EquipCast
Encouragement and inspiration for sharing your catholic faith
We found 6 episodes of EquipCast with the tag “equipcast”.
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Episode 181: The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World with Susan Windley-Daoust
Episode | April 29th, 2025 | 1 hr 7 mins
apostolic parish, archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic church, catholic ministry, church growth, church leadership, church revitalization, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization strategies, faith community, making disciples, mission refocus, missionary identity, parish renewal, parish transformation, podcast episode, practical insights, radical hospitality, signs and wonders, small group discipleship, spiritual renewal, susan windley-daoust, the four ways forward
Parish renewal is the buzzword of the moment—and with it comes an overwhelming array of resources and ministries. So how do you cut through the noise to find what will truly help your parish move forward? In today’s episode, I talk with Susan Windley-Daoust, author of The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World. Susan encourages us to focus on renewal models that prioritize: Radical hospitality, Small group discipleship, Mission refocus, Signs and wonders. Look for resources that align with these key principles and have a proven track record. Engage your parish leadership team in discernment, and don’t be afraid to start small—what matters most is finding what genuinely supports your parish’s growth in missionary identity.
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Episode 178: Measuring Faith: How Data and Devotion Are Revitalizing Sacred Heart Parish
Episode | March 18th, 2025 | 50 mins 29 secs
archdiocese of omaha, building vibrant parishes, catholic, catholic discipleship, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, church growth strategies, church leadership insights, confession habits, disciples, equipcast, eucharist devotion, evangelism, evangelization, faith community, faith-filled community, father jamie zarse, leadership teams, making disciples, marriage enrichment, mass attendance, measuring spiritual progress, ocia growth, parish generosity, parish leadership, parish renewal, parish success stories, parish transformation, prayer warriors, rosary devotion, sacred heart parish, scriptural prayer, shawnee kansas, spiritual habits, transforming parishes
What does it take to build a thriving, faith-filled parish? In this episode, I sit down with Father Jamie Zarse, pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Shawnee, Kansas, to unpack his vision for renewing his parish—starting with a team of prayer warriors and leaders—and the spiritual habits that are transforming his community. From deeper devotion to the Eucharist and the Rosary to more frequent confession and scripture-based prayer, these simple yet powerful practices are sparking real change. Mass attendance is up by 18%, generosity is growing with an additional $408,000 in tithing, and parishioners are coming alive in their faith. Father Jamie also reveals why measuring spiritual progress and forming strong leadership teams are key to sustaining this momentum. He shares how his leadership team, a mix of staff and dedicated volunteers, meets weekly to ensure they are always working on the most important things. They even use innovative tools like QR code surveys during Mass to track engagement in key spiritual habits.
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Episode 161: Grow a Healthy Small Group Movement with Michael Hall
Episode | September 17th, 2024 | 56 mins 1 sec
archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic christian outreach, catholic ministry, cco, church community, church growth, community building, disciples, discipleship, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith formation, faith journey, healthy small groups, intentional accompaniment, jim jansen, making disciples, michael hall, missionary mindset, parish ministry, parish renewal, podcast, small group coaching, small group dynamics, small group leadership, small group movement, small group multiplication, small group strategies, small groups, spiritual growth
Small groups are vital for parish renewal—you might even be part of one yourself. But is your small group thriving and growing, or is it feeling a bit stagnant? Do you find it challenging to reach beyond the usual participants? And most importantly, are your small groups truly helping people grow in their faith journey? Today, I chat with Michael Hall, author of Intentional Accompaniment and a seasoned leader with Catholic Christian Outreach of Canada. Michael has a wealth of experience building and sustaining healthy small group movements, and he’s here to share some of the strategies and mindsets that can transform your small group from a stagnant gathering into a dynamic, missionary force. Whether you’re leading a small group, coordinating them for your parish, or simply a passionate member of one, this conversation is full of insights that can help you breathe new life into your small group ministry and make a real impact in your community.
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Episode 153: The Clear Path to Discipleship in a Rural Context
Episode | June 4th, 2024 | 52 mins 51 secs
archdioceseofomaha, biblestudy, catholic, catholic ministry, catholicpodcast, cedarcounty, christiancommunity, churchoutreach, communitybuilding, disciples, discipleship, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faithandfriendship, faithinaction, faithjourney, jakeolson, knoxcounty, making disciples, missionarydisciples, relationalevangelization, ruralevangelization, ruralministry, smallgroupministry
Did you know that on average, there’s only one priest for every 2,000 parishioners in our archdiocese? With such a large group to guide, you might wonder how it could be possible for parish leaders to help their people grow in discipleship and move towards sainthood. The Clear Path framework is key to success, but the challenge is greater in our rural communities where a single pastor often handles several parishes. To gain insight on these issues, I sit down with Jake Olson, the evangelization coordinator for Our Catholic Family, a group of parishes in the Northeast corner of Nebraska. Jake describes the clear path as a bowling alley where our ultimate goal (heaven) is like bowling a strike, and the clear path consists of bumpers that keep us aligned towards this goal. Tune in to hear Jake’s practical advice and heartfelt experiences. He shows us how small actions and genuine connections can lead to profound spiritual growth and community transformation. Whether you’re in a bustling city or a quiet rural town, these timeless principles of evangelization are universally applicable.
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Coach's Corner 3: When Events Don't Make a Difference
Episode | February 28th, 2023 | 10 mins 18 secs
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Ever poured your heart into planning an event, only to see the enthusiasm fade away soon after it ends, leaving you wondering what could have been done differently? Let's dive into the art of event planning and execution together, unveiling five simple yet impactful tips to create events that resonate and nurture spiritual growth.
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Coach's Corner 2: Closing Churches
Episode | February 7th, 2023 | 8 mins 16 secs
archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, christian witness, church building preservation, church closures, church growth strategies, church leadership, closing churches, community engagement, cultural transformation, equipcast, faith renewal, missionary identity, new evangelization, pastoral vision, worship renewal
Did you know that in July of this year more than 20 parishes in our diocese will cease having Sunday Mass? Maybe one of these parishes is your own. The cessation of Sunday Mass will be one of the hardest events for faithful Catholics to process. It feels like the death of a loved one. However, this is not the first time God's people have had to deal with their worship in a particular place coming to an end. I’d like to offer lessons from the past. Why is this happening and what should our response be?