The buzz phrase "Meet people where they are!" has been around for a while now. Pope Francis often concretizes this in a call to go out and be with those who are suffering. While many of us are no stranger to caring for the physical needs of others, we know that the spiritual poverty of the United States is where the greatest need lies. So, how do we meet people where they are when the need is intangible? One tool that my team, The Parish Support Team, has found to be very useful is the Threshold...
Aug 16, 2022•47 min•Ep. 94
This week I talk to a friend in the Diocese of Houma Thibodaux. If you couldn't tell by the hard to pronounce spelling, that's in Louisiana. There, they also have a Parish Support Team tasked with helping pastors and parishes become missional communities. I've looked to them for more than a year now as an example for my team. One of the most surprising things we've learned? How to pray more intentionally about the work that we do. Tune in to hear some really practical advice for hearing the voic...
Aug 09, 2022•46 min•Ep. 93
As much as I would like them to, our episodes on stewardship do not do as well as our episodes on evangelization. We are so used to thinking about stewardship as just giving money to keep the lights of our parish on. While this kind of generosity is good, a cultivating a Culture of Generosity takes so much more. In fact, we know, through parables such as the rich man and Lazarus, that generosity is one of the keys to sanctity. So, I encourage you to give today's episode a chance. Dave Baranowski...
Aug 02, 2022•49 min•Ep. 92
The end to abortion is here! ...Legally...at the federal level. While we should celebrate a major victory in the fight against abortion, the work has really just begun. If we want to end abortion, not just make it illegal, then we have to change minds and hearts. Today's guest, Katherine Burow, tells us "A lot of people are pro-choice because they've never heard a compelling secular argument." Katherines work as the Executive Director of the Abortion Dialogue Academy is to end abortion by changi...
Jun 28, 2022•46 min•Ep. 91
Let's talk about productivity. There is this lie that is a two-edged sword in the Christian world. For some, getting tasks done does not come naturally, and so it can rob them of the peace that comes with a relationship with God. On the other hand, we often deeply feel the urgency that comes with a call from God causing us to "over produce" or to work ourselves to the bone in order to "achieve" His will. Neither is good. Growing in skills of execution can help us be productive without falling in...
Jun 21, 2022•8 min
The Archdiocese's Big Goal, each parish in the Archdiocese of Omaha will be a missional community, has three characteristics: collaborative leadership, a clear path to discipleship, and a culture of generosity. I believe we can't talk about these enough. So today, I have another episode on the clear path to discipleship for you. In many ways, the clear path isn't a new idea; it's just a new expression of something that is as old as the Church. Thus, people don't respond negatively to it, but I h...
Jun 14, 2022•45 min•Ep. 90
With the Journey of Faith underway, the words “flourishing” and “missional community” have become buzzwords in our diocese. Many good people have been asking, “Wait…ARE we a missional community? What does it even mean for an entire parish to be missional?” We have a definition: an outward looking group of disciples, under the care of a pastor, sent by Jesus to make disciples. However, a definition is only a starting point for understanding, so today, I bring you You Might Be a Missional Communit...
Jun 07, 2022•37 min•Ep. 89
Making the shift towards becoming a missional community, whether that's in a parish or a ministry, often means taking steps into the unknown. It means opening ourselves to new the things that God desires for us, and as silly as it might sound, good meetings are important to discerning the steps to following his will. But, have you ever had the experience of going to a meeting, having good discussion, getting through the entire agenda only to discover that you didn't actually talk about the most ...
May 31, 2022•12 min
As the archdiocese goes through the pastoral planning process called Journey of Faith, I'm sure you've heard some of the statistics. One of the most striking is: Since 2003, Mass attendance in the archdiocese has declined by 42%. This is more than a number; it's souls. Who comes to mind when you think about that reality? A friend? Neighbor? Siblings or children? We all have someone who has left the Catholic faith, and I hazard to guess that this causes all of us some grief. We want to know why p...
May 24, 2022•40 min•Ep. 88
I’ve got a program this is going to change hearts and transform lives! It builds relationships, causes conversions, and could be a real blessing to your parish, BUT there’s a catch… Program’s aren’t silver bullets, and they can’t survive in a vacuum. A program that works has: a goal for success a target audience that isn’t defined by age or state of life a support system of ongoing relationships disciples who are working together to shift parish culture All this may seem like a lot, but today’s ...
May 17, 2022•41 min•Ep. 87
One thing the pandemic taught me is that people are starving for friendship. It is unfortunately easy to go through life making surface level connections with people but not to form the deep bonds of true friendship. We can be surrounded by people and yet feel so very alone. And so, today I bring you Austin Casselberry, a person that I like to call a “prophet of friendship”. He offers wisdom on how to intentionally cultivate friendships with true depth. A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha E...
May 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 86
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Are you convinced that Jesus’s death and resurrection can have a profound impact on your life and on the lives of others? If yes, are you comfortable and confident sharing that good news with others? Jesus has changed my life, and I want others to have that same experience. However, it took me a long time to feel comfortable sharing the gospel, and it took a lot of practice to share it well. How do I reflect on the work Jesus is doing in my life and share it in a...
Apr 26, 2022•14 min
“We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!” This season is meant to have a lasting effect on our lives, so today, I invite you to pause and reflect. Archbishop Lucas gives his insights on the resurrection and his desire for each of us to experience the grace of Easter personally. A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)
Apr 19, 2022•25 min•Ep. 85
As disciples, we are called to "give back" or to steward the gifts that we have been given by God. I'd be very surprised if this was a new concept to any of you. However, an area where most of us are less comfortable is development. Asking a person directly for money is a difficult conversation without the right perspective and tools. Today's guest, Chris Kuetemeyer, is a professional in the world of development and a former FOCUS missionary. He understands that to ask for money, he needs to fir...
Apr 05, 2022•39 min•Ep. 84
Danny Leger, cofounder of Hope of the Poor, walks us through how to talk to the homeless. A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Mar 29, 2022•9 min
If I were to sit you down and say, “You are about to experience a big life change”, what would be your first reaction? Does the word “change” invoke dread or excitement? No matter who you are, a priest, a parish staff member, or an engaged parishioner, you know that bringing about change can be very difficult. Deciding on and implementing a new program is often the easy part. Helping parishioners shift their attitudes and habits is where it gets tricky. So, if you’ve ever experienced change and ...
Mar 22, 2022•44 min•Ep. 83
As a director at the Archdiocese, I'm given free stuff all the time. Typically, we're talking sample materials for the latest evangelization or catechetical program. I pass these along to one of my staff to review, and if it's good, I might see it again. A few months ago, I received a box that looked beautiful like it came out of a pottery barn catalog, and it said "Mend" on the top. I walked it down to Jodi Phillip's office (our Catechetical Specialist) fully intending to hand it off. But when ...
Mar 15, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 82
Do you know your parish's vision statement? If you are like me, your answer might be, "Uh...it's in the bulletin?" And if you've been around the Church long enough and you've seen various ineffective vision statements, you might think that they are just corporate jargon. (And they very much can be!) But Proverbs 29:18 says "Where there is no vision, the people perish." And Jesus himself left us with a vision statement, "Go and make disciples!" (Matt 28:19) So what do we mean by vision? And how c...
Mar 08, 2022•44 min•Ep. 81
One of my favorite parts of the Archdiocesan Vision is the call to Live Mercy. I've had friends from Hope of the Poor on the show before, and their stories about their work in Mexico are inspiring. But today, I want to bring it closer to home. Least of My Brethren serves the homeless in the Omaha & Council Bluffs metro. This ministry was started by parishioners of St. Patrick's Parish in Gretna, and when they talked about their work with the community, it grew exponentially. They now find ho...
Mar 01, 2022•41 min•Ep. 80
Today, I get to sit down with staff from the Diocese of Wichita, a diocese known for its stewardship. A long time ago, they realized that Time, Talent, and Treasure had become synonymous with church chores and duty. But as Audrey tells us, "We don't want something FROM you; we want something FOR you." Specifically, we want you to have a relationship with Jesus and to grow in your faith. Stewardship is only meaningful when it comes from the heart of a disciple because only then it is the fruit of...
Feb 22, 2022•45 min•Ep. 79
By now, you probably know that I love small groups! I've even gone so far as to claim that small groups will be one of the major things that bring renewal to our Church. So today, I want to pause for a moment with Kendra Meuret. She went from being in a small group simply because she was longing for friendship. to leading a small group because she recognized other people needed what she had found. Here experience is ordinary, and so hopefully, will inspire those of you who just want to take a fi...
Feb 15, 2022•38 min•Ep. 78
JPII once said that "Ecclesial movements…represent one of the most significant fruits of that springtime in the Church which was foretold by the Second Vatican Council." When you think of these movement, you might think of FOCUS or Communion and Liberation. But one of the Archdiocese's best kept secrets is the ecclesial movements that are making disciples in our spanish speaking communities. They are beautiful examples of disciples evangelizing their communities. Today, I talk to Mirna Chich-Pri...
Feb 08, 2022•41 min•Ep. 77
This week, we celebrate one of the richest traditions in the Archdiocese of Omaha, our Catholic Schools. And we do it by ...sending our children to class in their pajamas. But really, while the celebrations may at times seem a bit silly, Catholic Schools are more often than not the primary expression of the parish's mission to make disciples. Unfortunately, the fact that the parish and the school share this mission is often forgotten. Or worse, the burden to catechize is misplaced, and schools a...
Feb 01, 2022•42 min•Ep. 76
Do you ever feel like a stranger in your own parish community? The larger our parishes grow, the harder it can be to feel known. If our goal is to continue to bring people to Jesus, and thus, to grow our parishes, we have to start asking, "What's next? What does my parish provide for people after they encounter Jesus?" There are many things that a growing disciples needs to encourage them in the faith, but I think the one we forget most often is fellowship (Acts 2:42). So, today I introduce to y...
Jan 25, 2022•41 min•Ep. 75
If you have been listening to the EquipCast for a while, you know that the Clear Path to Discipleship is one of the Key Characteristics of a Missional Church. Even though I've talked about this characteristic a lot, I still find that there are misconceptions about it. So I ask Andy Dejka, one of the Coaches on the Parish Support Team, to break it down in 10 minutes. (Well, actually it took him 13, but I promise the extra 3 minutes are worth it!) Special Guest: Andy Dejka.
Jan 18, 2022•13 min
Adam Ybarra was far from the prefect evangelist when, as a newly initiated FOCUS missionary, he inherited Curtis Martin's bible study group. In fact, much of his personal story involves being "under construction" while still being an instrument for the Lord. Today, I set out to talk with Adam about the Habit of Invitation, but what I got instead was so much more. While he does walk us through the do's and don'ts of inviting other people to the faith, what Adam really tells us is: It's okay to gr...
Jan 11, 2022•39 min•Ep. 74
If the title of our podcast, the EquipCast, wasn’t obvious enough, I think it is incredibly important to equip lay people as leaders for mission. But have you ever tried to teach someone a new skill and had them fall flat on their face? You may even have thought that person had great potential only to be disappointed. Oftentimes, it’s not the lack of potential or enthusiasm that was a fault. It’s the lack of accompaniment. Today’s Skill Demo teaches the Method of Mentorship. A Production of the ...
Dec 14, 2021•10 min
It's not popular to be Christian. And I don't know about you, but sometimes that makes it hard for me to be vulnerable. Sharing my beliefs and inviting others into my very Christian life takes some holy boldness...some courage. So, today is our third deep-dive into one of the habits form the 2021 Pastoral Conference: Invitation. Pat Dempsey walks us through the ways he finds occasions for invitation. A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)...
Nov 30, 2021•54 min•Ep. 73
I feel like God is constantly calling me to a deeper level of reliance on Him. As I seek to grow as a missionary disciple, so often, I think "I don't know what I'm doing!" And so, what does a missionary disciple do when they want to do the will of God but they don't feel entirely ready? Pray! Be in conversation with Jesus. Again, I want to bring you into a deeper conversation with one of our guests from the 2021 Pastoral Conference. Jessi Kary provides examples of how a missionary disciple prays...
Nov 23, 2021•42 min•Ep. 72
Recently, the Archbishop hosted the 2021 Pastoral Conference. There he commissioned us, the people that he shepherds, to live out four habits of discipleship: Prayer, Compassion, Friendship, and Invitation. Today, I want to do a deep-dive with you on one of those habits: Friendship. What can a ministry of Friendship look like? Does it have to be complicated, or can it be simple, clear, and easy? Continue the Conversation to hear from about one of the friendships highlighted at the Pastoral Confe...
Nov 16, 2021•49 min•Ep. 71
