Towards understanding the limitations of internet ministry

THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES ISSN 2321 - 9203 www.theijhss.com
14 Vol 8 Issue 8 DOI No.: 10.24940/theijhss/2020/v8/i8/HS2008-017 August , 2020
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES
Towards Understanding the Limitations of Internet
Ministry as an Alternative Ministry Opportunity in
Churches in Nigeria in the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation
1. Introduction
The effect of Coronavirus (popularly known as COVID-19) pandemic on every sphere of life throughout the world
is very enormous. Every sector is trying to adjust or adapt to the unplanned and unprecedented situation into which the
pandemic throws the world. Churches in Nigeria are not exceptional as many church buildings as well as other public
places were locked down and physical gathering of large number of people was restricted. In order to confront this
challenge and continue to meet the social and spiritual needs of church members, pastors and other church leaders in
Nigeria, among other means, resulted to using the Internet and other technological means to minister to their church
members and reach other people beyond their churches. In a research carried out by this researcher, it was revealed that
most of the pastors interviewed agreed that Internet ministry, as an alternative means, is effective to a great extent in their
pastoral ministry during the pandemic (Afolaranmi, 2020b). However, most of these interviewed pastors identified some
of the limitations of Internet ministry as an alternative means of ministering to church members and reaching out to other
people during and after the pandemic. Since the scope of the research did not cover this new discovering, this paper is
written as another follow-up paper to the original paper (Afolaranmi, 2020b) written out of the findings of the research to
discuss the additional findings. Therefore, the aims of this paper are to firstly identify the limitations of Internet ministry
as an alternative ministry opportunity in churches in Nigeria in the COVID-19 pandemic situation and secondly suggest
possible solutions to these constraints. Since this is another follow-up paper to an original paper from a research, some
aspects of this paper (especially ‘Targeted Population, Instrument and Procedure for Data Collection,’‘Number of
Respondents’ and ‘Years of Experience in Pastoral Ministry’) will be an adaptation of the original paper and another earlier
follow-up paper written based on the original research (Afolaranmi, 2020a).
2. Conceptual Framework: The Church and Internet Ministry
There has been various understanding of the word church. While the scope of this paper is not to delve into the
full explanation of what the church means, the word will be briefly explained in its general uses and mainly explained as
used in this paper. The root word for ‘church’ in the Greek language is ekklesia. This Greek word, in Ryrie (1972)’s words,
is made up of two words that mean ‘to call out’. According to Shekhar (2017), the word was ‘used in ordinary secular
discourse of any assembly, chiefly of an assembly of self-governing citizens.’ In the Holy Bible, sometimes, the word was
used for ordinary gathering of people (that were not Christians) (Acts 7:38; 19:32, 35, 39, 41). Nonetheless, the idea was
introduced to Christian usage when the early gathering of believers in Jesus Christ gathered themselves together for
worship, fellowship and sharing things among one another after the experience of the Pentecost (Acts 2:44). The major
Adebayo Ola Afolaranmi
Ph.D. Student, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies,
Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract:
The advent of COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant lockdown of many public places including churches have made
people to seek alternative ways of doing things without violating the laid down guidelines of concerned authorities in
order to curtail the spread of the pandemic. Many church pastors and other church leaders in Nigeria adapted to the use
of the Internet and other technological tools in ministering to their church members and other people, that is, Internet
ministry. However, there are some limitations to this in pastoral ministry. A research was carried out in which a semi-
structured questionnaire was served to some randomly selected pastors through WhatsApp Messenger. The respondents
answered through WhatsApp Messenger, email and phone calls. It was discovered through the research that Internet
ministry to some great extent has become an alternative ministry opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
Nevertheless, some other limitations to effective use of Internet ministry are also discovered. This paper (a follow up to
other papers based on the research) attempts to identify the limitations of Internet ministry as an alternative means of
performing pastoral ministry in churches in Nigeria during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and proffers possible
solutions to the limitations. It also presents some themes for further studies.
Keywords: Churches in Nigeria, Internet ministry, COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, limitations to ministry

difference between the New Testament ekklesia and other ekklesia (gathering of people) is that a New Testament church
or ekklesia is a divinely called out organism (underscoring life, growth, love, relationships) that is basically different from a
humanly formed gathering or group (underscoring structure, authority, accomplishments, goals) (‘Church—Do You Know
What It Means?’). Later in church history, the word church can refer to: (a) a local group of Christians that live in a
particular place, (b) a place (or building) where the people are gathering to meet, (c) an organized institution of many
‘churches’ that agree to hold some beliefs and practices in common (also known as denomination), or (d) the universal
assembly of believers in Jesus Christ. This last reference is the technical meaning given in many places in the New
Testament (at times referred to as the universal church). It is also known as the body of Christ (Ryrie, 1972).
The word ‘church’ as used in this paper is the place (or building) of worship for the believers in Jesus Christ. A
church building, that is now simply called a church, is a building used by Christians for their religious activities, especially
for worship services. Snyder (2003) stated that the first archeologically identified Christian church building is a house
church known as the Dura-Europos church that was founded between 233 and 256. Since then, many church buildings in
various shapes have been built in countless places throughout the world for religious activities.
A growing part of the population of the world has access to the Internet (United Nations, 2019), and the Internet is
now making a paradigm shift from citizenship to ‘netizenship’ (Amodu, 2017) The high Internet penetration rate into the
society and its great influence on the sustainability of religion in general has created a critical question of how it is possible
for the Internet to ‘upload God’ onto cyberspace or to ‘cyberize’ God (Fazlul, 2016). This fact has made it possible for
people to use the Internet and other technological tools in Christian ministries in general and pastoral ministry in
particular (Afolaranmi, 2009). This is what is referred to as Internet ministry. It is a way of reaching out to church
‘members, visitors, seekers and leaders through a variety of Web and Internet technology tools’ (‘What Is Web Ministry?’).
It can also be referred to as online ministry or web ministry. Some people have even gone to refer to it as the Internet
church, online church, cyber church, virtual Church, e-Church or Digital Church, although, Internet ministry is slightly
different from Internet church (Lee, 2010). According to Caston (2012), ‘the Internet church is not here to replace the
traditional church; it is only an extension of it.’ Internet ministry has been described as ‘the use of online services, apps,
functions, and technologies in order to serve people with the intention of helping those people grow in maturity towards
Christ’ (Knox, n.d.). Obinna (2012) observed that the church is not using the Internet in general and social media in
particular just because everyone uses it in their personal lives, but ‘as members of the church seek to communicate and
connect with one another, social media [and the Internet] are used exactly because they meet the need in helpful, efficient,
and natural ways.’
3. COVID-19 Situation in Nigeria
The index case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Nigeria on February 27, 2020 by the country’s Federal Ministry of
Health (‘FIRST CASE OF CORONA VIRUS DISEASE CONFIRMED IN NIGERIA’). Although Dixit, Ogundeji, and Onwujekwe
(2020) scored Nigeria low in the responses to the pandemic, they chronicled many things that the government has done to
curtail the pandemic. Figure 1 is a pictorial timeline of some important policy steps taken by the government of Nigeria.
Figure 1: Timeline of Important Policy Steps Taken by the Government of
Nigeria (Dixit, Ogundeji, and Onwujekwe, 2020)
One prominent policy as indicated in Figure 1 is the restriction of gathering of large number of people in public
places and movements from one place to the other, especially interstate and cross-border movements, and advocate stay
safe or stay at home. This also involves what is termed social (or preferably physical) distancing – ‘a way to keep people

from interacting closely or frequently enough to spread an infectious disease’ where ‘schools and other gathering places
such as movie theaters may close, and sports events and religious services may be cancelled’ (‘Tips For Social Distancing,
Quarantine, And Isolation During An Infectious Disease Outbreak’). This restriction is popularly known as lockdown.
Definitely, this lockdown affected churches and the ways pastors are performing their pastoral ministry among the church
members (Adegboye, Adekunle, and Gayawan, 2020). Church pastors and other church leaders have responded (and are
still responding) to this lockdown in various ways as revealed in the original research by this researcher as reported in a
paper (Afolaranmi, 2020b), and in another paper (Afolaranmi, 2020a), which another follow-up paper to the original one.
4. Targeted Population, Instrument and Procedure for Data Collection
The targeted population of this research was randomly selected Nigerian church pastors that are young,
intermediate or older in pastoral ministry. The instrument used to collect data for the research is a form of open-ended
questions sent to respondents through WhatsApp Messenger, and the respondents answered through either WhatsApp
Messenger or email. There were further correspondences with some of the respondents through WhatsApp Messenger or
even phone calls, as occasions demanded it. The reason for adapting to and employing this means for data collection by
this researcher was because of the then situation in the world that discouraged people from moving from one place to the
other and the advocacy for social/physical distancing and staying safe. The time frame of this research is the months of
March to May 2020.
5. Data Presentation and Discussions of Results
5.1. Number of Respondents
Out of one hundred and fifty (150) pastors that were contacted through WhatsApp Messenger, one hundred and
seventeen (117) responded. This represented seventy-eight per cent (78%) of the total number of people contacted. With
this percentage, this researcher is of the opinion that this method of data collection is considerably better, more effective
and more result-oriented to other methods of data collection in social sciences research.
5.2. Years of Experience in Pastoral Ministry
Figure 2: Years of Experience in Pastoral Ministry
From the number of pastors that responded as shown in Figure 2, twenty-one (21) pastors that represents
eighteen per cent (18%) have had pastoral ministry experiences for less than 9 years, forty (40) pastors that represents
thirty-four per cent (34%) have had pastoral ministry experiences between 10 and 19 years, while fifty-six (56) pastors
that represents forty-eight per cent (48%) have had pastoral ministry experiences for at least 20 years. This result shows
that most of the respondents are experienced pastors in their pastoral ministry.

5.3. Identification of the Limitations
Figure 3: Identification of the Limitations of Internet Ministry
In spite of the fact that most of the respondents agreed that Internet ministry, as an alternative means, is effective
to a great extent in their pastoral ministry during the pandemic (Afolaranmi, 2020b), they indicated that there are some
limitations to that agreement. Figure 3 is an overview of the limitations as the respondents identified them. Some
respondents identified more than one limitation, hence, the proportion of the identified limitations compared to the total
number of the respondents.
From the data given Figure 3, electricity supply was seen by most of the respondents (sixty [60] representing
51.28% of 117 total respondents) as the foremost limitation to Internet ministry in Nigeria. This is indeed a major
problem generally in Nigeria as there has been erratic power supply in the country for years. Fabiyi, Abdulmalik and
Tiamiu (2013) had earlier documented this. The respondents argued that inasmuch as they would like to make use of the
Internet and other technological tools in their ministries, this nuisance of erratic power supply is a major hindrance to
them and their church members.
Having Internet access is another major limitation as indicated by fifty (50) respondents (representing 42.73%).
In the recent years, Internet access has grown tremendously in Nigeria and the country is considered to be the largest
population of Internet users in Africa (Okunoye and Ilori, 2016). However, not everybody has access to the Internet as
Odusanya and Adetutu (2020) asserted that ‘the lack of internet access [in the sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria inclusive] is a
recognized barrier to the adoption of information communication technologies (ICTs).’ So, the respondents opined that
Internet ministry could not reach every member of their churches. The fact that everyone does not have the needed
technological tools like computers, Internet-enabled mobile phones and the likes just as twenty-five (25) respondents
(representing 29.25%) specifically indicated makes it impossible for many church members to have access to the Internet.
Even, many people that have these devices find it difficult to have access to the Internet because of the high cost of Internet
access in Nigeria. Tayo, Thompson, and Thompson (2016) had earlier referred to what they tagged ‘Nigerian digital divide’
where there exists an inequality among persons who have Internet access and computers and those who do not because of
the high cost of computers and high-priced Internet access. The World Bank Group (2019) has published a comprehensive
report on this. Forty-five (45) respondents (representing 38.46%) corroborated this in their responses.
The issue of Internet network failure and/or interruption is another drawback of Internet ministry. Forty-seven
(47) respondents (representing 40.17%) identified this. Having access to the Internet is one thing in Nigeria; seamless
access to it is another thing. Closely related to this is slow Internet speed. The issue of Internet network failure and/or
interruption is seen by these respondents as worrisome as they at times felt frustrated with the failure or interruption of
the Internet service when they are using it (especially when it has to do with live streaming and video-related features of
the Internet) in their ministry. Akporhonor and Akpojotor (2016) had earlier identified this in their research on the
challenges confronting postgraduate library and information science student in the use of electronic resources in southern
Nigeria.
Forty-four (44) respondents (representing 37.6%) identified doing communal activities together in a worship
experience as another constraint of Internet ministry. These communal activities include corporate prayer sessions,
singing together, clapping, dancing, saying Amen, shout Hallelujah, and the like. These respondents opined that it is
difficult to experience the joy of worship that comes by communal activities through Internet ministry. They also argued
that the purpose of congregational worship, which is coming together of believers for communal worship experience, is

defeated by online service where each person may be kilometres apart as they worship together. It is difficult (if not
impossible) to do those things mentioned above together in an Internet service.
Thirty-six (36) respondents (representing 30.76%) identified distraction as a disadvantage of Internet ministry.
These respondents argued that there are a lot of features on the devices that people are using to access the Internet that
can distract people when using the Internet for religious purposes. They argued that many people consciously and/or
unconsciously find it difficult to concentrate during online worship experiences. Jacob, Adelaiye and Anah Bijik (2018) had
earlier confirmed this in a research among students.
Low standard of living among the average Nigerians is another limitation to Internet ministry in the country.
Thirty-five (35) respondents (representing 29.9%) identified this. An online source confirmed this by the report that with
‘seven in ten Nigerians live off no more than USD 1.25 per day.... poverty is probably the biggest challenge [in Nigeria]’ (‘A
Practical Guide to The Way of Life in Nigeria’). This low living standard is affecting many people to the extent that they find
it difficult to have a personal computer or Internet-enabled devices not to talk of buying Internet data to access the
Internet as their church pastors were trying to reach them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the respondents
confessed that the low standard of living in the country is affecting them as well in making good use of the Internet in their
ministry.
Internet fraud or cybercrime is a menace that is making Internet ministry difficult in the Nigerian society. Thirty-
three (33) respondents (representing 28.2%) identified this. The rate at which some people are getting involved in
Internet frauds and scams is alarming (Omodunbi, et al, 2016; Suleiman, 2019). This is making many people to be sceptical
of embracing anything that has to do with the Internet. This researcher experienced this scepticism from many people
when he started his Internet ministry almost two decades ago. The situation is not getting better for many people that
want to each out to others through the Internet.
The spread of fake and unverified news is another threat that is giving the Internet bad image in Nigeria (Apuke
and Omar, 2020). Twenty-three (23) respondents (representing 19.66%) corroborated this in their responses. It is
difficult to present good news where fake news is thriving. Some people consider many pastors as peddlers of fake news
because of this menace.
One thing that many people have been battling with since the advent of the Internet is Internet addiction (Wallace,
2014). Addiction to surfing the Internet is simply Internet the overuse or excessive use of Internet that interferes with
daily life. Its symptoms include: undue preoccupation with the Internet, loss of control of time spent on the Internet,
inexplicable sadness or moodiness when not online, dishonesty in regard to Internet use, creation of virtual intimate
relationships with other Internet users, loss of a significant relationship due to Internet use, lack of sleep, and the likes
(Afolaranmi, 2017). Internet addiction can be positive and at the same time negative. Eighteen (18) respondents
(representing 15.4%) pointed this out in their responses.
Another dangerous effect of the use of the Internet is cyber bullying – ‘an act of being mean to others by using
information and communication involving electronic technologies to facilitate deliberate and repeated harassment or
threat to an individual or group which can be done by an individual or group’ (Balogun et al, 2017). While many pastors
expected the Internet to enhance their ministries during the COVID-19 pandemic to ‘keep in touch with family and friends’
(Balogun et al, 2017), many of the people are ending up being cyberbullied. Fifteen (15) respondents (representing 12.8%)
indicated this in their responses.
In the premier paper written out of this research (Afolaranmi, 2020b), it was argued (as discovered from the
research) that some identified aspects of Internet used during the period under consideration were considered very
effective because the Internet is a global platform that enables the pastors to reach more people than their congregations
every day, and that there have been feedbacks that are natural and honestly spontaneous from targeted recipients, even
when the pastors do not at times demand for such feedbacks. These feedbacks come through comments and messages
both on social media and phone calls. In spite of these feedbacks, fourteen (14) respondents (representing 12%) were of
the opinion that following up on the people reached through the Internet is somehow difficult. These respondents argued
that it is in some way easier to do proper follow-up on people reached face to face than people reached through the
Internet. This will be a good subject for further research.
One respondent rhetorically observed, ‘How can I baptize a new convert through the Internet?’ Ten (10) other
respondents (representing 9.4%) shared this sentiment. As good as Internet ministry is, these respondents observed that
it cannot be used to perform some religious activities like baptism that has to be by immersion, marking, sprinkling or
pouring of water on the person baptized (Battle, 2007). Some of the respondents remarked that they have conducted Holy
Communion (or Lord’s Supper) services online. However, how effective this is will be a topic for another research. Other
physical activities that some of these respondents questioned how they could be conducted online are ordination of church
officers, solemnization of holy matrimony, service of confirmation, burial service, and other similar sacrament (or
ordinance) services that require physical presence of the people involved. Schiefelbein-Guerrero (2020) attempted to
address some of these issues in an editorial to a journal.
The rural setting of many parts of the country is another limitation of Internet ministry during the pandemic.
Thirty (30) respondents (representing 25.6%) identified this. Against the backdrop that many rural areas in Nigeria lack
basic social amenities (Johnson and Ifeoma, 2018), having access to the Internet and other technological tools is difficult,
and people in such areas are almost neglected in the Internet evolution of the world. Undoubtedly, this will affect Internet
ministry among such neglected people.
The mind set of some people is another restraint to Internet ministry as indicated by fourteen (14) respondents
(representing 12%). In spite of the fact that the Internet and other information and communication technologies have

emerged in the world for almost five decades and they are evolving every day as they are changing the ways people are
doing things in this technology-driven age, some people have not yet embraced the new technologies and started making
use of them. Some of these people view the Internet and other technological tools as evil and unspiritual. The respondents
wondered how to reach such people through the Internet.
Closely related to the set of people above are the Internet-illiterate or semi-literate people especially among the
older generation. Twenty-five (25) respondents (representing 21.37%) signified this set of people as another constraint to
Internet ministry. Since these people do not know how to use the Internet and some of the other technological tools, it is
difficult to reach them through the Internet.
5.4. Research Limitations, Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Study
The research that this paper is based on originally aimed at exploring the possibility of Internet ministry as an
alternative means of pastoral ministry during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. However, it was discovered that there
are limitations to that possibility. As stated earlier under ‘Targeted Population, Instrument and Procedure for Data
Collection’, this research was limited only to pastors of some selected churches in Nigeria. It did not include other pastors
and church leaders in other churches. The scope of the research does not include other members of the churches. A wider
scope would have included other members of the churches if the objective of the research has been to appraise the
responses of church members to Internet ministry. There are very few documented resources on the subject matter as it is
a relatively new one. This is qualitative research, but time constraint and the advocacy for social/physical distancing and
staying safe could not allow this researcher to have a face-to-face interview with the selected pastors and other church
leaders. However, the research has revealed that Internet ministry has to some extent become an alternative avenue for
pastoral ministry, and there are some constraints to this means. Therefore, these recommendations (some as extracted
from the additional comments given by some of the respondents) are made:
 Among some possible solutions to the problem of erratic power supply given by Fabiyi, Abdulmalik and Tiamiu
(2013) are replacement of aged equipment with new tested and of high quality ones; proper and adequate
maintenance of electrical power equipment, taking of strict and immediate action by anticorruption agencies to
curb the problem of corruption and looting of funds meant for power sector reform, exploring other means of
power generation like solar and nuclear power plants, training and re-training of staff of energy companies,
prompt payment of salary and entitlement of staff of energy companies, formulation of policies and making of
support systems for effective monitoring and regulation of energy companies by the concerned governmental
agencies with proper follow-up, provision of adequate transformers to localities where such are needed to
guard against congestion, and other possible solutions.
 The government and Internet service providers should make Internet access available and cheaper for people.
This will encourage more people to have access to the Internet.
 Internet service providers should upgrade their services and make Internet work more seamlessly.
 Some communal worship experiences may not be possible through Internet ministry; however, this should not
discourage church pastors from exploring the ministry when there is no other means to do pastoral ministry.
 To control distraction, one has to determine to be focused during online worship services or any online
church/spiritual programme by not allowing anything (including on one’s technological tools) to distract one
from the main purpose of being in that service/programme. It means one should be purposeful in the first
instance.
 The government should improve the standard of living of people, not only in the urban settings, but also and
most especially in the rural settings. If this is done, people will be motivated to have Internet-enabled devises,
buy Internet data to access the Internet, and be involved joyfully in Internet ministry.
 The moral values of the society have to be revisited and be promoted. This will to a great extent discourage
Internet fraud and cybercrime.
 The concerned government regulatory bodies should have and enforce rules that will guide against fake and
unverified news. Providers of online social network services and instant messaging services should also put
some measures in place to control the spread of fake and unverified news through their services.
 There are many ways to overcome addictions to the Internet: determining to overcome the addiction, having a
time or scheduling the time of using the Internet, thinking of hobbies that can be engaged in that will take one
away from using the Internet for some time, developing interest in these hobbies and starting doing them,
teaming up with others in doing such hobbies, and if one thinks that one cannot overcome this addiction, one
can talk to people that one knows or thinks can help one to curb the addiction (Afolaranmi, 2017).
 In spite of the fact that a law was enacted in 2015 to combat the social menace of cyber bully (‘CYBERCRIMES
[PROHIBITION, PREVENTION, ETC] ACT, 2015.’), the government should give more sensitization on the adverse
effects of cyber bully in the society. Nwufo, Juliet I. and Mary Basil Nwoke (2018) also gave some
recommendation to curtain the menace.
 Follow up may be difficult in Internet ministry, but this should not discourage people from engaging it. One
should do what can to follow up people that give feedback to one’s activities through the Internet and leave the
rest for the Holy Spirit.
 It is a fact that some physical services like baptism cannot be done online. It is advisable to focus more on what
can be done online rather than letting what cannot be done debar one from making use of the opportunities that
the Internet offers in Christian ministries.

 People should change their negative mind sets about the Internet. They should explore it and discover its beauty
in this technology-driven age.
 Internet literacy should be promoted especially among the older generation.
In conclusion and in the opinion of this researcher who has been an advocate and practitioner of Internet ministry
for almost two decades, Internet ministry can never totally replace other aspects of the ministry that are done physically. It
can only be a supplementary means of ministry. In spite of the many limitations that Internet ministry has in the Nigerian
setting as identified above, the alternative ministry opportunity should be encouraged especially in this contemporary
technology-driven world. For further studies, there are need to study to what extent Internet ministry can be used to
perform some sacraments/ordinances of the church, and to what extent pastors can follow up on the people they are
ministering to through the Internet compared to the people they are ministering to physically.
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