Welcome to the launch of the new Church is Changing podcast! (Formerly known as Field Preachers.) In this episode, hosts Paul Nixon and Beth Estock set the stage for this season’s episodes as well as begin to talk about that “nasty word” – metrics. In a rapidly changing culture when the old ways of measuring success no longer work, how do we begin to track ministry impact?

Church is Changing: Episode 01

The pandemic not only affected churches; it also impacted the recovery community. Out of a need for connection, Tracey Hume, a deacon in Newcastle upon Tyne in England, started an online twelve-step group that has become an online recovery church. In this episode of the Church is Changing podcast, Hume shares what she has learned as a leader and how this church movement continues to grow and adapt. You can contact Tracey Hume at deacontraceyhume@gmail.com.

Church is Changing: Episode 02 - Tracey Hume

On this episode of the Church is Changing podcast, we are joined by author Jason Moore. Moore is author of the book Both/And, which explores the new ways we gather people for worship in the 2020s. Moore lives near Dayton, Ohio and has worked for two decades resourcing churches in terms of worship design. To learn more about Jason, or to invite him to your judicatory or your church, visit midnightoilproductions.com.

Church is Changing: Episode 03 - Jason Moore

In this episode of the Church is Changing podcast, host Paul Nixon interviews Mike Whang, a church planter near Houston, Texas. Mike is pastor of Oikon UMC, a church that is focused on small group engagement and discipleship. For more about Oikon, visit www.oikonhtx.org.

Church is Changing: Episode 05 - Mike Whang

On this episode of Church is Changing, host Paul Nixon converses with both Kenda Dean of Princeton Theological Seminary and Michael Beck, Executive Director of Fresh Expressions United Methodist (FXUM). In this far-ranging conversation, Paul explores emerging trends in the Christian faith community with two leaders who work on the innovative front lines.

Church is Changing: Episode 17 - Kenda Dean & Michael Beck

In this episode of Church is Changing, host Beth Estock talks with Brittany Isaac, the superintendent of the Lake North District in the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church. Brittany cut her ministry teeth as a scrappy church planter for the third site of Urban Village in Chicago twelve years ago. Now into her last full year as a district superintendent, she shares her perspective on what is needed both structurally and spiritually to support innovation and thrive in the Babylon of our day.

Church is Changing: Episode 18 - Brittany Isaac

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.

Church is Changing: Episode 21 - Andy Fishburne

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.

Church is Changing: Episode 23 – Allen Buck

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.

Church is Changing: Episode 27 - Donna Sokol

In this episode of the Church is Changing podcast, host Paul Nixon takes us to Lexington, Nebraska to meet three United Methodists: a pastor, a high school principal, and an HR director at a meat processing plant. This is an amazing conversation on loving our newest neighbors in the USA, as about eighty percent of the plant workers are immigrants from forty nations!

Church is Changing: Episode 31 - Demographic Changes in Lexington, NE

In this episode, hosts Paul Nixon and Beth Estock reflect on trends that have set in with churches post-pandemic, and look at ways that churches are adapting to a very different era of ministry.

Church is Changing: Episode 32 - Post-Pandemic Trends

Suzanne and Michael Katschke lead Heritage UMC in Madison, Alabama, a relatively young church that was hit hard by the pandemic, losing about half their weekly participants. Yet, they have built back, in large part due to a community sports ministry, with many games played on open fields on their church property. This episode explores how to build relationships with kids and families post-pandemic - a group conspicuously absent in many churches.

Church is Changing: Episode 33 - Suzanne & Michael Katschke

In this episode, host Paul Nixon interviews Michael Beck, the director of FXUM (Fresh Expressions United Methodist). Paul and Michael explore the changing face of church and look at why and how Fresh Expressions are reaching so many Americans who would seldom wander into a church building.

Church is Changing: Episode 34 - Michael Beck

What do you do when your church building is falling down and you have no money for repairs? Pierceton UMC in Indiana just put their building up for auction!

In this episode of Church is Changing, we explore some funky spirit-lead things happening in Warsaw, Indiana with Carolyn Kern – a passionate, innovative pastor in a two-point charge. She offers a master class on how to get involved in the community – from partnering with a brewpub to leading cardio drumming classes. You won't want to miss this conversation!

You can find out more at facebook.com/PiercetonUnitedMethodistChurch/

Church is Changing: Episode 35 – Carolyn Kern

How well does your congregation know your community? And why is this important in a post-Christendom culture?

Luke Edwards, a United Methodist minister with a background in social work, is a cultivator of new forms of church in Western North Carolina as the associate director of Church Development. He is the author of “Becoming Church: A Trail Guide for Starting Fresh Expressions.” 

He has a newsletter called "The Listening Church" that you can find on Substack. Luke offers practices to help any faith community develop the capacity to listen to God, each other, and their neighbors. 

He helps us to see the importance of moving from solution centered programs to contemplative listening as a way to build loving community. In our conversation we delve deeper into how you can lead your community through a Spiritual Listening Process.

Find Luke online: thelisteningchurch.com

Check out Luke’s book, “Becoming Church” here: freshexpressions.com/becomingchurch

Church is Changing: Episode 36 – Luke Edwards

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Kevin Johnson, Director of Children's Ministries at Discipleship Ministries. Kevin has a bigger picture of the emerging face of children's ministry than perhaps any other person in the UMC. Paul wanted to learn from Kevin how churches who have lost so many of their young families can take action to reengage with children.

Church is Changing: Episode 37 - Kevin Johnson

What does a peace corps volunteer with a culinary degree do when she is called into ministry? If you are a foodie with a heart for food justice, you won’t want to miss this conversation with Alyssa Densham, pastor of Provision Church Nova – a new Methodist Faith Community in Northern Virginia.
 
In this episode, we talk about how a ministry can develop sources of support. This includes gathering gifted teams of people and multiple funding streams.

Church is Changing: Episode 38 – Alyssa Densham

What if you got eight people together to give four hours a week and donate $50 a month to a new kind of ministry in your community? This is how INSPIRE began – that and a lot of listening to the neighborhood and God.

If you have a great idea but not enough time or resources to make it happen, listen to this conversation with Barry Sloan, pastor at INSPIRE in Chemnitz, Germany, and you, too, will be inspired!

Church is Changing: Episode 39 – Barry Sloan

In this episode of Church is Changing, Texas Conference church developer Melissa Maher visits with Paul Nixon about why addiction recovery groups were so resilient during the pandemic, even as churches struggled. It is a conversation full of surprises. But if you know much about twelve-step rooms, you will not be surprised that they are more proficient than many churches in terms of convening engaging and transformational community.

Church is Changing: Episode 40 – Melissa Maher

Does your church space sit empty during most of the week? Do you dream about it being used for the common good but don’t know how to begin? Listen to Beth Estock’s conversation with Cindy Thompson, Executive Director of Boundless Impact – a nonprofit that equips faith communities to build bridges into their community through creating pathways for equitable economic empowerment.

Click here for more information on ImagineHub. https://www.boundlessimpact.org/imaginehub

Here are some of Cindy’s favorite book suggestions:

•	Doing the Math of Mission by Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle
•	Creative Confidence by Tom & David Kelley
•	Jesus on Main Street by Dave Kresta
•	Recovering Abundance by Rev. Andy Stanton-Henry
•	Flood Gates by Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey
•	Faith-Rooted Organizing by Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra and Peter Heltzel

Church is Changing: Episode 41 – Cindy Thompson

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Rodrigo Cruz and Nora Colmeneras of NETT Church near Atlanta. They discuss what they are learning about multicultural church and about church recovery from the pandemic season.

Church is Changing: Episode 42 - NETT Church

In this episode, Paul Nixon and Beth Estock explore the concept of Edgewalking. Edgewalking church leaders have one foot firmly within the church, typically with strong core convictions and Christology, even as they engage with people beyond the church, gaining wisdom of perspective that helps the church in its mission. Beth and Paul are convinced that this Edgewalking concept is core to effective spiritual leadership in the 2020s. To learn more about Edgewalkers, see the 2006 book Edgewalkers by Judi Neal, and the daily meditation by Richard Rohr's team, written by Victoria Loorz, entitled Edge Walking.

Church is Changing: Episode 43 - Edgewalkers

In this episode of Church is Changing, host Paul Nixon interviews Patricia Peña of the Path 1 team. Patricia focuses on diversity in new ministry development in the UMC. Paul and Patricia discuss the future of ethnic ministries in the UMC, after so many churches disaffiliated.

Church is Changing: Episode 44 - Patricia Peña

In this episode, host Paul Nixon interviews Dr. Candace Lewis, who leads Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta. Candace has served as a church planter, led the Path 1 team resourcing United Methodist church planters globally, worked as a district superintendent, and now leads an institution preparing pastors for the twenty-first century. Paul asks her about an evocative address she gave to the FXUM gathering entitled, "We Can Do Hard Things." This address received an extended standing ovation. And we share it with you here (it is keynote number 4): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrfcxQiIjpMRGAZQ36P15yHkEm7I3OuO3. Paul and Candace share a robust conversation on where church is going in the coming years.

Church is Changing: Episode 45 – Dr. Candace Lewis

What do coffee roasting, Howard Thurman, and people with criminal records have in common? Listen to our conversation with Dustin Mailman, who leads Deep Time, a new ministry anchored at Trinity UMC in West Asheville, North Carolina.

To find out more or purchase some coffee go to deeptimeavl.org. To contact Dustin Mailman directly, email dustin@trinitywavl.org.

Church is Changing: Episode 46 – Dustin Mailman

Bring your notebook to this conversation with Nigel Pimlott as he shares some of his reflections from over 40 years in cutting edge ministry in the UK. Pimlott also offers some pithy and subversive one-liners that could be pondered for years. He is the former learning, development, and leadership trainer and coach for the Methodist Church of Great Britain. Pimlott is a man of deep faith, a trail blazer and mentor, and a holy agitator for new forms of faith community. In this conversation, he talks about the patterns and trends of faith formation and offers some ideas for its future. You will be amazed at how his experience tracks with what is unfolding in mainline churches in the United States. You can reach him through Facebook at facebook.com/nigel.pimlott.5.

Church is Changing: Episode 47 – Nigel Pimlott

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.

Church is Changing: Episode 48 – Paul Nixon

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.

Church is Changing: Episode 49 – Felicia Hopkins

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

Church is Changing: Episode 50 – Dr. Andrea Smith

Tim Ward was an associate pastor at a large church for six years before planting the first multi-site of that church in Reston, Virginia. He turned a painful experience in church as a child into a positive and life-giving opportunity for others to be a part of a faith community that has grown into the largest multi-site ministry of the Virginia Annual Conference. Listen to learn more about his incredible story.

In March of 1739, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, engaged in "field preaching" for the first time after being encouraged by his friend and fellow preacher George Whitefield. Instead of preaching his sermon from a pulpit, Wesley went out from the church and preached in the open air to those who didn't have the time or money to sit in a pew and hear the good news. Thousands of people, mainly those struggling with poverty, came to hear him preach that first week and the revival of Methodism was born as the good news became real in the hearts of those who heard about God's love and grace.

Church planters are modern day "field preachers" who go out from the established church into the community where they proclaim good news to those who need it most. This podcast is a series of interviews and stories from modern-day Methodist field preachers who will make you laugh, cry, and think more deeply about how and where we are called to share God's love and grace.

Field Preachers Episode 05 - Tim Ward - Restoration Church

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.

Church is Changing

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