Paul Nixon / Epicenter Group

04/30/2026

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Pastor Erin Barnes of Open Table Church in Mansfield, Texas, south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Open Table was born when its mother church disafiliated from the UMC. However, by God's grace the birth of a church that would stay with United Methodism was not as acrimonious as in some places. The church is thriving, led by the former children's pastor of the mother church, now a M Div graduate of Perkins School of Theology. Paul and Erin talk about the learning on this planting journey in the heart of Texas in the 2020s.

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Pastor Erin Barnes of Open Table Church in Mansfield, Texas, south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

04/28/2026

In addition to a pastor, a few next priorities in staffing include music, children, custodial, and maybe administration. But there’s a couple positions that are outside the old predictable list, which may be more helpful these days. What comes to mind in your experience?

“I never can find out what’s going on around here.” (Pastor responding), “ We send a newsletter by email every week. The gall of people t...

04/23/2026

In his book "I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church", Paul presents six critical choices which leaders and their churches must make. The first is to choose life over death. This means that we aspire to more than simply playing church til the money runs out. Running down the funds til we call it quits is not a valid option.

Quick question - what is one sign that you feel indicates that a church is choosing life?

04/20/2026

"My congregation has doubled in its participation numbers in the last three or four years. Our church is thriving in this century because of good planning and visioning that enables us to pivot, innovate and adapt faster than most churches."

As a young(er) church consultant around the turn of this century, one of the throw-away lines that I used to hear was that the days of long-...

04/03/2026

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Pastor Rosario Picardo of Mosaic Church in Dayton. Roz planted Mosaic in 2017 alongside his co-planter, Wayne Botkin. Over its nine-year history, more than 50 languages have been shared in prayer at Mosaic, reflecting the diversifying edge of America and Ohio. From launch, to pandemic, through the disaffiliation season to now, it has been a dynamic journey, teaching us so much about the future of Christian faith community.

Paul Nixon interviews Pastor Rosario Picardo of Mosaic Church in Dayton about planting a multilingual congregation and what its journey reveals about the…

03/30/2026

If you are going to play a long game, if you wish to have a legacy of ministry growth that continues long after you move on… Build your middle players. Increase the points of light. Make winning normative across the organization. Once certain habits and values are in the ground water, the organization will be much more nimble and resilient as ministry contexts change and as leaders move.

There is a perennial debate about how a leader, director, supervisor, line manager, coach or pastor should best spend their time: working ...

03/24/2026

Paul recently visited Prairie Campus of FUMC Colorado Springs, where he is consulting and coaching as they prepare to charter as a free-standing member church of the Mountain Sky Conference.

The church, led by Rev. Patty Walker, is flourishing with average worship attendance approaching 200, reaching people looking for a more grace-forward and progressive church than is typical in Colorado Springs.

03/18/2026

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Matthew Kilpatrick of Pathways Church, in Pelham, south of Birmingham, Alabama. This new church's partnership with a major food charity is blessing the work of both church and nonprofit. And Alabamians are the winners. Paul has been Rev. Kilpatrick's coach since 2025.

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Matthew Kilpatrick of Pathways Church in Pelham near Birmingham, Alabama, highlighting a church–food charity…

03/13/2026

The pastor cannot be the sole person responding to new people. Give them clearly one week out of the first four weeks a person attends. Let them try to get a face-to-face visit, with voicemail or text as a back up.

So what kinds of follow up might happen on other Sundays? And where can info gleaned from varied conversations be housed for reference?

03/09/2026

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Angie Dornisch, pastor of Heart of Longmont Church (formerly FUMC, Longmont, Colorado). This is a story of amazing church renewal rooted in deeply held Christian values.

Paul was the coach of their former pastor.

In this episode, Paul Nixon interviews Angie Dornisch, pastor of Heart of Longmont Church (formerly FUMC, Longmont, Colorado). This is a story of amazing…

03/05/2026

A new generation of pastors is (as a group) remarkably clueless about how to welcome guests. It isn’t their fault: we largely stopped talking about it. They came along and missed the memos. Procrastinate no more. Get a team organized this week led by persons who value new people and long to see them find spiritual renewal here

Last month we talked about several best practices for growing churches in the 2020s. Today we drill down on one of them: building relationsh...