Upcoming Publications
The following are upcoming publications
by Linda Lee Smith Barkman, PhD
that you might want to put on your calendar!
Hidden Power and False Expectations: Muted Group Theory for Urban Mission.
Expected release by early 2020, Urban Loft Publishing.
This book is a reader-friendly reworking of my dissertation research, a study of the power dynamics that exist in communication between women prisoners and prison ministry volunteers. Compelling stories of life in a California women's prison illuminate the data. The result is a new understanding of Muted Group Theory as a valuable tool for anyone who is involved with ministry to the marginalized.
“Supporting Indigenous Women Missionaries: An Alternative Paradigm for Mission in the Barrios of Tijuana.”
January issue of Missiology: An International Review.
An alternative paradigm of mission that involves providing support to indigenous missionaries in situ, this case study exemplifies this method in action among the very poor in Colonio Obrero, a barrio in Tijuana, Mexico. Such support of indigenous women missionaries stands in sharp contrast to the most prevalent mission paradigms.
The theoretical basis for the development of this missiological approach is Muted Group Theory (MGT) of communication. MGT underscores the need for shared power if the muting of the less powerful is to be avoided. Money here, as elsewhere, equates with power, and those who control resources have the upper hand. It takes an intentional strategy to provide guidance, support, and stewardship with indigenous missionaries in a manner which results in shared power and efficacious Christian mission.
What Every Church Needs to Know About Prison Ministry: A Study Guide
Expected release by late 2020, Urban Loft Publishing.
No church in the US is unaffected by the current climate of mass incarceration. So, with that in mind, with an insiders perspective, and with research data to back it up, this study guide is especially targeted for pastors, lay leaders, and students. Study questions at the end of each chapter will lead the reader towards informed practical applications.