Church is Changing

Rev. Sam Parkes, the new pastor of FUMC Mesa, Arizona, shares his journey of adapting to life in a dry climate and navigating change in ministry. He discusses the importance of building relationships and trust in revitalizing worship, especially in the wake of COVID-19. Parkes emphasizes the need to engage both vibrant and quieter church members to create an inclusive community. He also highlights strategic wins for new pastors and reflects on the evolving landscape of the United Methodist Church, fostering a hopeful outlook for future transformations.

Who doesn’t like Asian food? Why not gather Asian American and Pacific island second generation young adults to eat spicy Asian food as a way to create communities of radical acceptance, solidarity, and hospitality? Meet Danielle Buwon Kim, an ordained elder in the North Texas Conference who leads a AAPI focused dinner church in the Dallas/Fort Worth area called KA:LL. Listen in as she shares the importance of this bi-weekly gathering that enjoys Asian food, exposes and heals AAPI invisibility, and reclaims Christian faith for the NONEs and DONES and everyone in between. You can find out more about this community at kallcommunity.org.

In this episode of Church is Changing, Paul Nixon interviews co-host Beth Estock about a new ministry of her church: community dinners. Why would a church throw a community-wide dinner where there is absolutely no recruiting for church participation? Among the many reasons, it is making Joseph United Methodist Church in northeastern Oregon a legend on the community grapevine!

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Rev. Claire McNulty Drewes of Longmont, Colorado on how her church rebounded so significantly after the pandemic, more than doubling in the last two years. Her analysis defies many old instincts and assumptions. In the conversation, Claire references the book "The Adept Church" by Doug Powe Jr.

How did an aging suburban church in decline become a community hub of resilience and new life? Listen to this interview with Keren Rodriguez, pastor of Aloha United Methodist Church located less than 15 miles from downtown Portland, Oregon. Rodriguez is on the front line of providing housing for the houseless in the parking lot of the church called Safe Rest Village. And that is only the beginning! Listen to how she has built trusting partnerships with government, non-profits, churches, and diverse communities in her neighborhood. She shares the courageous conversations she has had with the church and surrounding neighborhood about fear, death, and new life. You can contact Keren Rodriguez at alohaumcpastor@gmail.com. Click here to learn more about Safe Rest Village: https://youtu.be/rI11vnGG94U?si=elmpt3JucEFgcrY1.

How did an Olympic paddler end up starting a worldwide ministry on the banks of the Nantahala River? Wayner Dickert worked for 30 years at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina before asking his boss if he could start a little worship service on the bank of the river. Now 18 years later, Wayner will be retiring as the pastor of River of Life Ministry. If you are interested in the cross section of outdoor adventuring and faith community development, this podcast is for you! To find out more go to nantahalariveroflife.org. You can also find them on Facebook at River of Life: https://www.facebook.com/groups/122781707743338.

In this episode, host Paul Nixon interviews Dr. Andrea Smith, planter pastor of West UMC in Lake Norman, North Carolina, a church that has morphed with nimbleness ever since it was planted. A focus of the conversation is related to a digital children's ministry that grew out of the pandemic and has continued to develop, as they seek to engage an ever-changing population of American children. Click the link to learn more about Amped online children’s ministry: https://www.youtube.com/@amped.online

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Northwest Texas DS Felicia Hopkins on her experience through disaffiliation of 80 percent of her churches. Hopkins also discusses moving onto a season of planting and creativity in West Texas.

If you refuse to lead a dying church, this conversation is for you! Paul Nixon has recently revised his best-selling book "I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church" for the new cultural context in which we find ourselves. In this episode, he offers six choices that churches and church leaders need to make in order to thrive in our post-Covid world. They include the following: choosing life over death; choosing community over isolation; choosing fun over drudgery; choosing bold over mild; choosing frontier over fortress; and choosing now rather than later. The book will be available on May 15. You can also host a book party in person or online by contacting Paul at paulnixon@me.com. Learn more at epicentergroup.org.

Nigel Pimlott reflects on 40 years of ministry, highlighting innovative church practices and leadership dynamics. He discusses transitioning towards sustainable practices post-pandemic, proposing caution, fresh perspectives, and a federation model for Methodism. The conversation dives into relational discipleship, community engagement, and the need for prophetic voices in evolving church practices.