Department of Journalism & Media Studies

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://10.30.1.83:4000/handle/123456789/12

Browse

Browsing Department of Journalism & Media Studies by Author "Akuokoh, Enoch"

Filter results by typing the first few letters
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Impact of Social Media on the Church: The Case of the Maker's House Chapel International
    (UniMAC-GIJ, 2017-11) Akuokoh, Enoch
    Every business venture is in to make profit and therefore every business tries to discover new and improved ways of reaching its customers. Social Media has become a popular trend today in all spheres of life, more especially for businesses. It has provided a platform to establish and multiply relationships and to be visible to other people all over the world. In the view of Elliot (2013), social media has closed the gaps between pastors and their congregation and made it easier to reach a larger number of congregants of the church all over the world. Haelein (2010) define social media as a group of internet-based applications that build on ideological and technological foundations of web 2.0 and allow creation and exchange of user generated content. This research takes a deeper look at the ilupact of Social Media on the church through scientific spectacle, considering the benefits it offers the church and the negative impacts of it on the individual and the church. The survey study design and a sample of 120 respondents was surveyed using the random and purposive sampling techniques. The questionnaire and interview techniques were the instruments used to collect data. The data was analysed, interpreted and presented with the aid of Microsoft excel and word and presented on charts, tables and graphs. It was revealed that the church had youthful congregants and that, all of thenl luade use of various fonus of the social media applications. The members used a lot of the Whatsapp and Facebook applications. The church also made use of social media, mainly Facebook and Youtube. The church used Facebook and Youtube because it enabled them to post videos and pictures for worldwide viewing. It was also concluded that the church had no written down policies that governed the usage and management of social media application both for the church and the members but rather some convcntional practices which included the fact that church members could not take pictures and videos while church was on going; that every image or video posted on the church's social media platforms was water marked. Although social media is very useful to the individual church members and the church in that it ,vas a way of connecting to the whole world; that it offered the opportunity to the church to reach nlany people all across the world with the Gospel; that it was cheaper and readily available. However, social media had its negative impacts which included the fact that it could be addictive and destructive. Also it had the potential oftunling people away from being physically present in the church because of the live streaming of service. It is recommended that the Public Relations/Control Room and the Media group come together and draw some policies on the management of the social media applications of the church. It is expected that it will set the parameters in place appropriately for the improvement of the church's activities online and growth in general. After these policies are drafted, it is reconuuended that they should all be documented and clearly written down and kept on file for managenlent and administrative purposes, ths is to ensure that new members can get to know them and abide by them. Intermittently the church can serve some gentle reminders by rolling bits and pieces of these policies down the screen during church services or putting printed notices of the policies in wallets provided to the congregants for offertory. Also all efforts must be made to restrict network and coverage within the auditorium of the church during church service even if it means employing technology to do so.