March 19, 2026

151| How to Identify Your Parish’s Target Audience

24 minutes

Every parish wants to reach more people, but where do you begin? In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson sits down with Fr. John Sullivan, pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Chatham, Massachusetts, to talk about how defining a clear target audience can transform the way a parish approaches ministry.

You may have heard of “Timonium Tim,” the persona developed at Church of the Nativity to help guide evangelization efforts. Fr. John shares how he adapted that concept for his own parish and created “Chatham Chuck,” a simple way to keep the mission of evangelization front and center in parish life.

Throughout the conversation, Fr. John explains how understanding the people in the pews shaped his preaching, hospitality, and leadership decisions. He also offers practical encouragement for parish leaders who feel discouraged by slow progress, reminding us that renewal in the Church is often a long and faithful work.

Key Takeaways

Defining a clear target audience helps parishes stay focused on their mission of evangelization

• Many parishes must first help those already in the pews deepen their faith before reaching outward

• Renewal takes persistence and patience. Transformation rarely happens overnight

• A welcoming weekend experience helps visitors quickly feel like part of the community

• Listening to the stories of your parishioners can reveal important insights about your parish culture

Want to know if your parish is ready to reach more people? Take a few minutes to reflect on where your parish stands with this free Grow Wider Self Evaluation.

https://download.rebuiltparish.com/widerevaluation

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:03 Meet Fr. John Sullivan from Holy Redeemer Parish

01:56 What “Timonium Tim” Means for Parish Evangelization

02:11 How “Chatham Chuck” Was Created

04:47 Understanding Your Parish Community

06:15 Leading Through Criticism and Change

06:43 Using Message Series to Reach People in the Pews

09:54 Who Is “Chatham Chuck”?

12:33 Why Parish Renewal Takes Time

15:57 Hospitality and the Weekend Experience

17:18 Avoiding Mission Drift in Parish Leadership

19:02 Helping Parishioners Evangelize Their Families

20:36 Staying Faithful in Ministry Leadership

22:16 First Steps for Identifying Your Parish Audience

24:32 Final Encouragement for Parish Leaders

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