Church is Changing

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Stacey Piyakhun, Director of Multiplication for Horizon Texas Conference. Their conversation focuses on the ways that church planting is morphing in the 2020s.

Rev. Jane Voigts, the vibrant pastor of United Methodist Church of Palm Springs, brings her unique touch to church transformation. She shares her journey of revitalizing a declining church with engaging initiatives like hot meal services and affordable housing projects. Jane also discusses the joy and community spirit of 'Caftan Tuesdays,' a playful tradition that blossomed during the pandemic. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of humor and creativity in fostering connection and hope in faith communities, ending with a heartwarming blessing for those on similar paths.

This week on Church is Changing, we talk with Amber Baker – a pastor, spiritual director, and Dinner Church pioneer in Morgantown, West Virginia. Amber has started five dinner churches around Morgantown, each unique but all are LGBTQIA+-affirming communities of seekers. This collective includes firefighters, people in recovery, strippers, and folks carrying church hurt – all around the simple power of shared meals and Jesus’ stories. She’s reimagining faith in bold and hopeful ways. Don’t miss this conversation about courage, creativity, passion and what church can become.

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Rodrigo Cruz, executive assistant to the bishop in the Georgia Episcopal Area. Our topic is ministry with immigrants in America in a time of deportation without due process. This is a powerful conversation.

What if the unraveling we see in the institutional church isn’t a problem to fix — but a sacred invitation to a new way of being? In this deeply honest and hopeful episode, host Beth Estock is joined by three extraordinary women — Elaine Heath, Angie Wolle, and Rebecca Przybylski — for a soulful conversation about the shifting landscape of Christian leadership and the emergence of the Divine Feminine in this time of disintegration, grief, and profound transformation.

In this dialogue, Joe Graves, pastor and planter of Cityview Church in Columbus, shares insights from his journey in urban church planting and his book, The Progressive Planter. He discusses the evolution of church planting since the 1990s, highlighting new opportunities amid changing demographics. Joe emphasizes the need for inclusive faith communities that foster healing and connection, addressing both the challenges of merging congregations and the struggles of autistic pastors seeking acceptance. His experience underscores the importance of adaptability and vulnerability in modern spiritual spaces.

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews the church development directors of Baltimore Washington and Western North Carolina Conferences of the UMC: Bill Brown and Rob Hutchinson. The topic: the changing signs of church vitality in the 2020s and what should we now measure?

Anne Borsage, the Director of Leadership Strategies for the South Georgia Conference, discusses the Spirit's movement in Methodism amid significant changes. She shares how disaffiliated churches have led to a rise in vibrant house churches, emphasizing the role of laity in fostering community. The conversation highlights the importance of food in building connections, transforming church culture towards active community engagement, and the shift from traditional worship to daily discipleship. Borsage sheds light on creating peace within congregations and the evolving landscape of faith in Georgia.

In a time of deep division, the unraveling of our national institutions, and the undeniable uncertainty within our congregations, how do we, as Christian leaders, stay rooted in the way of Jesus – and hold fast to our prophetic witness? Today, we’re honored to be joined by Rev. Donna Claycomb Sokol – a wise, courageous, and deeply spiritual pastoral leader serving at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in the heart of Washington, D.C. From the shadow of the Capitol, she brings us stories of hope, challenge, and what it means to lead with both conviction and grace in a city where faith and public life constantly collide. To learn more about Donna and her ministry, visit mvpumc.org.

In this episode of Church is Changing, Paul Nixon explores the ways that AI is rapidly changing the way we go about ministry. He interviews Pastor Tom Arthur of Sycamore Creek UMC in Lansing, Michigan, along with Tom's friend and tech resource David Smith. This is one of Paul's favorite conversations. So amazing are the potential applications for helping us with our work, from preaching to ministry design.