The EquipCast
Practical Evangelization & Parish Ministry Tools for Catholic Leaders
Displaying items 1-10 of 11 in total of The EquipCast with the tag "catholic leadership".
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Episode 209: OCIA - Rediscovering the Heart of Parish Life
Episode | March 10th, 2026 | 1 hr 3 mins
accompaniment, ancient catechumenate, archdiocese of omaha, catechumenate, catholic, catholic conversion, catholic discipleship, catholic formation, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, church revitalization, church revival, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, making disciples, missionary discipleship, ocia, parish ministry, parish renewal, parish transformation, rcia, welcoming seekers
What if the ancient way of welcoming seekers is exactly what we’re missing? When Dr. Chris Burgwald, Chancellor for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, and I dug into the roots of OCIA, it struck me how much wisdom we’ve left sitting on the shelf. The early Church knew how to walk with people—slowly, personally, lovingly—and somewhere along the line, we traded that for efficiency. Dr. Burgwald shows why returning to this ancient, relational way of forming disciples isn’t nostalgia; it’s the key to helping people truly encounter Jesus and find a home in His Church again.
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Coach's Corner 28: Why do we keep trying silver bullets?
Episode | March 3rd, 2026 | 13 mins 8 secs
archdiocese of omaha, authentic renewal, catholic, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, disciples, discipleship, evangelism, evangelization, faith journey, god’s mercy, letting go of quick fixes, making disciples, missionary conversion, no silver bullet, parish evangelization, parish renewal, silver bullet myth, spiritual conversion, spiritual dependence, trusting god, turning to god
What do you do when the strategy, the program, or the plan just isn’t enough? Because I’ve been there—and in this episode, I talk about why our “silver bullets” so often fail us. We love quick fixes, big programs, and shiny solutions, but real renewal—personal or parish-wide—only happens when we stop trying to use God and finally turn to Him with honest hearts. In this conversation, I walk through one of my favorite (and most surprising) stories in Scripture and share the uncomfortable but hopeful truth it reveals: God isn’t asking us for better strategies. He’s asking for conversion. If you’ve ever felt discouraged, overwhelmed, or tempted to chase one more magic solution, this episode will help you breathe, refocus, and remember that God has a plan—not a gimmick—waiting for you.
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Episode 202: Confronting the Ghost of St. John Vianney: A Vision for Modern Parish Life
Episode | December 16th, 2025 | 1 hr 3 mins
apostolic age, archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, disciples, equipcast podcast, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization strategies, fr. scott traynor, making disciples, missionary discipleship, parish renewal, parish transformation, priesthood today, st. john vianney
I love the saints—especially guys like St. John Vianney—but trying to imitate their circumstances can leave today’s priests feeling defeated before they even begin. In this episode, Fr. Scott Traynor and I get honest about how different our world is now, and why that’s not a problem to mourn but a mission to embrace. We talk about the heart of priesthood today: prayer, the sacraments, and investing deeply in a few people who can carry the Gospel into a culture that’s drifting away from Christ. And here’s the hope: renewal isn’t about going backward. It’s about priests doing what only they can do—celebrate, preach, shepherd—and unleashing the laity to live their mission with confidence. If you’ve ever felt the weight of expectations you can’t live up to or wondered whether your parish can actually flourish in a secular age, this conversation will help you imagine a future filled with purpose and hope.
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How to Choose (Part 3): Faith Formation
Episode | August 19th, 2025 | 56 mins 53 secs
adult faith formation, archdiocese of omaha, catechesis, catholic, catholic coaching, catholic discipleship, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, catholic small groups, church ministry tools, clear path to discipleship, discernment rosary, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith formation, kerygmatic catechesis, making disciples, missionary disciples, parish ministry, parish renewal, small group ministry, spiritual growth
What if your parish’s faith formation is creating consumer Catholics instead of disciples? In this episode of EquipCast, I sit down with my team to unpack what faith formation is really supposed to do—and why so many parishes get stuck. We talk about the difference between just teaching information and actually forming hearts and habits. You’ll hear why small groups matter, how to spot a healthy ministry, and what it takes to move people from simply learning their faith to living it—and then going on mission. We talk about launching apostolates, forming others, and becoming the kind of disciples who don’t just consume content but live it out with joy and purpose. Plus, we share some honest stories, practical tools (like the Discernment Rosary), and plenty of laughs. If you’ve ever wondered how to choose the right ministry for your clear path to discipleship—or how to fix the one you’ve got—this one’s for you.
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How to Choose (Part 2): Evangelization Formation
Episode | August 12th, 2025 | 1 hr 2 mins
alpha program, archdiocese of omaha, called and gifted, catholic, catholic community, catholic evangelization, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, charisms, church growth, clear path discipleship, disciples, discipleship journey, equipcast, evangelical catholic, evangelism, evangelization, faith formation, holy spirit, making disciples, mentorship matters, missionary discipleship, parish renewal, prayer life, reach one more
What if the biggest thing holding your parish back isn’t a lack of programs—but a lack of missionary disciples? In this episode, I sit down with my team to explore a step in parish life that often gets skipped: evangelization formation. We’re talking about the part of discipleship where people go from passive participants to confident, Spirit-led missionaries—and why that shift changes everything. We get honest about what it actually takes to form missionary disciples—not just run more programs. You’ll hear real behind-the-scenes stories from parishes on the ground, practical tips that work, and ways they faced the most common roadblocks we see, like fear, self-doubt, or the sense of being alone in mission.
We break down evangelization formation into clear, doable steps—like helping people pray out loud, share their story, and discover their charisms. Whether your parish is just starting out or ready to go deeper, this episode will shift how you think about forming people for mission—and give you the tools to start. -
Coach's Corner 22: The Parish Pope Francis Dreamt of
Episode | June 24th, 2025 | 10 mins 44 secs
archdiocese of omaha, begin with the end in mind, canon law evangelization, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic family ministry, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, catholic ministry training, catholic podcast inspiration, catholic youth on mission, disciples, equipcast archdiocese of omaha, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization strategy, jim jansen podcast, lay evangelization, making disciples, missionary disciples, missionary parish, parish outreach, parish renewal, pope francis parish vision, training for evangelizers, vatican ii parish mission, youth ministry transformation
What if our parish wasn’t just a place we come to—but a place we’re be sent from? That’s the vision: parishes as missionary outposts, where we’re formed, equipped, and fired up to bring Jesus to the world around us. Imagine a community where people are on fire with God’s love, confident in their faith, and ready to share it. A place where the fruit isn’t just attendance numbers, but transformed lives—families healed, hearts stirred, and the Gospel reaching places it’s never gone. That’s the kind of fruit we’re after. Let’s talk about how to get there.
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Episode 186: From Pew to Purpose: How to Live the Apostolate You Were Made For
Episode | June 17th, 2025 | 1 hr 40 secs
apostolate, apostolic mission, archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic discipleship, catholic evangelization, catholic laity, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, catholic mission, catholic parish life, catholic podcast, discernment, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, fr. andrew mattingly, jim jansen, laity, lay apostolate, lay vocation, making disciples, ministry vs apostolate, mission in the world, parish ministry, renewing the temporal order, spiritual discernment, vatican ii laity, works of mercy
What’s at stake if we stay busy in church but miss our calling in the world? It’s easy to think serving at church—teaching, volunteering, helping with Mass—is the main way lay people live out their faith. But here’s the truth: our primary call isn’t just ministry inside the Church—it’s apostolate out in the world. That means bringing Jesus into your workplace, your neighborhood, and your everyday life. That’s where you’re meant to shine. And what’s at stake? Souls. If we don’t take time to discern our apostolate, some of the people God placed in our path may never encounter Him. This isn’t just about filling time—it’s about stepping into the mission only you can fulfill. The Church needs you. And the world desperately needs Jesus. Tune in for a powerful conversation with Fr. Andrew Mattingly, who tells us that sometimes, reaching the world means cutting back on “good” church programs—because when a parish is over-programmed, it can pull focus from the real mission. But when we zero in on what actually forms people for their apostolate, we gain clarity, energy, and fruitfulness. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most.
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Coach's Corner 21: Hope – The Church’s Key to Renewal
Episode | June 3rd, 2025 | 13 mins 47 secs
archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, catholic mission, catholic podcast, church renewal, cultural change in the church, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith and culture, holy fear, hope, jim jansen, jubilee of hope, making disciples, mission and discipleship, parish transformation, pastoral conversion, repentance and hope, saints and renewal, spiritual renewal, tipping point
What if real cultural change is just 15% away—and we’re closer than we think? In this Coach’s Corner, I’m diving into something that’s been really stirring in my heart: hope. Not the wishful-thinking kind, but the kind that’s born from repentance—a deep turning back to God with a holy fear of offending His love. When we do that, we make space for His grace to move, to renew, to restore. That’s where real hope comes alive. I also talk about why I truly believe cultural change is possible—even now. Did you know it only takes about 15% of a group to shift the culture? That means if just a small part of our parish gets fired up for the Gospel and mission, it can spark something way bigger. I’ve seen it happen. And more importantly—God’s done it before. I share stories, reflect on saints and past renewals, and talk about how a mission mindset, paired with corporate repentance, can set the stage for transformation. I end the episode with a prayer asking God to move in power again—because I really believe He’s not done with us yet. If you’ve been feeling discouraged or wondering if your yes to God really matters, this one’s for you.
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Episode 137: Making Missionary Disciples in a Parish - A Clear Path
Episode | February 6th, 2024 | 51 mins 13 secs
catholic, catholic church strategies, catholic leadership, catholic ministry, church growth, clear path of discipleship, disciples, evangelism, evangelization, impactful ministry, jim jansen interview, making disciples, ministry alignment, parish development, parish transformation, spiritual community
Many of you listen to the EquipCast because you want to feel confident sharing your faith. We try to provide practical tools for this, and so we talk a lot about small groups, prayer, evangelizing adults, etc. But these are just tools, parts of a larger strategy to build flourishing parish communities. So, what does it take to actually transform the culture of a parish, to begin witnessing lives changed and to see more people in the pews? A Clear Path to Discipleship. Today, I bring you an episode from the Huntley Leadership Podcast. Ron Huntley, a man who coaches bishops, priests, and ministry leaders all over the world, asked me to be a guest on his podcast to talk about my book: A Clear Path. I want to share this episode with you in order to draw back the veil on some of the big picture work my team and I get to do with your parishes.
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45: Ministry or Apostolate?
Episode | February 16th, 2021 | 1 hr 3 mins
archdiocese of omaha, catholic apostolate training, catholic culture change, catholic discipleship, catholic evangelization, catholic lay formation, catholic leadership, catholic ministry vs apostolate, catholic mission, catholic outreach, catholic parish renewal, catholic pastoral vision, catholic podcast, catholic small groups, evangelical catholic, faith formation, fr. jeff lorig, jim jansen, lay apostolate, parish ministry, peter andrastek
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?