LUTHERAN CHURCHES ON THE INTERNET QUESTIONNAIRE

This questionnaire was used for the worldwide survey among Lutheran churches on the Internet in Februar 1997.

Dear participant!

Thank you for using a few minutes to answer this questionnaire! Just click on the right boxes', fill in a short comment on the other' alternative if you want/have to, click on the Submit' button at the end, and you're done!

The questionnaire will be used for a doctoral dissertation project at Fuller Theological Seminary, School of World Mission. All the answers will be kept anonymous. My hope is that this electronic questionnaire can help you to think through your Internet ministry, and also provide important information that will help other churches not yet on the Internet to see the new opportunities a home page can provide for their ministry.

Good luck - and thanks again!

Rev. Arne H. Fjeldstad

PS: If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to get back to me by e-mail.

1. When was the Internet site established?
1994 or earlier 1995 1996 1997

2. The Internet site was established by:
The local church
The regional/national church/denomination
An independent (personal) initiative
Other (please explain)

3. The purposes/visions for the Internet site are: (check one or more appropriate answers)
To serve a need for communication within the local church
To serve a need for communication for a regional/national church/denomination
To invite people to join the local church
To present the gospel to people visiting the Internet site
To inform the local community about the church
To promote distribution or sale of cassettes, books or videos
To give visitors an opportunity to communicate about faith and life, share personal struggles, etc.
To give visitors an opportunity for worship and quiet time
To give visitors an opportunity for pastoral counseling
To offer education on various spiritual issues
To interact with missionaries and others from your church/denomination/ministry
To give visitors an opportunity for theological debate
To give visitors an opportunity for ethical conversation
Other (please explain)

4. How many sub-pages are there on your Internet site?
Less than 5
5 - 25
26 - 50
51 - 100
101 - 250
More than 250
I don't know

5. How many hits have there been since you started the Internet site?
Less than 250
251 - 1000
1001 - 2500
2501 - 5000
5001 - 10.000
10.001 - 50.000
50.001 - 100.000
More than 100.000
I don't know

6. How many hits have there been to the Internet site the last full month?
Less than 50
51 - 100
101 - 250
251 - 500
501 - 1000
More than 1000
I don't know

7. Compared with previous months, have the number of hits
Slightly increased?
Substantially increased?
Slightly decreased?
Substantially decreased?
About the same level?
I don't know

8. If you have a guest book or provide an opportunity to respond via e-mail: How many responses (in the guest book or by e-mail) did you receive last full month?
None
Less than 5
5 - 10
11 - 25
26 - 50
51 - 100
101 - 500
More than 500
I don't know

9. Are you currently using one or more of the following media tools in connection with the Internet site? (check one or more appropriate answers)
E-mail to the webmaster
E-mail to the pastor
IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
Audio
Video
Slide presentation
Net telephone
Search engine
Other (please explain)

10. Are you currently using the Internet site to promote distribution or sale of one or more of the following alternatives: (check one or more appropriate answers)
Pastor's sermons
Tracts or leaflet for evangelism
Books
Music cassettes/CDs
Sermons, messages etc. on cassette
Video
Other (please explain)

11. During the last full month, how many requests or orders for material/books/video's did you receive?
Not applicable
I did not receive any
Less than 5
5 - 25
26 - 50
51 - 100
101 - 250
251 - 500
More than 500

12. Who established your Internet site?
A professional company
One or more volunteers
The pastor or other paid member(s) of the staff
Other (please explain)

13. Who maintains and updates your Internet site?
A professional company
One or more volunteers
The pastor or other paid member(s) of the staff
Other (please explain)

14. How often are one or more of the pages at the Internet site updated or new pages added?
Once a day
Twice (or more) during a week
Once a week
Once every two weeks
Once a month
Less than once a month
I don't know

15. How many people are involved in maintaining your Internet site
One person Two persons Three or more persons

16. How do you currently cover the expenses to maintain your Internet site? (check one or more appropriate answers)
By private funding
By book/video/CD/cassette sale from the Internet site
From church/ministry funds
By special offerings in church/ministry
Other (please explain)

17. How much money are you currently using to maintain the Internet site? (Salary expenses etc. included)
Nothing -- the server space is free and volunteers are doing the work
Less than 200 dollar a year
200 - 500 dollar a year
500 - 1000 dollar a year
1000 - 2500 dollar a year
2500 - 5000 dollar a year
5000 - 10.000 dollar a year
More than 10.000 dollar a year
I don't know

18. How do you respond to people asking for literature or other contact via your Internet site? (check one or more appropriate answers)
Via e-mail
Via (snail) mail
Via telephone
By personal visit
Other (please explain)

19. How many prayer requests do you receive via your Internet site during a month?
I have not received any
Less than 5
5 - 25
26 - 50
51 - 100
More than 101

20. How many responses did you receive via your Internet site last year from people living more than 30 km/20 miles away?
I have not received any
Less than 5
5 - 25
26 - 5 0
51 - 100
More than 101

21. How did you respond to people who wanted to hear more about the gospel or become involved with a Christian fellowship? (check one or more appropriate answers)
I referred them to a church/pastor in their own area
I gave them names and addresses of two or more churches/pastors in their own area
I referred them to a local chapter of a parachurch organization
I gave no particular advice
I have counseled them myself for a significant period
Other (please explain)

22. According to your experience from the responses you have received, were the people responding:
mostly Christian approx. 50/50 mostly non-Christian I don't know

23. In what ways have the Internet site contributed to your church or ministry? (check one or more appropriate answers)
It has not had any visible impact on my ministry
It has made more people aware of the church or ministry
It has encouraged more people to participate in church or ministry activities
It has generally increased the number of participants in church or ministry activities
It has been an effective tool to present the gospel to more people
It has given an opportunity for worship and quiet time
It has contributed in leading one or more people to Christ
It has been a tool for education on various spiritual issues
It has been a tool to train new leaders in church or ministry
It has been a tool to raise support for the church or ministry
It has given opportunities for pastoral counseling
It has given opportunities for sharing personal struggles, doubt, losses, grief, etc.
It has given opportunities for ethical conversation and/or discussion
It has given new opportunities for contact or interaction with overseas missionaries from our church/denomination or ministry
It has given new opportunities for connecting with other people who share the same interest
Other (please explain)

24. If you are not using one or more of the following choises, which one's do you plan to implement at the Internet site during the next 12 months? (check one or more appropriate answers)
E-mail to the webmaster
E-mail to the pastor
IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
Audio
Video
Slide presentation
Net telephone
Search engine
Other (please explain)

25. Considering your Internet site three years ahead: What will be your three main purposes/vision for the Internet site: (select no more than three answers)
To serve a need for communication within the local church
To serve a need for communication for a regional/national church/denomination
To invite people to join the local church
To inform the local community about the church
To promote distribution or sale of cassettes, books or videos
To give an opportunity to communicate about faith and life, share personal struggles, etc.
To present the gospel to people visiting the Internet site
To give an opportunity for worship and quiet time
To offer education on various spiritual issues
To train new leaders in church or ministry
To raise support for the church or ministry
To give visitors an opportunity for pastoral counseling
To interact with missionaries and others from your church/denomination/ministry
Other (please explain)

26. Would you welcome initiatives on the Internet that: (check one or more appropriate answers)
Provide teaching, nurture and support for private spirituality
Provide opportunities for private worship
Provide a liturgy for taking the sacraments
Provide a listing of service projects for community service to human need
Offering a menu of ministries/organizations/churches for making financial gifts
Other (please explain)

27. A few words about yourself:
Male Female

28. Your age is:
< 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
51 - 60
60 >

29. Your position
Pastor
Paid staffmember other than pastor
Volunteer webmaster
Other

30. You live in
United States of America or Canada
Latin America
Europe
Africa
Asia
Australia

Arne H. Fjeldstad 1997

1