Description You may not realize it, but the truth is, inside of you are an unlimited number of great stories to tell. For some people, a rare few actually, this is self-evident - stories just seem to flow out as easily as the next breath. For most, though, it’s a slog - we either keep coming back to the same stories over and over OR we try to come up with new ones, but just can’t seem to recall anything worth sharing. This is a pain point for people giving talks on a regular basis - BECAUSE stor...
Nov 11, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 85
Description We’ve got a hot one here folks! So many people are asking the question nowadays “How do I get into Catholic speaking?” or “How do I become a Catholic speaker?” and so often the line from Jeff Goldblum’s character in Jurassic Park comes to mind in response. He famously says to the owner of Jurassic Park - "your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should” And that’s where my conversation with Marcel LeJeune goes right at the ...
Nov 04, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Description When you're handed a microphone in front of a group of people, I’m guessing you have a plan for what you're going to say. But I don't think we always plan on preparing for what will be heard. In this episode Ryan continues his four part series on “Four Pillars of Great Talk”. Today’s episode is on the third pillar, “Make it Applicable” on knowing your audience. The other two that have been covered in the podcast are: “Make it Compelling”, episode 59, “How to Have Something to Say” ht...
Oct 28, 2024•22 min•Season 3Ep. 83
Description It turns out that hip-hop and preaching have a lot more in common than one might think. In fact, at the core of both of them is an incredible (and surprising) overlap. My guest today, Oscar Rivera, taught me so much about the beauty, authenticity, and creativity of hip-hop culture and how, in him, (and you too) these same gifts need to shine through our ministry of preaching and teaching in Catholic settings. Stick around. This is an unforgettable conversation. Oscar Rivera Jr. (a.k....
Oct 21, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 82
Description Should’ve seen this one coming, but didn’t. From discussing “why do we sing?” to how to break down invisible barriers with audiences - that all leads to “owning the hell out of talks.” In this fantastically unique conversation Abe Gross shares his unique perspective on teaching and preaching from the perspective of a super gifted worship leader (and speaker too!). Abe Gross is the Music Director for Saint Paul’s Outreach. After serving for 10 years as a Missionary and Leader in SPO, ...
Oct 14, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Description You want a surefire way to look like a prideful unprofessional punk as a speaker: BLOW THROUGH THE ALLOTTED TIME GIVEN. :) That'll do it, for sure! In this episode Ryan discusses "why this happens", "why it matters", and "what we can do about it." Links For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel. Better Preach is a proud member of Spoke Street , a Catholic Podcast Net...
Oct 07, 2024•23 min•Season 3Ep. 80
Description In Dostoevsky’s novel, the Idiot, the character Prince Myshkin declares “Beauty will save the world”, This truth and goodness behind this compelling statement has animated such prominent Catholic theologians as Cardinal Hans urs von Balthasar, Bishop Robert Barron, and many others in our day. And if can be so bold “beauty” might just save our talks too. And in my conversation today with Jimmy Mitchell we not only consider the ways in which this may be true in our preparation AND deli...
Sep 30, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 79
Description It says in James chapter 3 and I’m gonna paraphrase “If a man is able to control his tongue, he can control his whole life.” And in my conversation with OG Catholic podcaster Taylor Schroll, the theme woven throughout is how powerful the spoken word can be - both in a really funny story about one of his ‘worst’ talks, but also in Preaching in general. And more to the point, which WORDS or WORD do we emphasize when we preach. And do we bring the most powerful WORD to bear every time w...
Sep 23, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 78
Description Your talks for Catholic audiences are too complicated, And mine are too!. Ha! Whether it’s for teenagers, adults, or little kids we are packing way to much information into too tight spaces. So, as I’ve been asked to speak to Catholic Leaders about “How to Give a Good Talk”, I’ve developed four principles - CLEAR, COMPELLING, APPLICABLE and ACTIONABLE. These correspond to four questions every Catholic speaker should ask themselves as they are developing and delivering a talk: Is it C...
Sep 16, 2024•21 min•Season 3Ep. 77
Description Katie Hartfiel is a ‘speakers speaker’. She was called to speak, has many years of experience, is a mentor to others *and* works really hard on each talk BEFORE she steps on stage. It was the combination of hours of PREPARATION *and* PRACTICE that I think sets Katie apart. Her process is inspiring and super practical…something for each of us to learn from and imitate. Katie Hartfiel received her theology degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville and spent the following seven ...
Sep 09, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 76
Description Jim Beckman has seen it all. From being a part of the onset of Steubenville Conferences spreading nationally to ministering to Columbine High School students in the wake that tragedy to launching Y Disciple and so much more…he truly has had a generational impact on the Catholic Church in America. But that “impact” has a cost too…and we dig in to the mark that lifelong ministry can have - and the need for new ways of supporting people giving their lives to serve the Church. Jim Beckma...
Sep 02, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 75
Description Today’s episode is a new kind of episode. I plan during Season 3 to add Article Reviews and Book Discussions. Today is a solo episode where I share my three main takeaways from an article by Christian Smith, Sociologist at University of Notre Dame, on “Improving Catholic Homilies”. Here’s a link to the Article: Improving Catholic Homilies, Part 2: Less Moralism, More Gospel (00:27) Introducing the New Episode Format (00:53) Discussion on Christian Smith's Article (02:32) Key Takeaway...
Aug 26, 2024•20 min•Season 3Ep. 74
Description When it comes to speaking to Catholic audiences where does one BEGIN when preparing a talk? Where do you begin? I know too often I begin with: “have I given a talk on this topic before?” or “whats inspiring me lately?”. Again, nothing wrong with either of these, but are either of these the most important place to start? Well my guest today has some convictions around this question, and you’ve got to stick around to hear all about it. Chika Anyanwu is a Catholic evangelist, former Con...
Aug 19, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 73
Description A powerful theme emerged throughout this conversation which was “how do you know when to pivot” from what’s been planned. AND HOW EXACTLY do you do it? This is one of the hardest skills to master for people new to giving talks in Catholic settings…and there are no hard/fast rules. In each instance…there is a judgment call made, sometimes in just a few seconds to STAY the COURSE or to PIVOT. Brian Greenfield and I dig deep into this question. As you’ll see, it takes a whole lot of pra...
Aug 12, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 72
Description Today is episode 71, Quick Reactions from the Eucharistic Congress with Ennie Hickman. So I was on the prowl from the moment I landed in Indianapolis until this morning, that was like 10 days ago, I was dead set on connecting with my guest today, my first ever guest on the podcast, any Hickman. And so I brought my stuff to Indianapolis, but that didn't work out to connect up our schedules were. Wild and we didn't even see each other until the last night at about 11 PM. Um, so then we...
Jul 29, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 71
Description This has come up over and over again. You know, talking with people who experience a call and a desire to do more speaking in Catholic settings, either because it's part of their job in ministry with young people or their directors of faith formation, or their priests or deacons or whatever it might be. But there's also this idea that what if additionally there may be other talks that I might be able to give in particular settings locally, nationally, regionally, again, whatever that...
Jul 11, 2024•31 min•Season 3Ep. 70
Description With every new generation, evangelists, preachers and teachers MUST ADAPT if we hope that this new generation will HEAR THE GOOD NEWS and wholeheartedly RESPOND to it’s promises. This week I sit down with someone who is serving, teaching, and preaching on the front lines at one of reaching Gen-Z. Dr. Andrew Swafford is professor of theology at Benedictine College, where he teaches courses on Scripture, St. John Paul II, and the moral and spiritual life. Among his publications are his...
Jul 08, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 69
Description This week’s episode is a dream come true. From the first time I pressed record on the podcast till now, I have hoped to support everyday people working in the Church with giving talks - YMs, DREs, Deacons, Campus Ministers, etc.. And it’s happened! Today is proof positive. Not long after I started this Podcast, my guest today Nick Longo reached out to share his appreciation for the show and the growth in giving Catholic talks that he was seeing in his ministry. And a few months back ...
Jul 01, 2024•47 min•Season 3Ep. 68
Description Today is a special episode, because in the last year, about 12 months to be exact I took the biggest leap of faith of my life. It all came to pass at a four-day silent retreat last summer where Jesus invited me to “feed his sheep”, to leave SPO and the comfort of a steady paycheck, and GO full-time, preaching and teaching. Here were the words that I believe Jesus spoke to me that put the final nail in the coffin, of my discernment. “If you love me and for only as long as you love me,...
Jun 24, 2024•18 min•Season 3Ep. 67
Description Barbara Heil is a former Protestant Pastor and Minister who is celebrating her 10th year in the Roman Catholic Church. Barbara speaks nationally and around the world, sharing her passion for the Gospel, and inviting others to encounter God in a deeper way. God wants to speak HIS MESSAGE through you. Has that sunk in?? That this isn’t my message, your message, but God’s message. We go DEEP into this IDEA today on the podcast…WHY we must focus on God’s word and what God wants to say an...
Jun 17, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 66
Description Fr. Alex Colautti is the vocations director for the Companions of the Cross, a religious community of charismatic Catholic priests. He is a co-author of Preaching on Purpose: A Divine Renovation Handbook for Communicating the Gospel Today. Fr Alex lives to see people come into a life-transforming encounter with Jesus in the Power of the Holy Spirit. And today we…dig into his book and two BIG IDEAS around HOMILIES… - One church, one message - Preaching as a Team And before we start, b...
Jun 10, 2024•59 min•Season 3Ep. 65
Description I’ll be back w in a few weeks time, BUT in the meantime I wanted to share, for the next couple of weeks, some of my favorite interviews from early in Season 1. Last week I re-shared my interview with Sarah Kaczmarek, today I want to share my convo w Dan DeMatte - one of the founders of Damascus and it’s Executive Director of Missions and Advancement. ++ If you are speaking to Catholic audiences you don’t want to just to pass on correct information, you want to make a deep impact. But...
Jan 15, 2024•37 min
Description This is a bonus replay of my original conversation, back in Summer of 2022, with Sarah Kaczmarek. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with new episodes for Season 3. In the meantime, enjoy this powerful conversation with one of the best in the business! 1. How crucial is it that the message you are sharing into a microphone matches up with who you are without a microphone? 2. What are the challenges and superpowers for Catholic speakers who are introverts? 3. Is it possible to redeem p...
Jan 08, 2024•47 min
Description In this week’s episode I sit down, again, with trusty occasional co-host, Connor Flanagan, to discuss the how, why, and how to get better at using vulnerability in talks, particularly through storytelling - Download PDF Overview of Episode 64: Vulnerability through Storytelling - Link to “Matt Regitz” episode on Better Preach - Link to “Craig Groeschel” episode on this leadership podcast. - Here’s a link to the 2023 Better Preach survey ! Links For more information about the Better P...
Dec 18, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 64
Description What is the interplay, in Catholic preaching and teaching, between the natural gifts of communication and charisma and God’s supernatural power moving through the speaker and audience. How do these things complement (or cancel out) the other? In my far-reaching and fascinating conversation with Deacon Keith Strohm, we jump right into what makes for good and bad homilies, how he prepares for preaching at the Liturgy, and the role of the Spirit and Spiritual Warfare in teaching and pre...
Dec 11, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 63
Description The way that you improve is to get feedback and to ask people for their input. So often, those of us who are, are speaking or leading, we have just one perspective. It's helpful but I know that I can't see everything that needs to be seen about this podcast. Your perspective is invaluable. As we prepare for season three, I've put together a very simple listener survey. I'm talking 10 questions, 10 minutes max. Could even be quicker than that. Click the link below! Here’s a link to th...
Dec 04, 2023•6 min
Description We love to overcomplicate things. Let me restate that. I love to over complicate things. More of a really good thing - like preaching the Gospel - has to be better right?!? Not always. In my conversation today with Pete Burds he shares how his approach to giving Catholic talks has shifted and developed over the years. And what he chooses to prioritize in a 30 min talk might surprise you. It did me. And I’m the better for it! And ironically, my first title for this podcast was super c...
Nov 27, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 62
Description Every talk that I give, I want to make sure that there are three things that are really easy for the audience. I want to make sure that the talk is easy to follow. Easy to remember and thus easy to apply. And while there are a number of factors that go into this, and this podcast is dedicated to the many and varied ways to do all three of these things, there's no magic bullet. And while there's no magic bullet, I'm convinced that I found, and I'm love to hear your experience too, lik...
Nov 20, 2023•22 min•Season 2Ep. 61
Description I can’t tell you how many things I’ve learned how to do by watching video tutorials on YouTube, just for this podcast alone..but it doesn’t stop there - plumbing, drywall, auto repair - you name it! YouTube is incredible because any one of these ‘how to’ videos combine all three styles of learning. You can see and hear and learn exactly the steps you need to take to find a broken piece of glass that might be causing your dishwasher to not drain all the way.. And one of my favorite mo...
Nov 13, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 60
Description I want to give you simple and practical tips to ensure, every time you speak to Catholic audiences, that you absolutely have something to say; something worth listening to and acting on. In this episode I will share four things that need to be true of the words you use when you speak about the Catholic faith. Download PDF Overview of Episode 59: How to Have Something to Say Links For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach Better Preach ...
Nov 06, 2023•25 min•Season 2Ep. 59
