African American Studies Commons^™

The Black Church: Using Social Capital To Reach The Unchurched And Community, Teresa Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPrevious studies on the Black Church have focused on its history as an institutional hub, its ability to generate social capital, the decline in its membership, as well as the connection between attendance and associational life. However, it is unknown how the Black Church is using its social capital to re-engage inactive members and remain connected to the community. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how Black Churches in West Palm Beach, Florida are using their social capital to re-engage unchurched members, as well as engage their community. Robert Putnam’s social capital theory was used to …