Is Josie the dog the city's best evangelist? Judging by the number of conversations he is helping his owner to have, he may be hard to beat.

South Sydney minister, the Rev Keith Mascord has already knocked on every door in his inner city suburb of Beaconsfield, helped by his four-year-old Jack Russell cross, and has recently been doorknocking the tiny adjoining suburb of Zetland.

"My aim is to get to know " or at least meet " everyone in Beaconsfield, which is where we live and where the church is," Dr Mascord says.

"It's easier to meet people in free-standing houses rather than the new apartments, which we continue to have difficulty accessing, except through letterbox drops."

With his wife Judy, the Canadian-born father of five stopped lecturing full-time at Moore College three years ago to reinvigorate the tiny parish of St James', Beaconsfield.

The church was given the additional name of Green Square Community Church in recognition of its location in the new Green Square urban village precinct, where it is the only church of any denomination.

Its multi-ethnic congregation has grown from four people to 40, but still faces significant challenges.

Walk-in visitor numbers are low, Dr Mascord says, but those that do come tend to stay.

"People are moving into the area in droves," he says. "But most are five or six steps away from even considering coming to church."

The ongoing regeneration of the former industrial area, like many other parts of the inner city, has motivated the parish to hold events to meet new people, including trivia nights and "welcome to the area suppers'.

It also co-hosts a monthly discussion group, known as "Quest', which meets at the Parkview Hotel in Alexandria.

"This has generated a lot of interest and conversation, and has even brought some to church", Dr Mascord says.