my research

The following was submitted as part of a research grant request:

Summary of Project

In 2004, the Pew Internet Project reported that 64% of the Internet users in the United States have done things online that relate to spiritual or religious matters.[1] In response to this, many Christian ministries have begun working to develop a presence on the World Wide Web. In some cases, these efforts have produced fantastic results, with the ministries of these organizations being increased multifold. However, in many cases, the results have been anything but successful. What makes some organizations more successful than others at implementing their Internet strategy? What are the success factors that have caused these ministries to be successful while others fail?

Over the past few months, I have been meeting with leaders of Christian organizations to discuss how they are utilizing Internet technologies. In all cases, those with whom I have met agree on one thing: the Internet is the greatest communication technology every created by man and the Church is obligated to understand how to use it in the most effective way. With this in mind, I am beginning a research project that has as its overall goal to equip Christian ministries to use Internet technologies. To meet this goal, I am planning to develop a two-part research project, as follows:

Part I: Understand how the Internet is currently being used by Christian organizations.This would include understanding the successes and failures encountered by organizations. How is success defined? What does each organization see as their goal or mission in using the Internet, and is that tied to the goal or mission of the organization itself? This will be completed through surveys and followed up with more in-depth, qualitative research as necessary. This could be published as a paper in itself. To make it more generalizable, this project may encompass all faith-based organizations.

Part II: Develop an Internet implementation methodology aimed specifically at Christian (or faith-based) organizations. Data will be drawn from the surveys in part I, ongoing case studies of successful Internet implementations, and previous research. In addition to developing a methodology for Christian organizations to use in understanding how to develop their own Internet resources for effective ministry, this study will also work to understand when it would be appropriate to engage the world in existing Internet spaces. For example: should a church build their own online social networking site, or should they instead create an effort to integrate into MySpace or Facebook? Final result will most likely become a book or series of papers. It is also possible that this may result in a seminar or conference presentation.

 

 

Previous Research

Several groups have studied how the Internet has affected faith-based organizations, but no research has been done on the effectiveness of the implementations or on the success factors they had in common. Some of the existing research that can be drawn upon as a basis for this study include:

 

• Pew Internet and American Life Project: this project began in 2000 as a way to track how the use of the Internet is affecting American society. Since its inception, three reports have been developed which are applicable to this research:
  • Wired Churches, Wired Temples (2000): a report documenting how churches and synagogues in the United States are using the Internet. This particular project is the most similar to what I am trying to do in part I above. However, two key flaws keep me from using its results: first, the sample data was taken only from faith-based congregations that already had web sites, skewing the results; and second, the data is now quite old. However, the research study could provide a good basis for developing the questions for my own survey research.
  • Faith Online (2004): this report details how Americans are using the Internet for religious or spiritual matters. This study breaks down who is using the Internet for religious purposes and for what purposes they are using it. This data is relatively recent and can be used as a good basis for understanding the need for a dyanamic presence on the Internet.
  • Cyberfaith (2001): an earlier report that focused on how the Internet was being used for religious matters.
• Ellison Research church Internet study: released in 2005, this study surveyed protestant ministers to determine how they were using the Internet both personally and at their church. This study also asked for the purposes of using technology (such as connecting with missionaries). This study is limited in that it focused on Protestant churches only, leaving out other ministry organizations.
• The Barna Group has released several studies on the influence of the Internet on the faith of Americans and on churches. In a study done in 2001, it was predicted that by 2010, virtually every dimension of the faith community will be influenced by online faith developments.
• In her book, Online Communities: Designing Usability and Supporting Sociability (2000), Jenny Preece presents the “community centered design” methodology for designing and developing online communities. This methodology can be used as one of the foundations upon which a new methodology can be developed.
• My own dissertation, completed in 2006, looks at the implementation of an online social networking site at Biola during the spring of 2005. The research examined the effects that the web site had on the community of commuter students at Biola University and on the success factors that went into the design and implementation of the site.

Timetable

I have already begun this project informally by conducting interviews with key technology leaders at several churches and missions organizations. These interviews have allowed me to begin to understand the issues that these organizations have faced when implementing Internet technology and to understand their future directions. I have developed a relationship with some of these people and will continue to work with them as part of this research.

 

A high-level timetable for this project is as follows:

 

Spring/Summer 2007:

· Continue informal interviews with technology leaders in Christian ministry.

· Develop survey instrument.

· Validate survey instrument by sending out to small sample.

· Obtain addresses of organizations for survey.

 

Fall 2007

· Continue informal interviews with technology leaders in Christian ministry.

· Administer surveys.

 

Winter 2007/2008

· Analyze data.

· Write up results from surveys and submit to journals.

 

Spring 2008

· Develop common success factors

· Discuss/validate results with key technology leaders

· Develop paper for submission to journals.

· Develop book proposal and submit to publishers.

Professional Goals

I feel that the Lord has called me to research in this area. Through an extraordinary series of events, He has placed me here at Biola University where such research is possible. I have recently (2006) completed my degree in Information Systems and Technology from Claremont Graduate University, where my dissertation was in a closely related field (design and effects of online social networking systems). This dissertation project included the development and administration of surveys and the analysis of the success of a systems implementation methodology. Finally, the Lord has placed me in a position of leadership at my own church where I can see the effects of the decisions surrounding Internet use by churches firsthand.

 

I have several professional goals related to this area. Two of my primary research interests are the study of the effects of technology on society and the design of systems. This project fits well with these interests. I also hope to raise the profile of the Crowell School of Business as a place where research into the use of the Internet by organizations (both nonprofit and for-profit).

 

I also see the outcome of this research providing the basis for a course on “Effective Internet Ministry”. This course could be taught as an elective for Business, Computer Science, and other interested students, possibly in conjunction with Talbot or the School of Intercultural Studies.

 

Integration

Biola’s vision is to “be an exemplary Christian university characterized as a community of grace that promotes and inspires personal life transformation in Christ.” This study focuses on how that community can be built and communicated through the use of tools such as information technology.

 

I teach the information systems courses in the Crowell School of Business, and many of my classes touch on the topics in this research. My BUSN 220 Management Information Systems course has a module called “IT and Society” where one particular class discussion focuses on how faith and technology interrelate. This research project will provide me with more in-depth understanding of the implications of the use of the Internet by organizations.

 

Presentation Plan

Upon completion, I expect to communicate my findings in one or more of the following ways:

• Submitting a paper to an academic journal, such as The Information Society, for publication.
• Submitting a paper to a mainstream magazine, such as Christianity Today.
• Presenting a paper at an academic conference in the field of computers and society.
• Presenting at a conference held for church technology.
• Presenting my findings at a faculty research forum.

 

---

[1] Faith Online, Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2004.