Developing a Mobile-Based ICT Framework to Enhance Digital Ministry in a Resource-Constrained Church

Authors

Nsikelelo Kumalo, Independent Institute of Education Emeris, South Africa

Victor Faniran, Independent Institute of Education Emeris, South Africa

Published in

IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings

ISSN: 2576-8581

ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.SXUD3279

Publisher

IST-Africa Institute and IIMC International Information Management Corporation Ltd

Published in Ireland

Abstract

Religious institutions in developing contexts confront substantial barriers to digital technology adoption, characterized by infrastructural limitations, digital literacy gaps, and theological reservations. This investigation examines declining engagement and inefficient service delivery at the Pinetown Methodist Church (PMC), stemming from an absent coherent digital strategy. Through a qualitative instrumental case study incorporating concurrent semi-structured interviews and application feedback sessions with 14 participants across four generational groups, analysis revealed six constitutive elements for a digital ministry framework: Perceived Spiritual Usefulness, Ease of Spiritual Integration, Trust and Data Security, Ministry Effectiveness, Generational and Theological Fit, and User-Driven Recommendations. The study's principal contribution is a validated, integrated framework establishing that digital tools require spiritual resonance, ethical robustness and generational inclusivity for efficacy. This research proposes a scalable model for analogous resource-constrained faith communities, anticipating impacts including revitalized engagement and optimized ministerial operations.

Keywords

Digital Ministry, ICT Framework, Mobile Application, Technology Adoption, Resource-Constrained Contexts, Hybrid Church

Cite this paper

N. Kumalo and V. Faniran (2026) "Developing a Mobile-Based ICT Framework to Enhance Digital Ministry in a Resource-Constrained Church", IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings, Miriam Cunningham and Paul Cunningham (Eds), IST-Africa Institute and IIMC, 2026, ISSN: 2576-8581, ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2, https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.SXUD3279

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