LITERACY MINISTRY IN A DIGITAL WORLD By Adebayo Ola Afolaranmi (Pastor) Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. It involves a range of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society. Literacy ministry evolves out of the need to enable people that are not literate to be able to read the Scriptures and use it to communicate the Gospel to other people. The ministry is part of the Great Commission given by God to go to the whole world and make disciples of all nations. As the initial disciples of Jesus Christ and other faithful Christians have carried out this assignment in various ways in the time past, Christians that want to reach others need to adjust to their present world to be able to effectively do this. Presently, the Lord has graciously blessed the world with the on-going invention of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and especially the Internet that has turned the world to global village with more connection in transmitting information at almost instantaneous speed thereby giving Christians the great opportunity of fulfilling the Great Commission. In fact, the world has become a digital world. Digital technology is a powerful tool for the Christian ministry in general and literacy ministry in particular. Using digital technology has been helping the evangelizing of the world because most people have access to the Internet all over the world. Literacy ministry must comply with this new trend because the trend will enhance the ministry in many ways. Specifically, the digital world helps literacy in enabling the beneficiaries as citizens of the global community to think critically and creatively about information and about communication. The digital world enhances literacy generally and literacy ministry in particular in many ways. Some of these ways are highlighted below: Firstly, the digital world especially the ICT enhances learning. This can be used as a tool for acquisition of literacy skills. For instance, apart from radio, technological tools like television, video, video-compact-disc (VCD) and digital video disc (DVD) can provide words, images, movement and animation in combination with audio. This combination can facilitate reading comprehension and accelerate literacy learning. These forms of ICT can also be entertaining and thereby motivate the target audience to watch and learn. Television and other audio-visual media can also provide a means by which to stimulate discussion and critical thinking. Furthermore, the use of computers in literacy education can enhance the uptake of literacy skills for a number of reasons. For example, since computers are able to provide users with immediate feedback, learners of literacy can proceed more quickly and effectively than otherwise. Using computer programs, the learner’s needs and interests can be met. Learners can work independently, flexibly, and at their own pace, developing both oral and aural skills at the same time as learning to read. Learning about the Gospel and applying its teaching become easier with the use of these technological tools.