No abstract

Considering that a great many new media users can be gratified by contents other than religious messages on the Internet, one wonders how evangelism will fare in this era of the new media. Besides evangelism, the new media are used for education, information, socialization and entertainment. However, churches which are ignorant of the potency of online evangelism are believed to be missing out on what is supposed to help them broaden the frontiers of fulfilling The Great Commission. This position paper which is an offshoot of a rigorous empirical study is, therefore, done to examine the practice of online evangelism by evangelical churches in Port Harcourt. Investigation shows, among other things, that the social media are veritable instruments in sustaining old members and wooing new ones. The study concluded that the churches that use the social media platforms are up-to-date; the social media used in evangelism are perceived as attractive and satisfactory; but that the cost of maintaining the new media workability is prohibitive. It was then recommended that despite the unethical and immoral posts that can be found online, the new media should not be avoided because of its potency in fostering bonds among old church members and evangelizing prospective ones.

The concept of culture consists of the values the members of a given group hold, the norms they follow, and the material goods they create. This refers to the way of life of the individual members or groups within a society, how they dress, their religious ceremonies, and leisure pursuits (Adesoji, 2005). It also includes their rules of behaviour, language, rituals, arts and economic systems. So, culture is the totality of the way of life of a people through which they associate and relate with their environment. Kanagy and Kraybill (1999) cited in Adesoji (2005) describe culture as a set of tangible and intangible things like diet, tools, technology and values that give shape and meaning to the everyday life of a particular group of people. Culture is usually established from enlightenment, acquired through education, observation and exposure to an environment. A nation or continent whose cultural values (the basis of its tourist attraction for economic viability) gradually sink into the sand of extinction, will soon cease to enjoy universal respect, admiration, uniqueness and identity (http://ifawoodlandpark.com/the-need-for-reawakening). Apparently, this is the plight of the African nations. African children no longer appreciate whatever defines African states as independent states that were fought for (spilling tears and blood) in order that the names should be engraved or stenciled on the mental sheet of succeeding generations. Instead, and regrettably too, they feel more comfortable and find it more convenient to identify with the West in all ramifications including colour, tongue and other racial factors. For instance, African youths' irresistible passion for foreign games such as European football, etc, is quite alarming, a behaviour that seriously threatens Africa's cultural or traditional games. It is disheartening that right before their parents and mentors, African children and youths drift away from the path of their birth to that of slavery and enslavement. At the 8th Annual Forum of Laureates of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM), the Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mr Mike Omeri, in a paper entitled "Traditional African Culture and Issues of Corruption", said the ongoing anti-corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari was a call to cultural reawakening. According to Mr. Omeri, to successfully address the problem of corruption in Nigeria, a programme of cultural reawakening was imperative. Cultural awakening refers to the shaping or modelling of peoples' consciousness and