Jim Jansen

Episode 48: Who is my neighbor?

Episode  |  March 9th, 2021  |  57 mins 23 secs

How well do you know your neighbors? Do you want them to know Jesus and be his disciples?

The Thresholds of Evangelization give us a mental framework to approach our neighbors and to engage them in conversations about faith, but at the level they are comfortable with. Today, I want to share with you a conversation that I had with some old friends. Aaron and Brooke Keller have committed themselves to not only making friends with their neighbors but to bringing Jesus into the lives of their neighbors. And, I promise, they aren’t weird!

Episode 47: The Hidden Jesus

Episode  |  March 2nd, 2021  |  45 mins 55 secs

hope of the poor, living mercy, poverty

Have you ever been on a mission trip? Chances are, if you have, that you went to a different state or even a different country. On today’s EquipCast, I talk with Hope of the Poor. While they do have a ministry to the poor in Mexico, their mission is first to evangelize. Yes, they bring Jesus to the poor that they serve, but more than that, they also help the Americans that they bring to Mexico to see Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor. The goal is then to help these same Americans find a mission field in their own backyard.

46: Principles of Team Prayer

Episode  |  February 23rd, 2021  |  55 mins 49 secs

I've been on many teams throughout my career with FOCUS and at the Archdiocese. One thing I've learned is that for a team to be truly collaborative, it must have prayer as a foundation. This foundation of prayer not only leads to greater trust among team members, it also keeps our team goals focused on God's mission for us. Effective team prayer offers the opportunity for teams to grow and discern together. Today's podcast offers 5 principles for effective team prayer.

45: Ministry or Apostolate?

Episode  |  February 16th, 2021  |  1 hr 3 mins

Have you ever wondered about the difference between a ministry and an apostolate? Until recently, I hadn’t. These words seem like synonyms, and talking about their differences feels a bit like quibbling or semantics. However, because we’ve forgotten the difference, most of the energy in our parishes goes toward building up ministries. But without the apostolate of the laity, the Church becomes a country club, only concerned with serving its members. So what is an apostolate? And how does remembering help the lay faithful evangelize?

Episode 44: Pro-life Messaging

Episode  |  February 2nd, 2021  |  52 mins 49 secs

Do you meet resistance when you talk about your pro-life beliefs? Do you find it hard to understand why anyone would be in favor of abortion? The truth about abortion seems so obvious, and yet, so many of our family and friends don’t agree with us. The fact is since the passing of Roe vs. Wade, our American culture has changed considerably, and we must be willing to reframe the debate in order to reach people.

Episode 43: The Power of Small Groups

Episode  |  January 26th, 2021  |  41 mins 31 secs

Have you ever had something important happen in your life and had no one to share it with? Did you know that the average American hasn’t made a friend in the last five years? As Catholics, we know that community is integral to the faith, and yet, so many in the Body of Christ feel disconnected and alone. I’d like to propose a solution: small groups. Small groups give us the opportunity to enter into life with individuals and to form relationships. They allow us to live and grow in the faith in a way that is otherwise impossible when we do not have a consistent and intentional way of journeying together.

Episode 42: How to Evangelize in Our Culture - Prioritize People

Episode  |  January 19th, 2021  |  45 mins 38 secs

Part 2 of our talk with Michael Gormley. This time he talks about the parish as a school of discipleship and how all evangelization must prioritize people.

Episode 41: The Necessity of Adult Evangelization

Episode  |  January 12th, 2021  |  48 mins 1 sec

Michael Gormley of Catching Foxes fame gives us his thoughts on adult evangelization and how parishes should prioritize the kerygma.

A Practical Example of Outreach

Episode  |  December 15th, 2020  |  18 mins 51 secs

Jim and Fr. Lorig discuss an outsider friendly event, an opportunity for parishioners to introduce those they care about to the idea of faith without jumping straight to bringing them to mass. Hopefully, the lessons learned can inspire something similar in your own parishes and ministries.

Episode 40: The Risen Christ In Me Sees the Suffering Christ in You

Episode  |  November 24th, 2020  |  49 mins 40 secs

With Thanksgiving upon us, I wanted to give you the chance to reflect on the ways gratitude can lead us to "live mercy". In today's episode, I sit down with Dcn. Tim McNeil, the Chancellor for the Archdiocese, as he talks about how knowing Jesus requires us to respond. "I have met this person named Jesus, and he has changed me. I’m so aware of what He has done for my life that I cannot help but share Him with others. This gratitude is the heart of evangelization. The Lord has saved me, and now the risen Christ in me longs to meet the suffering Christ in you."

Unity through Conflict Resolution

Episode  |  November 17th, 2020  |  40 mins 58 secs

A few years ago, the Archbishop’s Listening Sessions revealed that most of his people desired unity for the Archdiocese. This was so beautiful to hear because we know that unity is always the desire of God’s heart. One of Jesus’s last prayers on earth was “Father, I pray that they may all be one as you an I are one…so that the world may know that you sent me.” (John 17:21) This means that our unity as Christians is either the secret sauce that attracts the world or repels it. But unity at the local level really rests on the ability of each and every one of us to process through disagreement and conflict person to person. So what is the one thing that resolves most conflicts? Communication. In today’s conversation, we give a few scripture passages for you to mediate on as well as advice from the book Crucial Conversations.

Episode 38: Begin Again: Helping Other Leaders Join You on the Journey

Episode  |  November 10th, 2020  |  36 mins 39 secs

As a leader, have you ever had this experience: The Lord places something important on your heart and you are ready to run the race for Him, but no one around you has developed the personal vision and conviction to run with you? Often, we grow and develop personally and then are surprised when no one else has. This process can take years for ourselves, and yet we expect it to take moments for others. So, how do you accompany people down the same pathways you were led without it taking the same amount of time?