I came across an interesting read on demographic studies from an urban researcher. It was some really good stuff. What was most interesting is that he talked about each striation of a cities suburbs. Often times when we think of suburbs we kinda lump all of them together with such broad brush strokes that when we apply a typical church planting model / strategy to a suburban context and it doesn’t work we scratch our heads and wonder why.
The focus of his chapter was on creating city-wide strategies so he gave a quick run-down on the burbs. As I read it I went, “Duh” because it was so obvious yet I myself never thought of it that way. He broke down the suburbs into several categories:
- The Young Developing Suburb – These are still in the process of subdivision and construction. The populations are increasing rapidly as young parents but their homes and establish their families. Tucson examples: Sahuarita – Rancho Sahuarita, Vail – Rancho del Lago, Marana – Gladden Farms, Marana – Red Rock.
- The Maturing Suburb – Usually they’ve been in the process of development for about 20 years now. The population tends to be stable with older families with high school and college age kids. Tucson Examples: Oro Valley, Marana – Continental Ranch, Rita Ranch, Midvale Park.
- The Aging Suburb – Consists of predominantly single-family homes more than 40 years old. Population is declining with a lack of children. Tucson Examples: Casas Adobes, Flowing Wells.
- The Rejuvenating Suburb – Includes most old inner suburbs where the housing stock has been through more than one cycle of ownership. Similar to the Aging Suburbs but with an influx on twenty somethings. Tucson Examples: Midtown region.
The book goes on the give examples of strategies to reach each suburban setting. It was a very fun and great read! Again, it simply highlights the need to exegete your community and to create strategies based upon your current context instead of following the formula of a book written by an author in another city. Even a book written for suburban strategies will be different … because what kind of suburbs was it? Like when Saddleback started it was a Young Developing Suburb … now? A Maturing or even an Aging Suburb.
Anyways, have fun studying your burb!
September 4, 2008 at 8:19 pm |
Sounds like a great chapter. Do you think we could have an Epoch class on Suburban church planting?
September 5, 2008 at 8:02 am |
Absolutely Ben! I’m glad you brought that up because it is easy for me to have blinders on and lose track. I’ll never forget being at the top of the Columbia Tower in downtown Seattle with urban guru Ray Bakke. It was a panoramic view of the city and he was teaching us the history of the whole area. At one point he said, “You know, we can no longer differentiate between the city and the suburbs anymore because we need to look at the city as a whole.”
I wholeheartedly agree and I lose sight of that myself. In some of my initial “research” working on my doctorate I’ve found that the overwhelming majority of church planting is taking place in the suburbs and not the city. I’d advocate that we need MORE in the suburbs and at the same time MORE in the city as well. I guess I’ve tried to start beating the drum for the city and I can get too narrow in my focus.
You bring up a good and valid point and I appreciate that and I’ll line a class up indeed.