This study will investigate the impact of online social networks for church members on those members’ levels of engagement in the life of the church. Specifically, we hope to determine how and whether social networks for the church, including online calendars, discussion boards, and the like, might contribute to behaviors such as greater involvement in church activities including worship, small groups, and volunteer leadership roles. Additionally, we will examine whether use of such tools also contributes to higher levels of giving, either to specific requests or to the routine fund raising of the church. Research hypotheses and a research methodology are proposed, along with directions for future research.

Tags: church, social network