Digital Commons Network^™

Connections: Some Implications Of Informal Communication Networks For Congregational Nurture, David B. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An integral part of the dynamics of congregational development is the quest for deeper, maturer spiritual life. The biblical image of the church as a body conveys the "oughtness" of such progress, growth being the sure sign of the presence of life. A persistent question exists concerning the "how'' of promoting that search. The thesis of this project is that the discovery and diagramming of informal t communication networks within a church provides an effective avenue through which to nurture the spiritual life of the members. These naturally occurring links between congregants carry less resistance than do formal channels of …