Church is Changing: Episode 66 – Erin Martin

Are you feeling stuck? Are the things that used to work no longer working? Are you questioning the future of the church as we know it? Then this conversation is for you!

Listen in on this conversation from Portland, Oregon – a post-Christendom area of the United States that is a harbinger for the rest of the country in terms of the changing landscape of the church.

Erin Martin left her role as a DS in the Portland Metro area to serve a local church during Covid lockdown. She shares how immersing in the grief of a dying institution led her to new life for herself and her local congregation.

You can find out more about Fremont UMC at fremontumc.org.

In our conversation Erin refers to 2 books:

• Jesus, Jubilee, and the Politics of God’s Reign by Christian T. Collins
• Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira

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.

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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 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 21st 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 epicentergroup.org.