The Wired Pastor

by John C. LaRue, Jr.

Nine of ten pastors have a personal computer at home or church, according to a recent study among Your Church readers. The study also reveals how personal computers are playing an integral part in pastors' lives.

Computer Junkies
The typical pastor with a computer spends 15 hours a week, from one-seventh to one-eighth of his total waking hours, on that computer. Most of this time is spent preparing sermons or lessons. The pastor spends three hours each week using Bible software.

When pastors were asked what type of software they use to prepare Bible lessons or sermons, their response was: word-processing software (59 percent), followed by Bible software (46 percent). Two of every ten pastors with a computer go online to use Internet resources, and one-tenth use software designed specifically for sermon preparation.

Hardware Facts
Having more than one personal computer is becoming as common as having more than one television set. An amazing four of ten pastors with computers have more than one computer in their homes. As pastors spend more time on the computer, so do their families. The abundance of computers in the home has made it possible for the majority of a pastor's family members to be active computer users.

Windows is clearly the dominant operating system for pastors, just as it is for Americans in general. Eight of ten pastors (78%) own a PC with the Windows 95 or 98 operating system. Three of ten own a PC operating under Windows 3.1 or older. Only 10 percent of the computers used by pastors are Macintoshes.

Pastors with computers spend an average of $1,100-plus on them per year. Most of this is spent on new computer hardware ($811). Software purchases total $260 a year. Another $79 goes toward computer-related books.

The two peripherals that pastors are most likely to own are a printer (73%) and a modem (67%). Most pastors own word-processing software (74%) and Bible software (59%). See Chart 1 for a complete listing of ownership of peripheral equipment and software.

CHART 1: Peripheral and Software Ownership

Net Connections
Most pastors with computers have Internet access. Six of ten subscribe to an Internet online service. Connected pastors spend an average of 6.7 hours a week online.

CHART 2: Internet Online Service Used

America Online (AOL) is, by far, the Internet service of choice for online pastors (see Chart 2). One-third of all pastors with a computer, and 57 percent of all pastors on the Internet, are AOL members.

The next closest provider is CompuServe, with 11 percent (also owned by AOL). No other single service has more than 4 percent of the wired pastor audience.

The Study
The surveys for this study were mailed in June 1998. A total of 495 surveys were mailed and 106 were returned, for a response rate of 21 percent. With a sample this size, results are considered accurate to within plus or minus 9 percentage points.

John C. LaRue, Jr., is vice president of research and development for Christianity Today International, in Carol Stream, Illinois. He may be reached by e-mail at yceditor@yourchurch.net. Previous Special Reports can be found online at AOL keyword YC or on the Web at http://www.ChristianityToday.com/cbg/features/report.html.

Copyright © 1999 by the author or Christianity Today International/Your Church Magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail yceditor@yourchurch.net.
May/June 1999, Vol.45, No. 2, Page 80