ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
The study was aimed at determining the knowledge and utilisation of information and communication technology among pastors in the Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population consists of ordained ministers serving from selected zones and districts of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria. The estimated population across the selected zones was approximately 2,500 pastors. A combination of stratified random sampling and purposive sampling was used to select the sample for the study. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha, ensuring a reliability coefficient of at least 0.70. Data were analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and with descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, and standard deviation) for research questions and inferential statistics (chi-square tests and regression analysis) for testing the hypotheses. Findings revealed that respondents were generally knowledgeable in the use of seven categories of ICT tools in the study, and ICT is most frequently applied for communication with congregants (M = 4.32, SD = 0.89), which recorded the highest mean score, and also there is reliance on ICT platforms such as social media, mobile phones, and instant messaging for interaction and pastoral care. Based on the findings, the study recommended that church leadership, in collaboration with stakeholders, should invest in affordable and reliable internet services, computers, and multimedia equipment to support ICT usage; regular ICT workshops and seminars should be organised for pastors to enhance their skills, particularly in specialised areas such as church management software, multimedia, and digital security; and theological seminaries and churches should gradually adopt CMS platforms to improve record-keeping, financial transactions, and overall administration. This will enhance transparency and efficiency.
Keywords: Knowledge, Utilization, Information, Communication, Technology