A Phenomenological Study of the High-Tech, High-Touch Pastor: Maximizing Personal Ministry in a Digital Age

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore how high-tech, high-touch senior pastors who practice servant leadership establish and maintain personal contact with their church members and lead them using digital technology. This research was particularly relevant in an era of social distancing required by the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework for this study was Greenleaf\u27s servant leadership theory. Ten experienced pastors were interviewed to determine how they balanced the impersonal nature of streaming worship services while maintaining personal contact with their congregations. These interviews were transcribed, and important themes were identified to determine best practices for using technology while maintaining high levels of personal contact and individual attention. The objective was to gain more insight into the senior pastor taxonomy of rapidly expanding churches and to understand how to use technology to communicate with their congregation in the digital era through high-tech, high-touch ministry. Social scientists assert that the best setting for human growth and development is one that encourages social connection with other developing individuals (Lowe & Lowe, 2018). The study\u27s results may be helpful to pastors who want to use technology to minister to their flock and keep in touch with them personally. Pastors perceive that technology has allowed them to maintain relational connections with their congregation despite physical distance. They acknowledged technology limitations and the importance of in-person interactions and community development. Advantages include greater accessibility and efficiency. Disadvantages include the potential for shallow relationships. Pastors perceive in-person, face-to-face connections as crucial for spiritual connection and understanding

A Phenomenological Study of Church Growth Strategies Used by Pastors of Digital Churches during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the digital church growth methods that pastors of digital churches in the United States used to increase church attendance during the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic. For the purpose of this study, pastors of digital/online churches were studied. Since the 1950s, the church growth strategy for many Christian churches has been to attract as many people as possible for in-person worship services. However, in-person church attendance has declined consistently for the past 20 years. The shutdowns of churches worldwide during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic amplified this trend. The only option available to attend church and connect with other people of faith during the pandemic was through digital and social media platforms, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Although life has shifted globally to the post-COVID-19 era, in-person church attendance has remained relatively low. Adding a digital strategy can be a resourceful option to help increase church growth in attendance, financially, and in discipleship. After all, there are nearly eight billion people worldwide; according to research, more than four billion are on social media and digital platforms for up to four hours a day, seven days a week

Engaging Diverse Audiences: The Role of Community Radio in Rural Climate Change Knowledge Translation

Community radio is an important form of knowledge dissemination, especially in rural areas where it can create opportunities for a geographically spread-out audience to engage in local debates. Through this article, we reflect on the community-building function of radio and consider how it can be mobilized to support climate change knowledge transfer in rural communities. Our reflections draw on the use of community radio during the Gros Morne Climate Change Symposium, an event that brought together researchers, practitioners, and community members to discuss coastal climate change adaptation in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We consider the history of radio in Canada, its role in rural communities, and review experiences with radio-focused knowledge dissemination in other locations to frame our own discussion of the topic. Through reflection, each of the co-authors highlights their understanding of the role of community radio at the symposium and argue for the continuing relevance of radio in an era when digital communications are more common. We conclude by arguing that community radio can strengthen place-based identities by creating a distinct forum for engagement and is therefore an important tool for climate change knowledge transfer

An Examination of Ministry Essentials for the 21 Century Post Pandemic African American Urban Church

It is the goal of this research to explore the needs of the urban African American church in the post-pandemic era, and the adjustments it can make to remain a thriving, relevant entity within the culture. This body of work is designed to examine and explore how the African American church can pivot on a massive scale in this era. To pivot means to change course and/or direction. It refers to turning the body from one position or orientation to another. The church is referred to as the body of Christ in scripture, a body that may benefit by shifting course. The adjustments suggested herein can affect the church’s ability to continue to be an influential voice within its communities and the society at large, considering the long-term impact of the pandemic as well as societal trends that have affected the strength and position of African American-led houses of worship. There are nuances that affect areas of the United States outside of what is known as the Bible Belt—specifically the Midwest and East Coast—that may possibly make pastoring even more challenging. The primary objective of this dissertation is to create a manual for churches within the African American urban context to provide guidance and suggested best practices in leading their congregations in the post-COVID era. It will explore key essentials that the African American Urban Church may need to address going forward in this age, to not only survive, but also to thrive. While it is not possible to declare with certainty that every church who uses this manual will benefit, it is appropriate to assert that the manual can aid in equipping the church to maneuver in this period

“Nobody’s More Country”: Identity in Country-Rap Crossover Music

Country and hip-hop music often are positioned as opposites, creating and reinforcing distinct identities that may oppose each other. Yet, there are several underlying narratives of identity that are similar between the two genres. This project examines the mutual constitution of country and hip-hop through the lens of country-rap crossover music, focusing on the American identities that come together with the crossing over of music genres and the development of identities that lie beyond the bounds of the individual genres. It considers how the interactions between such identities within music mirror contemporary societal discourse on social issues including race, gender, sexuality, and class. In this way, country-rap crossover has the capacity to promote understanding across differences. Crossover can be about reconciling what it means to be American, the music attempting to resolve the ambiguities and contradictions between rural and urban American identities. Country-rap and crossover broadly lend themselves to this purpose as dialogues between identity groups occur within it and are intrinsic to it. This thesis offers a critical analysis of such conversations through close readings of country-rap crossover songs like “Old Town Road” (2019), “My Truck” (2020), and “Nobody’s More Country” (2021)

Civic production in live-streaming mobile video

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Comparative Media Studies, 2010.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-125).The ubiquity of camera phones, coupled with the increasing mobility of citizens and the rise of digital production as an embedded technosocial practice, is creating incentives for many people around the globe to engage in media creation. Mobile phone users are beginning to explore personal broadcasting through live-streaming video, but little is known about the type of content being produced or how much of that content has civic or community value. At this technological and cultural moment, there is an opportunity to learn not only what is being created, but also how the medium can be embraced as a means of civic participation. This thesis analyzes overall production trends through a content analysis of 1,000 mobile videos on Qik.com, and goes on to investigate the motives and practices behind the production of civic content specifically. Looking at live-streaming mobile video production as a social practice through the lens of civic engagement, it analyzes how and why people are beginning to use this medium to become active citizens for the sake of educating or inspiring others. Research includes mobile production by general users but focuses more narrowly on those who self-identify as activists, journalists, educators and community leaders.by Audubon McKeown Dougherty.S.M

The New Digital Media: Opportunities for Church Sound Recording, Songwriting, and Music Publishing

The new digital media, particularly streaming music, has made the original record industry model antiquated. Now it is possible for independent artists to be their own label and publisher and through streaming platforms, have a national or global reach. This new model also applies to churches with some church leaders considering beginning a songwriting ministry and producing original worship music, Church record labels are not new; in fact, there is precedent for this extending back to the Jesus Movement of the late sixties. Although research and literature covering changes in the old music paradigm and new opportunities are plentiful, there is little written about the feasibility of non-megachurches becoming independent labels. The purpose of this study is to compile and aggregate research from various literary sources and present them in such a way that medium-sized churches can make an informed decision about starting a music label or employ strategies for success if they already do. The data collected will be from books, periodicals, dissertations, and articles written within the past five years and it will cover such things as the current state of the music industry, the nature of digital streaming as it applies to distribution and music publishing, the history of church music labels, the theology of songwriting, and the practical implementation of a songwriting and production ministry. The research approach will be qualitative because there is a need for more exploration of the question. The information presented is intended to benefit medium-sized churches considering a songwriting ministry

Media of the people: broadcasting community media in Australia

Provides an overview of Australia\u27s community media sector, looking at its origins and composition and the problems it faces in light of the tasks it performs and the lack of resources available to it to deliver a media which is ‘of the people’ in terms of aims, objectives and production. Introduction The term community media refers to radio, television and print services. Any or all of those forms of community media tend to emerge when communities are denied a voice for their views. In many countries they have provided a rallying point for protest and demands for rights. In post-apartheid South Africa, for example, community radio stations have emerged in an attempt to promote democracy as well as freedom of expression and diversity of broadcast content and ownership previously been denied in that country. It would be drawing a long bow to equate the situation which led to the establishment of community radio in South Africa with that of Australia. Nevertheless it is possible to consider that the Australian community broadcasting sector, which emerged in the 1970s, represented the demands of groups who felt that they were denied the opportunity to express their opinions or listen to alternative sources of entertainment. These groups ranged from those who felt marginalised to those who were beginning to feel that traditional media sources were not acting in the interests of the people. They even included groups who just wanted to hear music that was different from that broadcast on commercial stations. In seeking to deliver such alternatives, broadcast community media has done much to enhance Australian cultural diversity. It does much also to furnish ordinary Australians with an opportunity to contribute to debate on social and political issues. Indeed, researcher Michael Meadows and his colleagues argue that community broadcasting in Australia empowers audiences ‘to re-engage in the processes of democracy at the grass roots’ level creating social coherence through diversity’. Community broadcasting can be seen therefore as an alternative medium to public service and commercial media. As such, it occupies ‘an important space in citizen participation’ and is an important, though neglected, media sector. This paper provides an overview of the sector, looking at its origins and composition and the problems it faces in light of the tasks it performs and the lack of resources available to it to deliver a media which is ‘of the people’ in terms of aims, objectives and production

“Americanized” Worship in Brazilian Churches

Motivated by the marketability of high-profile artists and bands, Christian churches worldwide may see the inclusion of profit-driven worship songs as a recruiting tool for their communities. This process of globalization or Americanization around the world, propagated by mass media, is yet to be thoroughly investigated. This trend is likely decreasing the use of indigenous styles in Christian worship. The primary purpose of this current study is to produce scientific data suggesting that “Americanized” worship is a trend in Brazil and is affecting the production of indigenous worship repertoire. An online questionnaire was developed and applied to Brazilian worship leaders. 68% of the participants (n=106) reported a high percentage of translated worship repertoire, and only 1% reported no use of translated songs in their worship repertoire. 61.9% of the participants said that Americanized worship discourages the production of original indigenous worship songs in their communities. Social media websites (42.3%) and streaming platforms (33%) are the primary sources for new worship songs. The results suggest that Americanized worship is widespread in Brazilian churches. The participants indicated that “Americanized” worship negatively affects the production of indigenous worship and that mass media is a factor in this process. Future research may develop studies applying the same methodology in multiple non-English speaking countries to assess if “Americanized” worship is a global trend