The EquipCast
Practical Evangelization & Parish Ministry Tools for Catholic Leaders
Displaying items 11-15 of 15 in total of The EquipCast with the tag "missionary discipleship".
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How to Choose (Part 1): Conversion Moment
Episode | August 5th, 2025 | 1 hr 20 secs
alpha program, archdiocese of omaha, bilingual ministry, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic ministry, catholic parish strategy, catholic podcast, catholic retreats, catholic small groups, christlife, clear path ministry, conversion moment, discernment in ministry, disciples, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization tools, faith formation, hospitality in ministry, making disciples, missionary discipleship, parish leadership, parish renewal, spiritual conversion, unity in diversity
Need help choosing steps on the Clear Path of Discipleship that fit your community? Today, we dive into the heart of missionary transformation: the conversion moment. I sit down with my team to unpack why these moments matter—and how they’re changing lives in real time. You’ll hear unforgettable stories (like a bartender who became a parish secretary) and see how ministries like Alpha, ChristLife, and parish retreats are helping people truly encounter Jesus. But this isn’t just about programs. It’s about creating space for people to meet Jesus—and letting that encounter ripple out into the life of your parish. We talk about what’s working, what’s not, and how to choose a format that actually fits your community. We also get real about the challenges—and the surprising opportunities—of doing this in diverse or bilingual settings. If you're trying to figure out where to start, or wondering how to take your next step toward a more missionary parish, this episode is for you. Get ready to think big—and start small.
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Coach's Corner 20: Healthy Roots Equal Abundant Fruits – Church Growth Explained
Episode | May 13th, 2025 | 8 mins 16 secs
archdiocese of omaha, catholic, catholic ministry, church community, church growth, church leadership, disciples, discipleship, equipcast, evangelism, evangelization, faith formation, fruit tree metaphor, healthy ministries, making disciples, ministry success, missionary discipleship, parish ministry, root and branches, spiritual growth, vibrant church
What’s the one thing that can produce lasting fruit in our parish ministries? If we want to see real growth in areas like attendance, vocations, and community life, we must focus on making and maturing disciples. There are no shortcuts—superficial fixes won’t yield lasting change. True fruitfulness comes from healthy individuals, thriving ministries, and a clear vision rooted in mission. In this episode, I break it all down using the metaphor of a fruit tree—and show why discipleship is the key to everything.
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Episode 171: Transform Your Parish: Fr. James Mallon on Evangelization, Discipleship, and Church Growth
Episode | January 14th, 2025 | 1 hr 6 mins
archdiocese of omaha, breaking barriers, catholic, catholic ministry, church leadership, church transformation, cultural shift, disciples, divine renovation, evangelism, evangelization, faith community, fr. james mallon, holy spirit, leadership, making disciples, missionary discipleship, missionary focus, parish culture shift, parish evangelization, parish renewal, pastoral activity, personal encounter with jesus, renewing faith, spiritual growth
Pope John Paul II tells us that “evangelization is the cornerstone of all pastoral action, the demands of which are primary, preeminent and preferential.” Yet, let’s be real—how often do we actually see this lived out in our parishes? Evangelization tends to take a back seat, overshadowed by other priorities, rarely making it into budgets or staffing plans. But here’s the truth: holiness and orthodoxy aren’t enough on their own to renew a parish. This week, I sit down with Fr. James Mallon, the author of Divine Renovation, to talk about how we can create parishes that inspire a commitment to Christ and cultivate a dynamic, engaged faith community. We dive into what it takes to make evangelization the heart of parish life, break through cultural barriers, and build leadership teams that lead with purpose.
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Step 1: Relational Outreach – The Ministries that Make Up a Clear Path of Discipleship
Episode | October 1st, 2024 | 59 mins 26 secs
building authentic friendships, catholic, catholic evangelization, catholic ministry, catholic retreats, college ministry, community building in parishes, creating welcoming environments, disciples, effective parish events, engaging non-practicing catholics, evangelism, evangelization, evangelization techniques, faith community, faith formation, hospitality in ministry, intentional outreach, jpii newman center, making disciples, missionary discipleship, overcoming outreach challenges, parish outreach strategies, personal stories of faith, relational outreach, small group bible studies
Do you have a way to introduce your non-practicing friends and family members to your faith community that doesn’t involve inviting them to Mass or other gatherings that might make them feel isolated? Does your parish offer a space where you can meet and build trusting relationships with those distant from their faith? The Clear Path step Relational Outreach is designed for just that. My guests, Katie Winkler and Beth Carlson, share their experience at the JPII Newman Center, where they’ve created spaces for authentic friendships to flourish. They discuss the importance of intentionality in outreach, creating welcoming environments, and the role of personal stories and experiences in building genuine connections. Katie and Beth also highlight the challenges and learning opportunities in outreach efforts, emphasizing the need for patience and persistence in forming meaningful relationships.
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Episode 32: Missional Amnesia
Episode | September 29th, 2020 | 48 mins 42 secs
alpha program, apostolic age, archdiocese of omaha, catholic culture change, catholic discipleship, catholic evangelization, catholic family evangelization, catholic leadership, catholic mission, catholic outreach, catholic parish leadership, catholic podcast, church growth strategy, divine renovation, equipcast, evangelization strategy, faith crisis, fr. jeff lorig, jim jansen, joy of the gospel, missional community, missionary discipleship, outreach to the unchurched, parish renewal, parish transformation, pope francis evangelization, rcia reform, spiritual renewal, the unstuck church, tony morgan
Have you ever used a Catholic buzz word like missionary disciple or missional church and received blank looks in return? It’s a surprising experience, but the reality is many Catholics still don’t know what the word missional means. It used to be that missionaries were the people who traveled to Africa, and the Church in America grew because Catholics had big families. Our biggest problem used to be caring for all of the people who came to the Church’s doorstep, but now, we find ourselves trying to proclaim the Gospel to a world that doesn’t know much about who Jesus is or what the Church is really about. Many of us even know a family member or friend who has walked away from the faith, but it’s often difficult for us to believe that this is part of a larger cultural trend. However, the reality is that the city of Omaha is among the top 30 most secular or “post-Christian” cities in the US. Collectively, we have missional amnesia. We’ve forgotten that we are called to go and make disciples. We lack an imagination around what a missional church looks likes because, until recently, we haven’t had to be one. So, what do you say to someone who asks what a missional church is? Tune in to hear Fr. Lorig and Jim Jansen's musings on this topic.