The EquipCast

Episode 199: Pilgrims of Hope: The Recipe for Lasting Parish Renewal with Julianne Stanz

Episode  |  November 11th, 2025  |  1 hr 7 mins

archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic ministry, catholic parish renewal, church change management, disciples, discipleship in action, evangelism, evangelization, faith-based leadership, julianne stanz, loyola press, making disciples, managing church change, ministry transformation, parish leadership, pastoral planning

What if the secret to transforming your parish isn’t doing more—but praying more deeply and trusting God to lead? We’ve seen it happen. The Diocese of Green Bay started small, rooted everything in prayer, and asked the Holy Spirit to guide them. The results were beyond what they imagined: seminarians doubled, schools flourished, and parishes once half-empty now overflow. In this episode, I talk with Julianne Stanz—a nationally recognized leader in evangelization whose own encounter with God set her on this path—about the real ingredients for lasting renewal. Together, we explore how prayer, vision, relationships, and simple, steady steps can turn hope into a movement. It’s not a program; it’s a way of life that lets God bring new life to His Church.

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 197: Meet Your Neighbor in Their Mess: The Call to Parish Outreach

Episode  |  October 21st, 2025  |  58 mins 59 secs

archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, corporal and spiritual works of mercy, disciples, door-to-door evangelization, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization stories, loving your neighbor, making disciples, neighborhood ministry, parish mission field, parish outreach, scent evangelization

What does it really mean to love your neighbor—not just in theory, but in their mess? In this episode, I sit down with Austin Habash from Sent Evangelization, and we talk about what happens when we actually step out and meet people where they are. How knocking on doors leads to praying with strangers, and how helping with small needs opens the way for grace. Austin shares stories that are raw, beautiful, and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt the tug to do something more, to bring Jesus to your neighborhood in a real and personal way, this conversation will inspire you and give you a path forward. You don’t have to be perfect—you just have to show up.

Coach's Corner 23: Why Your Parish's Small Groups Don't Last

Episode  |  September 30th, 2025  |  12 mins 13 secs

archdiocese of omaha, build parish community, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic ministry, catholic small groups, culture of accompaniment, disciples, equipcast podcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith that multiplies, grow your faith, lead with purpose, making disciples, mission-driven ministry, spiritual leadership, transformative discipleship

Small groups are both easier—and more challenging—than we think. They’re not sustained by participants or materials alone, but by vision, culture, and structure. In this episode, I share why small groups can be pandemic-proof, recession-proof, even persecution-proof—if they’re rooted in mission, shaped by a culture of accompaniment, and supported by strong leadership structures. Discover how to build small groups that don’t just care for those inside the room, but expand outward to transform your parish and beyond.

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 192: How to Lead Change Without Losing Your People

Episode  |  September 9th, 2025  |  48 mins 48 secs

adaptive change, archdiocese of omaha, brian miller, catholic, catholic ministry, change management, christian podcast, church innovation, church leadership, coach approach ministries, coaching ministry, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith and change, jim jansen, leadership development, leading through uncertainty, making disciples, managing change, organizational change, pastoral leadership, religious leadership, spiritual growth, temptation bundling, vision casting

How do you lead change when you don’t know where you are going (yet)? Today I sit down with Brian Miller, a change management expert from Coach Approach Ministries, to talk about adaptive change. Adaptive change is when you know something needs to change, but you don’t yet know what the solution is. It’s not just fixing a broken pipe—it’s realizing the whole plumbing system might need to be rethought. It’s the kind of change that requires people to shift their values, beliefs, and behaviors, not just learn a new skill. And that’s why it’s hard—because it’s not just about doing something different, it’s about becoming someone different. When you lead this kind of change, the danger isn’t just that people leave—it’s that they check out. So Brian focuses on the following things: keep the pace people can handle, invite them into shaping the vision, really listen to the voices of concern, and anchor the change in habits and identity. That way, people don’t just stick around—they stay engaged in the mission.

Episode 191: Real Christian Unity: How to Have Ecumenical Conversations with More Mercy Apostolate

Episode  |  September 2nd, 2025  |  1 hr 4 mins

archdiocese of omaha, building community, catholic, catholic ministry, catholic podcast, church engagement, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization strategies, faith formation, intentional hospitality, making disciples, missionary disciples, neighborhood ministry, outreach discernment, outreach events, outreach planning, parish leadership, parish ministry, parish renewal, pre-evangelization, relational outreach, small group outreach, spiritual accompaniment

Can real friendship heal division in the Church? When I sit with John 17, I’m struck that He was praying for a unity that’s visible, relational, and compelling—a unity that makes the world stop and notice that He was sent by the Father. That kind of unity shows up in real friendships, in shared service, in conversations where we seek truth together—not to win an argument, but to love each other well and grow together, even when we don’t see eye to eye. It’s messy, but it’s also where the Lord does His best work. In this episode of EquipCast, I sit down with Max Chapman and Jeremiah Zimmerman from the More Mercy apostolate to talk about what this looks like in real life. Max shares how praying with John 17 sparked a deep desire in him to build bridges with Christians from other traditions. What started as simple conversations turned into friendships that not only challenged him but also strengthened his Catholic faith. You’ll hear why unity isn’t just an ideal for theologians—it’s something we’re all called to live, one relationship at a time.

How to Choose (Part 4): Relational Outreach

Episode  |  August 26th, 2025  |  56 mins 39 secs

archdiocese of omaha, building community, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic ministry, catholic outreach ideas, catholic podcast, disciples, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization training, faith formation, intentional hospitality, making disciples, missionary disciples, neighborhood ministry, outreach discernment, outreach strategies, parish engagement, parish leadership, parish ministry, parish renewal, relational ministry, relational outreach, small group ministry

What if your parish’s most “welcoming” events are actually pushing people away? In this episode, I sit down with the team to unpack the surprising truth about relational outreach—and why it’s often the last step parishes build, even though it’s the first step many people need. We talk about what makes outreach truly relational (hint: it’s not donuts after Mass), how to create spaces where people feel like they belong before they believe, and why introverts might just be your parish’s secret evangelization weapon. If you’ve ever wondered how to reach people who’ve drifted from the Church—or never really connected in the first place—this one’s for you.