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
May 17, 2023 • 41min
Church is Changing: Episode 29 - Rebecca Anderson
Rebecca Anderson co-pastors two churches with Vince Amlin – an inherited church in the morning and a new start church on Sunday afternoons. She offers a unique perspective on the changing landscape of church – its structures, communities, and worship. Gilead Chicago got its start before COVID-19 as a community that tells true stories that saves lives, throws great parties, and worships beautifully. This new ministry is supported by the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ. Anderson oozes passion for creating spiritual community in refreshing ways. Join us for this conversation.
May 3, 2023 • 31min
Church is Changing: Episode 28 - Justin Cason
In this episode of Church is Changing, host Paul Nixon interviews Justin Cason, pastor of an online church based in Indiana. Justin has been working with Paul and with Mission Insite in the creation of a heat map website (www.heatmap.church) where folks can upload information about new and innovative ministries they are a part of, and where they can find connection to others doing similar work across America.
Apr 19, 2023 • 33min
Church is Changing: Episode 27 - Donna Sokol
In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Pastor Donna Sokol of Washington, D.C., about ever-changing ministry in a downtown context, working with eclectic people in an environment where organized religion is increasingly seen as suspect. Donna is co-author with Roger Owens of A New Day in the City: Urban Church Revival.
Apr 5, 2023 • 43min
Church is Changing: Episode 26 - Stories of Hope
This Easter season, Paul Nixon gathered four pastors from four western conferences in The United Methodist Church whose churches shared some powerful things in common. These churches live a different narrative than so many in this season where church sanctuaries are mostly emptier than pre-Covid and where disaffiliation troubles are distracting from the work of local ministry. These churches are remarkably different in terms of the communities they serve, but they all are growing as they discover the power of the Christian good news in the lives of their people and neighbors.
Mar 22, 2023 • 29min
Church is Changing: Episode 25 - Nick Talbott & Eric Meyer
In this episode, Paul Nixon visits with Salina, Kansas pastors Nick Talbott and Eric Meyer, who are partnering two churches with Kansas Wesleyan University to totally revision their church’s ministries. Their work offers an example of a twenty-first century paradigm shift that is breathing new life into United Methodism in Salina and far beyond.
Mar 8, 2023 • 40min
Church is Changing: Episode 24 – Ray Altman
What do we have to unlearn in order to show up to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our midst? How does leadership shift when moving into a "new wineskin" church? How can we use the art of discernment to inform ministry engagement? These questions animate this conversation with Ray Altman. Ray is from North Central San Antonio in the Rio Texas Annual conference. He is a United Methodist pastor of the New Wineskins Micro Church Movement.
You can find out more about New Wineskins at https://discovernewwineskins.org. You can contact Ray directly at rayjaltman@gmail.com.
Feb 22, 2023 • 41min
Church is Changing: Episode 23 – Allen Buck
How do ministries with Native Americans reveal how traditional evangelism and new church starts orient out of a colonial approach to ministry? And what does that call into question about how we "do" church or even if church really matters?
Listen in on this engaging conversation with Rev. Dr. Allen Buck, pastor of Great Spirit United Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon. Allen is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and is also the director of the Circle of Indigenous Ministries for the Greater Northwest area of the United Methodist church. You can find out more about Great Spirit at greatspiritpdx.com.
Feb 8, 2023 • 33min
Church is Changing: Episode 22 - Nicole Reilley
Nicole Reilley has done all sorts of things in ministry over the decades, with one continuous theme: everything she has touched has tended to thrive, including her suburban Los Angeles congregation during the pandemic. In this episode of Church is Changing, Paul Nixon interviews Nicole on what she is seeing and learning in the 2020s.
Jan 25, 2023 • 28min
Church is Changing: Episode 21 - Andy Fishburne
In this episode of Church is Changing, host Paul Nixon interviews Andy Fishburne, the Discipleship and Spiritual Formation Officer for the Methodist Church in Britain. We explore some new models for making discipleship tangible and practical for modern people. For more information on Fishburne's work: www.methodist.org.uk/discipleship.
Jan 11, 2023 • 36min
Church is Changing: Episode 20 - Year in Review
In this New Year's episode of Church is Changing, hosts Paul Nixon and Beth Estock explore the big picture of the changes they saw globally in church life in 2022.
