The EquipCast

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.

Episode 207: Holy Simplicity: When Clutter Competes With Your Calling

Episode  |  February 17th, 2026  |  1 hr

archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic discipleship, catholic family life, catholic homemaking, catholic inspiration, catholic minimalism, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, catholic simplicity, catholic spirituality, catholic vocation, clutter and calling, create space for god, decluttering your home, detachment, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, hear god clearly, holy simplicity, intentional living, katie sciba, living your calling, making disciples, peaceful home, simplicity consultant, simplify your life, spiritual decluttering, spiritual freedom

Episode 206: Dying Well: A Catholic Neurosurgeon's Insights on Life and Death

Episode  |  February 10th, 2026  |  51 mins 19 secs

archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic bioethics, catholic end of life care, catholic ministry, christian suffering, death and dying, disciples, dr. stephen doran, dying with dignity, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, hope in death, how to die well, making disciples, spiritual accompaniment

What does it mean to face death well? In this conversation, Steve and I talk about the healing that comes when we confront our mortality and the immense dignity that every person deserves at the end of life. Steve shares the story of his father in law’s beautiful passing, the principles every Catholic should understand about end of life care, and the spiritual posture that transforms fear into hope.

Episode 201: Where is God Leading You? An Ignatian Approach to Setting Goals

Episode  |  December 9th, 2025  |  1 hr 20 secs

archdiocese of omaha, archdiocese of omaha podcast, catholic, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, christian goal setting, discernment tools, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith and goals, goal setting with god, ignatian spirituality, ignatian-inspired process, lisa kelly, living with purpose, making disciples, prayerful planning, spiritual clarity, spiritual discernment, spiritual growth, the spiritual path book

Feeling stuck and longing for clarity? I invite you to take a moment to pause, pray, and discern where God is calling you. Today’s guest, Lisa Kelly, leadership coach, author of The Spiritual Path, and expert in Ignatian spirituality, shares an Ignatian-inspired process that helps you slow down, notice what’s stirring in your heart, and make choices with clarity and peace. If you’ve ever wondered, “Where is God leading me?” this conversation will give you hope and courage for the road ahead.

Episode 198: The Key to More Vocations: Creating Safe Spaces for Faith to Flourish

Episode  |  November 4th, 2025  |  45 mins 11 secs

archdiocese of omaha, authentic relationships, calling, catholic, catholic community, catholic education, catholic ministry, catholic parents, catholic podcast, catholic schools, catholic storytelling, catholic vocations, discernment journey, disciples, discipleship, equipcast, eucharist, evangelism, evangelization, faith and culture, faith formation, fr. scott schilmoeller, jim jansen, making disciples, mentoring youth, newman center, prayer life, priesthood, religious life, safe spaces for faith, small groups, spiritual growth, vocation discernment, vocational crisis, vocations, young adults, youth ministry

Coach's Corner 24: When You’re Stuck at Step One

Episode  |  October 28th, 2025  |  11 mins 9 secs

archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, disciples, discipleship tools, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith in action, leadership development, making disciples, ministry growth, mission strategy, overcoming perfectionism, small beginnings, starting small

BONUS: 3 Reasons You Should Join us at SEEK!

Episode  |  October 28th, 2025  |  8 mins 17 secs

adult faith formation, archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic conference, catholic evangelization, catholic events, catholic inspiration, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, church alive, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith and family, focus seek, jim jansen podcast, making disciples, missionary discipleship, parish renewal, seek 2026, spiritual renewal

Imagine standing among thousands of faithful Catholics, voices lifted in prayer and praise. In that moment, you can feel the Church fully alive—young, reverent, and on fire for mission. In this short bonus episode, I share a personal story from my family and three compelling reasons why SEEK might be exactly what your heart’s been longing for. Whether you’re craving hope, community, or a deeper sense of purpose, this isn’t just a conference—it’s a chance to be renewed. Give it a listen, and let the Spirit stir something new in you.

Episode 196: The Quiet Crisis in Our Pews: Why Saving Marriages will Save the Faith

Episode  |  October 14th, 2025  |  1 hr 2 mins

catholic family life, catholic marriage support, catholic podcast, clear path to discipleship, communio, divorce prevention, equipcast, evangelization through relationships, marriage ministry, parish growth strategies, parish outreach, parish renewal, quiet crisis in parishes, relationship enrichment, skills-based relationship ministry

What if saving a marriage could save a soul? In this episode, I sit down with Jared Smyth from Communio a consultancy helping parishes build thriving marriage ministries. We talk about the quiet crisis unfolding in our parishes—and the incredible hope breaking through. Parishes that invest just a few hours into helping couples build stronger relationships are seeing renewal from the inside out: healed marriages, thriving families, and faith coming alive again.

Episode 194: When Missionaries Stall-out: My Clear Path Talk at SEEK 2025

Episode  |  September 23rd, 2025  |  28 mins 37 secs

archdiocese of omaha, catholic community, catholic evangelization strategy, catholic podcast, church culture change, church leadership, clear path to discipleship, equipcast, evangelization, faith formation, focus missionaries, jim jansen, making disciples, missionary discipleship, parish renewal, parish transformation, personal apostolate, seek conference, small group ministry, spiritual growth

What happens when a parish full of on-fire missionaries still stalls out? I saw it happen—and it taught me something big: even the most passionate disciples need a clear path and a culture that supports mission. In this episode, I share why real change is worth the discomfort, and how parishes can shift from “cruise ship mode” to “fire station mode”—where mission is normal and conversion is celebrated.

Episode 193: When Ordinary People Say Yes: The story of Seeking Truth Bible Study

Episode  |  September 16th, 2025  |  56 mins 31 secs

archdiocese of omaha, bible study, biblical literacy, canonical approach, catholic bible study, catholic community, catholic education, catholic evangelization, catholic family life, catholic marriage, catholic podcast, catholic resources, equipcast, faith formation, family transformation, feminine genius, holy spirit, jim jansen, marriage healing, omaha catholics, prayer life, scripture study tools, scripture teaching, seeking truth, sharon doran, spiritual direction, spiritual renewal, typology in scripture, women in ministry, word of god

What happens when ordinary people open the Bible and say “yes” to God? Sharon Doran shares her journey from unequipped teacher to leading hundreds—proof that Scripture isn’t just ink on a page—it’s alive. Tune in to hear how Scripture heals, unites, and brings unexpected fruit to ordinary people.