2000
John E. Midwood
Toward a New Paradigm for Inner City Churches
Seven principles toward a distinct new paradigm for inner city congregations are proposed. The thesis chronicles the creation of a dominant congregational paradigm resulting from the suburban expansion of the Protestant denominations in the first half of the twentieth century. Twenty-five years (1970-1995) of diocesan urban mission strategy development and the stories of four inner city congregations are narrated. Analysis of the narratives highlights the difficulties of using the dominant congregational paradigm to define and evaluate inner city congregations. The new paradigm includes a partnership between the diocese and inner city congregations and contrasts the mission of inner city and suburban congregations.