Church is Changing
Church is Changing
We bring you stories of hope and resilience from leaders around the world who are engaging the gospel message in new ways. We interview thought leaders who bring wisdom about the changing cultural landscape and its implications for faith formation. If you are a church leader looking for practical ideas and new ways of approaching church in the 21st century, this podcast is for you.
About the Hosts:
Beth Estock
After serving as a United Methodist pastor in a variety of settings in Georgia and Oregon, and then as Director of New Faith Community Development in the Oregon and Idaho conferences of The United Methodist Church, Beth Estock wanted to help big-hearted leaders have impact without exhaustion. She is a Master Certified Integral Coach™ as well as a meditative yoga instructor. Her contemplative sensibilities and integral approach inform her coaching work with leaders all over North America and the United Kingdom.
She has written two books, Weird Church: Welcome to the 21st Century and Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Building a Life of Faith. You can find out more about her at www.bethestock.com
Paul Nixon
Paul Nixon is Director of Church Multiplication for Discipleship Ministries, an agency of The United Methodist Church. He has served as a Director of Church Development for an annual conference, served as a church planter, and coached scores of innovative leaders across the last quarter century. Paul is the president of Epicenter Group, a coaching organization currently focused on ministry in North America and the United Kingdom. Paul has written eleven books – including a joyful collaboration with Beth Estock in 2016 as they released Weird Church: Welcome to the 21stt Century. His most recent book is Launching a New Worship Community: A Field Guide for the 2020s, co-authored with Craig Gilbert and twelve ministry innovators. You can find out more about him at www.epicentergroup.org.
About the Hosts:
Beth Estock
After serving as a United Methodist pastor in a variety of settings in Georgia and Oregon, and then as Director of New Faith Community Development in the Oregon and Idaho conferences of The United Methodist Church, Beth Estock wanted to help big-hearted leaders have impact without exhaustion. She is a Master Certified Integral Coach™ as well as a meditative yoga instructor. Her contemplative sensibilities and integral approach inform her coaching work with leaders all over North America and the United Kingdom.
She has written two books, Weird Church: Welcome to the 21st Century and Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Building a Life of Faith. You can find out more about her at www.bethestock.com
Paul Nixon
Paul Nixon is Director of Church Multiplication for Discipleship Ministries, an agency of The United Methodist Church. He has served as a Director of Church Development for an annual conference, served as a church planter, and coached scores of innovative leaders across the last quarter century. Paul is the president of Epicenter Group, a coaching organization currently focused on ministry in North America and the United Kingdom. Paul has written eleven books – including a joyful collaboration with Beth Estock in 2016 as they released Weird Church: Welcome to the 21stt Century. His most recent book is Launching a New Worship Community: A Field Guide for the 2020s, co-authored with Craig Gilbert and twelve ministry innovators. You can find out more about him at www.epicentergroup.org.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 6, 2025 • 32min
Church is Changing: Episode 78 – Turning Sacred Land into Sacred Shelter
In this episode, we dive into one of the most powerful intersections of faith and justice today: the movement to repurpose underutilized church land for deeply affordable housing. Our guest, Rev. Julia Nielsen, is a leading voice and practitioner helping congregations navigate the complex—and sacred—work of turning their property into homes for those in need.
Julia walks us through the step-by-step process of developing housing on church land, shares the common roadblocks and myths that hold churches back, and offers practical advice for communities just beginning to explore this path. She also casts a bold, hope-filled vision for the future of this ministry—and why it matters now more than ever.
Whether you’re a church leader, a housing advocate, or simply someone longing to see faith communities respond to the housing crisis with love and imagination, this conversation will inspire and equip you.
Jul 23, 2025 • 45min
Church is Changing: Episode 77 – Funding the Future: Church Trends and Transformation with Kay Kotan
In this episode, Beth Estock sits down with renowned church consultant and coach Kay Kotan to talk about the evolving landscape of local church funding. From declining tithes to rising creativity, Kay shares trends she’s seeing across the country and practical ways churches can adapt. They explore topics like revitalization, empowering lay leaders, and the importance of clarity and accountability in shaping a sustainable future. Whether you're a pastor, lay leader, or simply curious about what’s next for the church, this conversation is packed with wisdom and hope.
Jul 9, 2025 • 39min
Church is Changing: Episode 76 – Stacey Piyakhun
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.
Jun 25, 2025 • 42min
Church is Changing: Episode 75 – From Decline to Renewal: Rev. Jane Voigts on Church Transformation in the Desert
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.
Jun 11, 2025 • 39min
Church is Changing: Episode 74 – Amber Baker
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.
May 28, 2025 • 33min
Church is Changing: Episode 73 – Rodrigo Cruz
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.
May 14, 2025 • 35min
Church is Changing: Episode 72 – Soul Revival Retreat
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.
Apr 3, 2025 • 43min
Church is Changing: Episode 71 – Joe Graves
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.
Mar 19, 2025 • 37min
Church is Changing: Episode 68 – Church Vitality in the 2020s
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?
Mar 17, 2025 • 41min
Church is Changing: Episode 70 – Anne Borsage
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.
