communication,
“there is the need to set the contemporary vehicles of information and allied services along a
line of development which will facilitate the diffusion of the Good News and create a
favorable climate for the strengthening of concepts such as the dignity of the human person,
justice, universal brotherhood, values which make it easier for a man to understand his own
true vocation and which at the same time open the way to a constructive dialogue with others
and to union with God”.8
These words of the pope hit on the essential role of the media which is to facilitate not
create, nor mutilate concrete values and concepts which the Church is sent to establish in
human society and hearts. The same Pope hit the nail on the head in his teaching on
evangelization Evangelii Nuntiandi when he said “The Church would feel guilty before the
Lord if she did not utilize these powerful means that human skill is daily rendering more
perfect. It is through them that she proclaims ‘from the housetops’ the message of which she
is the depositary. In them, she finds a modern and effective version of the pulpit. Thanks to
them she succeeds in speaking to the multitudes”.9
46
3.4.1 The Opportunities
It is in the nature of every medium of communication that it can be both an opportunity and a
challenge depending on the kind of use to which it is put by the human element behind its
use. This goes from traditional media to digital. The Universal Church, especially since the
Second Vatican Council, has paid attention to the importance of Traditional Media in the
mission of evangelization. The emphasis on this was clearer especially at the first Synod of
African Bishops in 1994. Even before then many African theologians pointed out the
necessity to pay Traditional Media due attention. Ndiokwere, whose book was published just
before the Synod highlights this quite well when he discussed the relationship between
communication and inculturation: “It is the activity of the church, at a particular place and
time, to present and live the Christian message faithfully in language, signs and symbols and
actions which speak to the people in so convincing a way that they naturally and readily
identify with it and whole-heartedly participate in it and contribute to it”.10
The media of the word, tales, proverbs, drama, songs drums, dance and storytelling, and
orature have been used by Africans to convey lessons and values from time immemorial.
They can never become obsolete. Even today, the digital media feed on the content generated
by traditional media. Think for example about the effective use of these by African elders,
especially by women who are more directly responsible for bringing up their children. They
ought to be given more attention in evangelization especially in catechesis. Catechesis is
seen as one important function of evangelization that needs to be reenergized in the Church
today. Women and the skills they possess are in pole position to help achieve this as
catechists, evangelizers, mothers of families and teachers of religion. In addition, what we
have cone to refer to today as Modern media generally feed on stories of faith and testimonies
of what faith in Jesus and God’s word has helped them to achieve. The Bible is full of such
stories. All Christians must learn to tell them. Women, however, seem to have special
47
disposition for telling such stories, especially with children although not exclusively so. A
deliberate effort to empower women to adopt modern means of media to project their stories
to a large audience could bring huge benefits to the Church for the work of evangelization.
Fundamentally, however, the word from-mouth-to-ear among people leads the way of
opportunities along with other traditional media.11
3.5 Radio and Television as Resistant Media
The diffusion and endurance of radio as a medium of information in Africa and particularly
in Nigeria still makes it a formidable medium for dissemination of information and news.
Although many people look down on radio as a medium overtaken by time, an objective
analysis will show its resilience and strength as a very concrete and effective instrument for
strengthening the Church and for reaching those who are not formally part of the Church.
With a bit of attention, anyone would acknowledge the number and diversity of people who
still listen to the radio in Nigeria. Among these are rural dwellers who have little or no
electricity, nomadic workers, travelers, farmers, traders and businessmen and women who
tune in to one station or the other for accompaniment, artisans who are busy at work in
various capacities, the homebound and others who use radio for company. Coupled with this
is the dialogical and democratic nature of radio programmes in discussions, phone in
interviews programmes etc. All these things must persuade those who really desire to spread
the Gospel to take radio into consideration as a viable, relatively cheap but powerful tool to
use. Besides in the contemporary world where communication is hugely democratized, radio
still serves as an important platform for discussion on matters of faith, catechesis, and
exhortation. One radio programmed today, well-structured and presented can leave a
nostalgic spark in the heart of believers and non-believers and draw them to the wellspring of
salvation or make them search further on spiritual things. A radio transmission of the
Angelus, recited in a deliberate manner and especially garnished with teaching and
48
reflections on various aspects, relevant to faith and life can serve as a real daily vehicle of
nourishment and evangelization for audiences. What has been said of radio can be said for
television on a lesser but more engaging scale. Because TV is both sound and image the
message it conveys can be more compelling and persuasive if its characteristic requirements
of skills collaboration and funds can be overcome.12
3.6 Artists and Artistes as Dynamic Media
Our artists and artistes must be challenged and encouraged to translate gospel values and
stories into art or communicate them with artistic expressions and for people and audiences.
There is a lot of power in the capacity of our talented and creative people to couch the
message of the gospel in their particular means of expression. The Church has been the
champion of art over centuries. In fact, there was a period in her history when the most
popular and effective tool of instruction was pictures of sculptures and music. It is a
fundamental error to think that modern man may have outgrown such a powerful means of
communication. We have every reason to return the Church to that earlier status and invest in
the commissioning of such projects even at this period. Here the services of media
Professional and Practitioners bodies like Signis and its subsidiaries like the Catholic Media
Practitioners Association of Nigeria, CAMPAN or the Catholic Artistes and Entertainers
Association of Nigeria (CAEAN) and even the practitioners of drama and sketches at the
grassroots level should be challenged and taken more seriously not just as entertainers but as
evangelizers. Such associations, organizations, and groups have the expertise and skills to do
much with the message of the gospel. Signis can serve as a consultancy or project planning
platform for the Church at various levels while CAEAN and others propose possible projects
and sketches for different purposes. Too often however such bodies wait to be invited or even
sponsored to promote the gospel or to evangelize. This is often not forthcoming and the
“stand-back” attitude needs to change.13
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3.7 The Liturgy as Media for evangelization.
Pope Benedict once said that the liturgy, when well prepared and celebrated can act as an
effective medium of evangelization. Evidence of this abound whereby people have been
drawn to the Gospel and become disciples through the work of a good choir, or homily. In
any case, everything in the liturgy can attract or distract, depending on how it is presented or
encountered. This goes also for objects of function around the church. Key among these is the
signpost which is always on a 24-hour service. How seriously is this taken? When our liturgy
is well illustrated at our major celebrations it can attract many non-Catholics to the faith.
“Come and rest. This Church is prayer-conditioned” Among the things that ought to be more
common than is currently the case if the Church truly cares about evangelization, are
bookshops, newsstands, studios, music stores, and video shops. Most institutions that wish to
affect society with their message know the importance of centers where their audience can
find the information they wish to disseminate. Today, Catholic bookshops are too few and far
between and where they exist are sufficiently poorly sited. Generally, they are found within
Church premises where they “preach only to the converted” or outside where they are
difficult to locate. Besides, there hardly exists any effort to call people’s attention to them
either by regular announcements at liturgical gatherings or by a direct advertisement which is
not necessarily a taboo to pastoral work. Many dioceses have studios of different grades
collecting dust and largely unused. These constitute wasted opportunities.14
1. Inventories as Powerful Media
If bookshops, studios, and media outlets have not received enough attention, worse still are
the materials being produced in practically many dioceses and church institutions all over
Nigeria today. Books, musical CDs videos, recorded homilies that could transform many
lives simply stand no chance of touching many because there is little effort to promote them.
As a result, they circulate only a few copies within a very limited space and then recede. How
50
different things would be if we had a regularly updated inventory of such resources and
regularly inform people where they could be found. This would be a huge plus for catechesis
and personal devotion and learning. Other churches do much better than the Catholic Church
in this area and justifiably reap abundant rewards for their effort. No wonder then that many
Catholics nourish themselves with products that emanate from sources other than catholic
ones.
2. Christian Institutions Must Become Media for Evangelization
Christian Institutions and products need to be better patronized. Apart from EWTN, Lumen
Christi Satellite Television, Christian Radio Stations or friendly ones, publication like “The
Word Among Us” or “Abide in My Word” among others are Nigerian media resources that
have crossed diocesan or even international boundaries and constitute authentic pastoral and
spiritual resources, that are still largely unknown to many. If only we had more people like
Fr. George Ehusani who had used these to good measure for some time now. As Archbishop
Akubeze said in his homily yesterday, our schools and hospitals must first and foremost be
spaces and opportunities for evangelization. The message of salvation we can give there far
surpasses in importance the education we give and, in any case, people are more receptive to
spiritual messages at the period of illness than at any other time. We need a little more direct,
preferential placement of these media outlets in our institutions like hostels, schools,
hospitals, offices and even homes where Catholics and non-Catholics come and go. Why
should one not be able to find in Catholic Institutions, LCTN or EWTN, or find a copy of
Abide in My word or the Word Among us in the lounge or bedroom of our hostels or
facilities or to hear the radio tuned to a catholic channel in an office can greatly contribute to
the Church’s work of spreading the Gospel and evangelize.15
The Church’s social and charity outreaches and services continue to help millions to live
better material and spiritual lives but they are little used as tools of evangelization due to
51
misplaced humility and correctness. Such programs and services refrain from identifying
themselves as Catholic when they are in the public square and exposed to the general public.
Sorry if I mention here the Justice Development and Peace Movement which basically works
according to the Social Teaching of the Church in Poverty Alleviation, Skill acquisition,
political education, empowerment, legal aid, etc. These are all areas that deeply transform
society. Such programs, well accepted by the general public are often not identified as
Catholic Church inspired. Too often on the radio or television, one hears that the programs
are powered by a foreign organization and the JDPC. For many that might as well be just
another Non-Governmental Organization. Why can we not hear and see Catholic Justice
Development and Peace Organization on Radio, TV or on billboards and posters? It is
surprising that such a rich avenue for evangelization can be neglected and left unexploited.
Jesus said, “In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good
works, they may give praise to your father in heaven”.16
3. Digital Media Tools as Inexhaustible Opportunity.
Perhaps a major opportunity which anyone under 50 years of age would readily root for today
is the availability of New Media. By this, I mean all the media that today are driven by
modern information technology, computers, smart phones, and the internet. These are more
often referred to as social media. By some definitions, they are “web-based tools for
interaction that, in addition to conversation, allow users to share content such as photos,
videos, and links to resources…. They are digital platforms used for interaction and content
delivery.” These media are easily identifiable with young people and are generating a
completely new culture of relationship and communication.
Through these media, for the first time, a large number of people are empowered to
simultaneously become authors, teachers, and producers at the same time and with the same
authority as anyone else. This reality has not been lost in the Church. Already in 1971, the
52
Pontifical Council for Social Communications wrote: “The modern means of social
communication offer men of today a great round table. At this, they are able to participate in
a worldwide exchange in search of brotherhood and cooperation. It is not surprising that this
should be so for the media are at the disposal of all are channels for that very dialogue which
they themselves stimulate. The torrent of information and opinion pouring through these
channels makes every man a partner in the business of the human race.”17
3.8 Special Focus on the Youth
This positive awareness has been repeated over the years with the new media being identified
more with young people, such that many Papal messages for the World Communication Day
in the last few years have continued to hammer on them: Hear Pope Benedict: “Young
people, in particular, have grasped the enormous capacity of the New Media to foster
connectedness, communication, and understanding between individuals and communities,
and they are turning to them as means of communicating between individuals and
communities, and they are turning to them as means of communicating with existing friends,
of meeting new friends, of forming communities and networks, of seeking information and
news and of sharing their ideas and opinions. It will be a logical conclusion therefore that the
Church and those all who hold the power of administering the Church form an alliance with
young people to work for evangelization with the digital skills and competences which they
possess more than anyone else. This recommendation has been made over the years by the
Church in an attempt to have the gospel proclaimed and enable it to permeate the new digital
culture.18
New Media offer almost unlimited reach to many today who do not go to Church, who
cannot go to church and those who have left the Church. They offer an important facility for
apostolate to those who cannot be reached by ordinary means, the homebound, the sick, the
nomads, or the young people who are “natives of the social media”. Etc. Cardinal Sean
53
O’Malley in his foreword to a recent book by Brandon Vogt, wrote: “New Media has created
a fundamental shift in communication patterns comparable to the introduction of the printing
press several centuries ago and has similarly instituted a new culture of communication. It is
not just important but vital that the Church bring the good news of Jesus Christ into that
culture to infuse the digital content with the leaven of our Catholic faith”. 19 Citing Bishop
Ronald Herzog of Alexandria leading the US Bishops in discussion about new media he went
further: “Many people today, especially the young, turn first to New media for information.
Therefore…it would be disastrous if the Church didn’t take it seriously and begin effectively
utilizing these tools now to augment our existing communications media. The Church doesn’t
have to change its teachings to reach young people, but it must deliver the faith to them in a
different way to reach them and be present.” In short new media are indispensable tools for
building the Church beyond our church buildings.20
Imagine for a minute the efficacy of blogs as a forum for exchanges sharing of perspectives
and explanation on practice, doctrines and values of the Gospel without people going through
the stress of movement, weather etc? Imagine the functional usefulness of podcasts and video
casts for homilies, talks or teaching that have been recorded and then are further relayed on
smart phones at relevant but remote venues to people who cannot be present at the event?
Think for a minute about the speed and simultaneous nature of face book live transmissions
or the cheap accessibility of Whatsapp for sharing spiritual resources and material for
evangelization? Young people and others who are skilled in the use of these resources have
their jobs well cut out for them. On the other hand, these media are so important that all
agents of evangelization ought to learn to engage with some of them at least in order to be
authentic and credible agents of evangelization.21
54
3.9 The Challenges of the Role of Media in Evangelization
The challenges facing the role of the media in evangelization today have generally been
mentioned all along.
1. We must find a way to conquer the laziness among the preachers and Christians at large as
regards evangelization.
2. Consider how students would strain to do research and study in order to pass an important
examination! Consider the amount of money we send on data to be able to download a movie
or clip from the internet!
3. Consider how people would deploy all the hardware and skills of social and digital media
to find information! Would they do the same for faith or spiritual development.
4. Many parents tell stories, apply proverbs, jokes, and riddles in order to communicate an
important lesson of life to a child but would not make the same effort to communicate a truth
about their faith to their children. How many hours would young people spend in the gym, or
on the football pitch or in a music academy learning to sing, dance or play a musical
instrument, but would not do the same to learn the scriptures in order to be able to teach
others? If young people would share the words of scripture or an uplifting homily with the
same dexterity with which they share a piece of interesting but mundane information the
Gospel would have long been better served.22
5. This lukewarm attitude is probably the biggest challenge to the role of media in
evangelization. One might consider the following as topical ones: The lukewarm attitude to
and lack of interest of many in their responsibility as evangelizers
6. The unwillingness to invest financial resources in engaging various media. Uncertainty
about formally entrusting the evangelization mission to media professionals and practitioners
with attendant responsibilities
55
7. The feeling of inadequate knowledge of the faith and the Bible which make many feel
unqualified to represent the Church
8. The reluctance of Church leaders to move with the tide in the area of communication.
9. Insufficient planning and investing information, facilities and programmes which will
enhance the use of media for evangelization
10. Insufficient formation of the faithful for their task as co-responsible Christians for the
Church’s mission
11. Lack of sufficient trained church agents of communication and evangelization.
With the indications about the pervading powers of the new media and digital technology
some people would go as far to suggest concentrating on them only for effective
evangelization. This would be a fatal error for the new media have many side effects and
weaknesses too. The truth is that the media of communications are generational and there will
always be people who remain unreachable by new digital media. Such people, for reasons of
preference, accessibility, and age or health condition are more amenable to other forms of
media. Indeed, a cumulative holistic and all-embracing approach would function best for
effective evangelization.
In a book by Meredith Gould this precious advice is provided and it is worth listening to.
Priests, especially must never see social media as a replacement for face-to-face, in the flesh
pastoral ministry. The word was made flesh not the word was made social media. Social
media can be an extension of a priest’s pastoral presence but will never replace it. Nor will it
entirely replace all other forms of media that have previously elevated the gospel in the
Church and have served the mission of evangelization.
None of the above is enough excuse not to seize the opportunities presented by the media for
evangelization. Jesus asked all to be witnesses and make disciples of all nations according to
the capacity of each one. It is necessary to throw the challenge of evangelization to every
56
catechumen right at the moment of baptism so they understand from then that they are meant
for mission. The Church has never prohibited anyone, qualified or not from disseminating the
Gospel. Everyone must work for evangelization according to his ability.23
57
Endnotes
1. Edmiston, J. Internet Evangelism & Cyber Missions and Their Impact upon How We
Will Do Missions In the 21st Century.,www.cybermissions.org/articles/21stC_missions.
Accessed on 12/05/2021, 8:20am.
2. Ibid.
4. Peters, George W. Saturation Evangelism: Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives.
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970), 64.
5. Ibid., 65.
6. McGavran, Donald A. Effecive Evangelism: A Theological Mandate, (Phillipsburg, NJ:
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1988), 67.
7. Ibid. 68.
8. Wilson, James and Wilson, Roy. Mass Media/Mass Culture: An Introduction. (London:
McGraw-Hill Inc., 1988), 280.
10. Ibid. 33.
11. Ibid., 34.
13. Ibid., 224
58
15. Ibid., 87.
16. Ibid., 88.
19. Jewell, J. P. Wired for Ministry: How the Internet, Visual Media, and Other New
Technologies Can Serve Your Church. (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2004), 52.
21. Ibid.
22. Obinna, Obayi Paul Martin. An Evaluation of the Perception and Use of New Media in
Communication, Department of Mass Communication, University Of Nigeria Nsukka,
2012. Unpublished Thesis, 2012), 92.
23. Ibid. 92.
24.
59
CHAPTER FOUR
INTERNET EVANGELISM: AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR SOUL-WINNING IN THE
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
4.1 Identification and Definition
Definition and Approaches: According to the United Bible Societies Lexicon (2007), the
word “evangelism” has its origin from the Greek word euangelion meaning good news or
gospel.1 Evangelism can be defined as the act and process of bringing/proclaiming the good
news, gospel to the world. Target identifies two main types of evangelism comprising public
and personal evangelism with several methods to go about them. Apart from the types, many
methods and approaches have been employed in evangelism. As the years go by, these
methods become sophisticated with technological advancement. This implies that the
approaches used in the 19th century will differ from those used in the 21st century.2
Thus, it appears that several approaches to evangelism includes: open-air preaching, trickle-
down evangelism (an approach to evangelism primarily concerned with converting high
ranking members of a society), door to door preaching, evangelizing through sermon,
lifestyle evangelism, friendship evangelism, creative evangelism (through music, visual art
drama, film), use of gospel tracts, televangelism, radio evangelism, internet evangelism,
phone evangelism, personal evangelism, creation evangelism, prophetic evangelism, and use
of the Evange-Cube (a puzzle¬like pictorial teaching aid of eight interlocking blocks used to
tell the story of the gospel of Jesus Christ). Other methods include community events, health
fairs, after school programs etc.3
4.2 Internet Evangelism
Internet evangelism appears to be a recent evangelistic approach which came with the
outburst of information technology and the digitalization of the world. Many descriptions are
60
orchestrated when it comes to a definition of the internet. An interesting definition
understands internet or web evangelism “as the creation of a form of evangelism where the
gospel is presented on the internet. This may include a website defending the accuracy of the
Bible, someone discussing their faith in a chat room, evangelical messages or advertisements
on the home pages of Christian organizations, or other methods of using the internet to spread
Christianity.4
On the effective nature of this method of evangelism and outreach, Nathan Black reports of a
study carried out by Global Media Outreach. The study revealed that online evangelism is
“producing real disciples for Christ” as over half of those who made decisions for Christ
through the internet have in turn shared their faith with others. The ubiquity of the internet
and its usage suggests that there are various methods that can be employed when it comes to
using the internet for evangelism. Approaches however differ from church to church and
from one outreach ministry to the other.5 There are several approaches to internet evangelism
as Rusty Wright correctly confirms:6
Internet evangelism offers a dazzling array of possibilities to communicate Christ. Writing
articles is just one method. You may want to interact with unbelievers in a chat room,
correspond via email, communicate on a blog, design your own website, pray for and/or
support web outreach financially. From the foregoing, approaches to internet evangelism
could involve the following:
(1) Websites- church websites, online books, online bible study, written sermons;
(2) Weblog Sites;
3) Social Networking sites;
(4) Christian Download sites;
(5) Podcasts and online Radio and Television programs. These approaches are explained
upon below.
61
4.3 Weblogs According to Internet Day Evangelism
A weblog is a type of website popularly known as a blog, this differs from the usual website
style because it possesses some characteristics: it is informal, personal, an ongoing diary-type
commentary by an individual, news and opinion on a specific topic. Unlike the normal
website where there are entries and full articles concerning a topic, “most blog entries are
plain-text mini-articles, though pictures, audio, and even video clips can be incorporated
too”.7
Blogs provide a sense of belonging and community where people are interested in other
people; readers tend to give their own opinions and comments concerning topics (popularly
known as blog entry), “or even respond to other peoples posts, every time a new entry is
posted on the blog”.8 For this method, care must be taken as the blog site must continue to
have new postings added at regular intervals. Churches and religious organizations can create
their own blogging site and also have a chat room linked to it. Moreover, a blog which is
mostly a page deep could provide links to a conventional web page or even to a particular
local Church.
The problem in using a blog as an approach to internet evangelism lies in the way one
understands how they differ from conventional websites. This will make the blog entries
appealing to both Christians and their Christian friends. However, if a blog is more of
Christian topics, it might be unattractive to Christian friends. In order to avoid this pitfall, two
blogs can be created for both Christians and non-Christians. Gradually through subtle blog
entries, the secular mind will come to accept Christ. Subsequently, it is expedient to note
that blog evangelism is about building online relationships with people within an area of
shared interest. Already existing blogs which appear secular could also serve this evangelism
if a church decides to post.9
62
4.4 Social Networking Sites
These are online forums which constitute some of the most visited sites on the internet. They
are seen as virtual meeting places where users can contact other people, post updates, videos
and pictures; discuss and interact in many ways. Some social networking sites that are very
popular in Nigeria include facebook, twitter, yahoo, hi5, badoo, myspace, 2go, WhatsApp,
Black Berry Messenger (BBM), Nimbuzz etc. These are mostly secular sites on which
Christian organizations can create pages for networking and outreach or individuals can sign
up and use these sites as evangelistic strategy. For individuals, it is easier to join social sites.
An email is required and then the person begins by adding friends and posting religious
comments on his/her home page while trying to link with other Christians and sharing his/her
faith. For Christian organizations, creating a fan page where users can click on the “like
page” to get news feeds from that organization or Church say on Facebook proves effective
in internet evangelism. In harnessing this potential and its effectiveness, Jodarche argues that
“the power of social networking is in its viral nature and within a few days of launching, a
local church could have several hundred followers or fans, most of whom have never stepped
foot through its physical doors.”10 On how to use this method for outreach, Cynthia Ware
suggest how Facebook can be used. She labels it “the incarnational and intentional active
outreach where lives are led openly online.”11 It is incarnational as it makes use of Christ’s
lifestyle in meeting people’s needs online and intentional by making contacts with friends
and their friends and inviting them to join religious fan pages. She states that on Facebook,
one can respond to other people’s postings, with appropriate on-topic comments, post
pictures of say religious activities, video clips of Church proceedings and links to religious
pages. On how to start discussions on a popular networking site, she states that discussion
could be done on popular culture such as movie release, book or music that remarkably
contain embedded parallels that point to spiritual truths. Another essential way to use the
63
social networking site is making sense out of the many instant messenger applications such as
2go, Whatsapp, Nimbuzz, viber, BBM inter alia. Here, chat rooms, group chats, public and
private forums could be created where interesting topics are discussed. By doing this, the
myriad of those who use these chat media, will definitely be reached. However, care must be
taken as Christian professionals should be employed to keep viable biblical topics going on.12
Christian Download Site and Podcasts Download sites are sites to get and access multimedia
ranging from presentations, audio, video and audio visuals in whatsoever required format.
These formats include mp3, mp4, mpeg, mpg, wma, wmv, HD, FLV, AVI, Blu-ray SWF etc.
This could be done by the creation of a flash site. In Internet Evangelism Day (2011), it is
submitted that “a podcast involves an audio or video file downloadable by a computer for the
internet often automatically because one must have subscribed to its service." Download sites
could have links to podcasts as the case may be. The use of download sites and podcasts are
almost the same; the only difference is seen in the subscription to a podcast service which
could be automatic download of all files offered on that service and the other is based on
choice for downloading a particular file. The podcast technology is developed from the use of
iPods owned by the US apple company. Here, one needs not to wait to listen to a particular
choice program on television or radio or search to download file via internet at specific times.
Rather, the user gets every detail automatically so far he/she has subscribed. Churches engage
in this method of evangelism by providing their sermons in video format online for easy
download or podcasting. Tech-savvy bloggers can use multimedia to create audio blogs and
video blogs that present experiences, opinions, dialogs, stories, and teachings, creating a
more live feel to the blogging experience.13
Moreover, podcast technology is used by many prominent thinkers, authors, and leaders who
have blogs that present a podcast or streaming audio of speeches, lectures, or sermons. This
could also be harnessed by the church. In harnessing this technology, the church can choose
64
to utilize the worldwide podcast outreach and narrow it down to a particular community
where messages mostly evangelistic in nature are provided for everyone to reach a particular
interest group or the other. Jodarch explains further on how to use podcasts and download
sites for outreach.14
Assuming that the church has invested in audio or video production capabilities to create a
podcast that will appear in the global iTunes directory free of charge. Several online
companies will aid you in the process and some CMS (content management system)-based
Web sites will automatically publish your media files to iTunes. Choosing tag words (words
describing the content) carefully will drive traffic to your podcast. The same process applies
to YouTube, the leading video sharing Web site where the church can have its own “channel”
to populate with content. More than 100 million people spend time on YouTube every month
a sizable congregation by any estimation. Be prepared for a variety of comments on the
content uploaded, not all of it positive; but be encouraged that the messages are being viewed
by those who, many times, need to hear them most.15
4.5 Online Radio and Television
This use of internet in doing evangelism is most technical of all approaches so far. It involves
airing of programs on television and radio on the internet. Mostly links from a religious
website are provided to have such service, but it is usually seen from a radio or television
station’s website where a section is provided for those who have the opportunity to view live
programs and messages online can easily go rather than waiting for it to be aired at a later
time. It is very advantageous but more expensive, although it is far more beneficial in scope
of outreach than others. For example, the popular Church Hope Channel could reach
someone on the internet in the Caribbean if the person has no television or radio to get the
waves.16 Also, church organizations who want people to see live programs could use it than
waiting to give their programs to TV stations and aired at a later time. This has no difference
65
with the common television and radio evangelism as the methods are also employed here. In
the same vein, Christ Apostolic churches in Nigeria can provide online television and radio
programs by linking live programs to the World Wide Web.
Evidently, this study opens a lot of discussions in the field of internet evangelism. Although
this study may not have been very deep and exhaustive, it provides a frame work and basis
for further study in this field. Still, it was underscored that Internet evangelism has numerous
benefits if utilized. It was based on these benefits that the advocacy for the embracement of
the use of the internet as an outreach method by the Christ Apostolic Church in Nigeria was
made. The mission of the Christ Apostolic Church in general places emphasis on evangelism.
This entails the use of recent outreach methods according to the changing times of the age.
Thus, if the internet, in its ubiquity, has not been utilized as an outreach tool, it means the
Church is not entirely fulfilling its mission even if it uses other approaches.
This is unfortunately the case of the Christ Apostolic Church in Nigeria. It was found that the
use of the internet by very few Churches and institutions in Nigeria amounts to its non-use. It
is therefore appropriate to agree with Riley’s report which concludes that “the church must
continually be in dialogue concerning how the internet can be used to serve its mission.” 17
Thus, the changing times in which we live in as well as the benefits of internet evangelism for
soul winning makes it an imperative. Therefore, since every evangelistic organization must
do internet evangelism to reach this techy world, Christ Apostolic Church in Nigeria should
appraise and harness this approach to evangelism.
66
Endnotes
1. United Bible Society Lexicon. http//: www.unitedbiblesociety.com/evangelism/, accessed
on 16/05/2021, 13:02
2. Target G. W. Evangelism INC. (London: Allen Lane, The Penguin Press, 1968), 7.
3. Ibid., 8.
4. Lee, D. S. An Effective Internet Ministry Strategy for Church Evangelism through A
Case Study of the Sarang Community Church. (D. Min Thesis, Liberty Baptist
Theological Seminary Lynchburg, Virginia, 2010), 67.
5. Black, N. Study Reveals Internet Evangelism is Effective. http//:www.m/news/study-
reveals-internet-evangelism-iseffective—64584, accessed on 17/05/2021, 13:02.
6. Wright, R. Could God Use You in Internet Evangelism?
http//:www.internetevangelismday.com>home.public, accessed on 17/05/2021, 19:11am.
7. Internet Evangelism Day. Social Networking online: Incredible Spectrum for Evangelism.
http//:from www.internetevangelismday.com. accessed on 17/05/2021, 13:02.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Jodarche, C. Effectively Using Media in Ministry. (Ministerial Journal,2010), 21.
11. Ware, C. Facebook and Evangelism: Is this our biggest Opportunity?
http//:www.internetdayevangelism.com/facebookevangelism. Accessed on 17/05/2021,
16:02.
12. Internet Evangelism Day. Social Networking online: Incredible Spectrum for Evangelism.
http//:from www.internetevangelismday.com. Accessed on 17/05/2021, 16:02.
13. Jodarche, C. Effectively Using Media in Ministry. (Ministerial Journal, 2010), 20.
14. Ibid., 21.
15. Internet Evangelism Day. Social networking online: Incredible Spectrum for
67
Evangelism.http//:from www.internetevangelismday.com. accessed on 17/05/2021, 16:02.
16. Riley, J. Scholar: Churches Can Use Internet to Reach Non-
Seekers.http//:www.m/news/scholar-churches-can-use-internet-toreach-non-seekers.
Accessed on 18/05/2021, 12:46.
17. Ibid.
68
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
This research on “The effectiveness of media in effective evangelism” focused on analyzing
the extent to which the youths in evangelism have been affected by the new media
evangelism. As it has been noted from this work that evangelism does not have a particular
way through which it must be done. In other words, any available means could be used to
proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. One of these ways being the new media, hence, new
media is a legal way of doing evangelism. It has been gathered also that, there is a change in
virtually all aspects of the youths, especially towards their religious inclination. There have
been some shifts in the ways by which the youths in evangelism view life, things and issues
that concern them. The new media is filled with people with various forms of learning, belief
system as well as other human endeavours, which means the availability of heretical
teachings and false information is inevitable in it. Based on the above raised argument, it
becomes paramount that the stakeholders of Christianity, New media, educational as well as
other well-meaning bodies to ensure that the right information are pushed into the new media
so as to curtail the menace of ill-effects of the new media evangelism on the youths especially
in our churches.
5.2 Conclusions
From the research carried out, it can be understood that New Media Evangelism is not only
trendy, but also has a way it affect its users. Both pure word of God and “diluted” word of
God are been propagated in the same New Media. The levels of one’s exposure –to a great
extent- go a long way in determining the way the person behaves. The youth, who are notable
for their being exuberant and will always try to involve themselves in something trendy.
69
Hence, it can be seen that as the youth engage in the New Media, many behavioural attitudes
are been displayed by them. As a result of their activities and participation in New Media
Evangelism, things have changed in the youth and with the youth. The thought pattern and
perceptions of the youth concerning life are equally been tampered with. Thereby, care has to
be taken in making sure that the youth are not prevented from using what is in fashion, but
should be encouraged to make the best use of their opportunities. Life and death exist in the
New Media Evangelism and the youth should be able to choose the one that will benefit
them.
5.3 Recommendations
From the study, the researcher recommends thus:
1. That the youth should be allowed to engage in the new media evangelism.
2. That the youth should be enlightened on how best to make use of the information
gathered from new media.
3. That the ministers should cease seeing new media as a detestable place, but as an
avenue to preach the word of God as part of fulfilling the Great Commission as it
concerns the now.
4. That since adulterated messages are been preached online, teachers and minister with
the real word of God should engage into new media evangelism.
5. That the ministers should Endeavour to move into new media evangelism.
6. That the Church is to see its presence in the new media as an opportunity to guide the
youth.
7. That everyone at the receiving end of the new media evangelism admonished to learn
moderation and discipline in their use of new media.
70
8. That, since there is every tendency of moving from new media evangelism to other
unwholesome sites, the general public should clearly define their aim of accessing the
new media to avoid deviation from their intended purposes.
9. That the academics should endeavor to engage into feeding the general public with
information that is both valid and informative. They are to see their presence in new
media as an extension of their educative and informative prowess to those who resort
to the new media for their daily updates.
10. That more materials should be published in this field of study to enhance more
learning on issues like this.
11. Lastly, that new media evangelism should be seen as a new way of passing the good
news from one person to another without necessarily coming physically to the
receiver’s place of stay.
71
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Wright, R. Could God Use You in Internet Evangelism? http//:winternetevangelismday.com.
Accessed on 18/05/2021.
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A Study of The Effectiveness of Media in Evangelism

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CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of the Study

that the evangelism will leave on the youths.

youths, both positively and negatively.

every action, there is always a corresponding reaction.

they patronize the new media evangelism.5

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This is what prompted this research.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this research is to achieve the followings:

3. To determine the influence of new media on the Christ Apostolic Church.

our churches as conventional evangelism.

1.4 Research Methodology

library works, were equally made use of in handling this topic.

This study is of a great importance in the following ways:

(i) Discovering some of the dynamisms of evangelism in our contemporary times.

on in the new media.

they engage their time in viewing and listening.

1.6 Scope of the Study

effectiveness of media in effective evangelism. Furthermore, there was financial constraint

1.7 Definition of Terms

carefully and in detail.6

Concept: An abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances. Something

production of or the power to produce an effect.11

members of his church.12

1. Diri, C. T. Old Media, New Media: An Exploration in Relevance, Convergence and

Divergence. International Journal of Communication. 10. (2009), 174.

2. Orlu, Hyacinth Chimene. “Evangelization in Cyberspace for the Promotion of Moral

Development of the Nigerian Youths” International Journal Of Information And

Communication Studies 1.2 (2015): 15.

(Ann Arbor Print: ProQuest LLC, 2014), 23.

Thesaurus (Merriam Webster Pub, 2008), software.

9. The New International Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language

(Florida: Trident press Int. 2004), 461.

10. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_(communication), accessed on 11-03-2021 by

(Florida: Trident press Int. 2004), 461.

(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980), 80.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 The Concept of New Media

public uses, including online news, advertising, broadcasting applications (including

provided by way of the Internet.3

more revolutionary consequences.4

E-mails, Televisions, Radios, Newspaper and so on.

2.1.1 A Brief History of New Media

destroyed in an enemy attack) commissioned leading computer scientists to develop the

working at a physics laboratory in Switzerland created and interconnected set of computers

graphics, with another, thus creating a virtual web of pages”.7

navigating the Internet:

formed a commercial company called Netscape.

led to more popularity of the Internet.

sought would be displayed.

the Internet more popular than ever.9

2.1.2 Development of Media in Nigeria

paper manufacturing processes developed during the nineteenth century.10

Distribution Service (re-diffusion) came into Lagos, as a means of distributing programmes

1960 and the Northern Region in 1962.11

2.1.3 History of Internet in Nigeria