EVERY SUNDAY morning, worshippers sit on the wooden pews of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Accra, Ghana, with their heads bowed and their faces glowing—lit up by their smartphone screens. As the minister preaches the Holy Scriptures, members of the congregation stare at their devices, choosing to read along with the Bible verses on an app rather than on paper.
It is one of several ways that technology is beginning to infiltrate this church and thousands of others around Ghana. Many church leaders no longer see phones as a disrespectful distraction during a service—the devices are simply another conduit through which pastors can deliver the word of God.
In September, the Ebenezer Baptist Church joined thousands of others in Ghana by adopting Asoriba, a digital platform offering “spiritual nourishment” through a user’s smartphone. Formed in 2014 by four Ghanaian Christians, Asoriba—meaning “churchgoer” in Twi, a local language—is an app that acts as both an administrative tool and a platform to help church officials connect with their congregations.