Assessment Of Cyberspace And Traditional Church Models: A Study Of Selected Seventh Day Adventist Churches In Nyanchwa Station, South Kenya Conference, Kisii, Kenya

Abstract

The mission of the Church is to evangelize all people regardless of the place within which they are found. Today, cyberspace technologies have tremendous implications on traditional and conventional regard to the church in terms of her definition and mission, particularly in hard times of pandemics and even challenging human condition like age, sickness, physical distance, and so on. Cyberspace technologies create a wake-up call for churches to rethink the place of technology in enhancing her activities. The study investigated the implications cyberspace and traditional church models, with specific reference to selected churches of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Nyanchwa Station, South Kenya Conference, Kisii, Kenya. This was realized as guided by the following specific objectives: to determine cyberspace technologies used by the SDA church; to assess evangelical activities of the SDA church; to examine the implications of cyberspace technologies used by the SDA church, and to examine some of the challenges encountered by the SDA church in the use of cyberspace technologies in Nyanchwa Station. The entire study was guided by two theories: Uses and Gratification Theory by Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch in 1974; Critical Theory of Technology by Feenberg in 1991. Being a qualitative study, it employed a descriptive research design. The general target population was 519 respondents with a sample size of 171 informants. The study employed two sampling techniques: purposive for ICT technocrats and simple random for church members, including the youth; it also used censors for pastors and church clerks. Two data collection tools were used: Questionnaire and Interview schedule guide. Data was qualitatively analyzed using content, narrative and thematic analyses, reported and presented through frequency tables, charts and verbatim. The study found that and 56 (45%) were in support of the thesis on the use of various technologies, however, the point to note in these findings is that the difference margin was so minimal. Radio was found to be the most preferred, with 102 (82%) of the respondents endorsing it. For objective two on church activities realized through cyberspace technological platforms included: pastoral care of the faith, preaching, worship, religious instructions, spiritual development, formation of online church communities, finally, financial management and church contributions. However, preaching and prayer services counted as the most preferred with 114 (91.2%) of the respondents in its support. For objective three cyberspace was found to be a new area of mission where many people, especially the young are found and reached, and a source of religious information that the traditional physical church with a majority of 114 (91.2%) in its support. For objective four, the high cost of installing a full-fledged ICTs infrastructure in the church with 97 (77.6%) of participants endorsing it and the misuse of cyberspace technologies with 95 (76%) of the informants affirming it were found to be the biggest challenges. The study concluded that the SDA church in Nyanchwa Station endeavors to employ cyberspace technologies in her evangelical mission. It recommended for a blended type of church and SDA church to invest more in cyberspace technology infrastructure. Further, the study recommended the SDA church together with Christian theologians to come up with effective ways to evangelize cyberspace platforms and its technologies.