Dan is the Executive Director at Damascus, where he helps young people, parents, and youth ministers who struggle with cultural confusion, lack of leadership opportunities, and spiritual uncertainty to encounter Christ, develop virtuous leadership, and become confident missionary disciples.
Top 5 Insights from Dan DeMatte
• The power of a “missionary mindset” rooted in core values: Jesus-centeredness, mission focus, joy, obedience, and humble service (faith, family, leadership formation)
• The importance of equipping youth and young adults not just as consumers, but as leaders and multipliers of positive culture (youth empowerment, leadership development)
• Why team-based leadership outperforms individual efforts and accelerates growth in ministry and organizations (collaboration, values-driven teams, growth strategy)
• How leaders should invest their energy—by focusing on forming top leaders, listening to the Holy Spirit, and pursuing faithfulness over instant results (authentic leadership, spiritual discernment, discipline)
• The keys to scaling purpose-driven organizations: cultivate big vision, stay grounded in humility, discern whether to pioneer or partner, and commit to the “long-game” of fruitful impact (virtuous ambition, community, sustainable leadership)
Timestamps:
00:00 Meet Dan DeMatte: Empowering Youth through Faith and Leadership
00:31 Scaling Impact: Multiplying Missionaries and Reaching Thousands
01:34 Forming Leaders: The Missionary Mindset Approach
03:32 Core Values in Action: What Is the Missionary Mindset?
04:22 God's Favor and the Story of Rapid Growth
05:59 From Teen Minister to National Leader: Dan's Journey
06:50 Advice to Young Leaders: Adversity, Humility, and Growth
08:19 Launching and Scaling Ministry: Keys to Fruitful Expansion
09:20 Leadership Focus: Raising Leaders and Discerning Vision
11:28 Dream Bigger: Consulting, Writing, and Ministry Advice
12:07 Top Takeaways from Dream Bigger: God-Sized Goals & Teamwork
14:36 The Power of Community: Avoiding Lone Ranger Ministry
14:48 The Greatest Challenge for Youth: Anxiety in the Information Age
17:13 Holiness Revolution: Orthodoxy vs. Orthopraxy in Modern Faith
19:31 Addressing Lifestyle Challenges: Addiction, Witness, and Community
21:13 Spiritual Growth: Breaking Chains and Restoring Innocence
22:48 Next Generation Parents: Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, and Hope
22:55 The Vision Ahead: Catholic Camps Nationwide and Transformative Encounters
24:05 Connect with Dan DeMatte: Resources and Where to Learn More
24:28 Final Words: Commitment, Virtuous Leadership, and God's Plan
Dan DeMatte
Executive Director, Damascus
🌐 Website: https://damascus.net/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan.dematte/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandematte/
👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.dematte
🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dandematte
📹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@damascusyouth
Dr. Johann D'Souza
Clinical Psychologist at Values First Therapy
🌐 https://www.valuesfirsttherapy.com/
🌐 https://www.valuesfirstcollective.com/
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanndsouza/
🐦 https://x.com/drjohanndsouza
View all episodes
By Values First Collective
5
1010 ratings
Dan is the Executive Director at Damascus, where he helps young people, parents, and youth ministers who struggle with cultural confusion, lack of leadership opportunities, and spiritual uncertainty to encounter Christ, develop virtuous leadership, and become confident missionary disciples.
Top 5 Insights from Dan DeMatte
• The power of a “missionary mindset” rooted in core values: Jesus-centeredness, mission focus, joy, obedience, and humble service (faith, family, leadership formation)
• The importance of equipping youth and young adults not just as consumers, but as leaders and multipliers of positive culture (youth empowerment, leadership development)
• Why team-based leadership outperforms individual efforts and accelerates growth in ministry and organizations (collaboration, values-driven teams, growth strategy)
• How leaders should invest their energy—by focusing on forming top leaders, listening to the Holy Spirit, and pursuing faithfulness over instant results (authentic leadership, spiritual discernment, discipline)
• The keys to scaling purpose-driven organizations: cultivate big vision, stay grounded in humility, discern whether to pioneer or partner, and commit to the “long-game” of fruitful impact (virtuous ambition, community, sustainable leadership)
Timestamps:
00:00 Meet Dan DeMatte: Empowering Youth through Faith and Leadership
00:31 Scaling Impact: Multiplying Missionaries and Reaching Thousands
01:34 Forming Leaders: The Missionary Mindset Approach
03:32 Core Values in Action: What Is the Missionary Mindset?
04:22 God's Favor and the Story of Rapid Growth
05:59 From Teen Minister to National Leader: Dan's Journey
06:50 Advice to Young Leaders: Adversity, Humility, and Growth
08:19 Launching and Scaling Ministry: Keys to Fruitful Expansion
09:20 Leadership Focus: Raising Leaders and Discerning Vision
11:28 Dream Bigger: Consulting, Writing, and Ministry Advice
12:07 Top Takeaways from Dream Bigger: God-Sized Goals & Teamwork
14:36 The Power of Community: Avoiding Lone Ranger Ministry
14:48 The Greatest Challenge for Youth: Anxiety in the Information Age
17:13 Holiness Revolution: Orthodoxy vs. Orthopraxy in Modern Faith
19:31 Addressing Lifestyle Challenges: Addiction, Witness, and Community
21:13 Spiritual Growth: Breaking Chains and Restoring Innocence
22:48 Next Generation Parents: Orthodoxy, Orthopraxy, and Hope
22:55 The Vision Ahead: Catholic Camps Nationwide and Transformative Encounters
24:05 Connect with Dan DeMatte: Resources and Where to Learn More
24:28 Final Words: Commitment, Virtuous Leadership, and God's Plan
Dan DeMatte
Executive Director, Damascus
🌐 Website: https://damascus.net/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan.dematte/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandematte/
👤 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.dematte
🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/dandematte
📹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@damascusyouth
Dr. Johann D'Souza
Clinical Psychologist at Values First Therapy
🌐 https://www.valuesfirsttherapy.com/
🌐 https://www.valuesfirstcollective.com/
💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanndsouza/
🐦 https://x.com/drjohanndsouza
7,698 Listeners
2,300 Listeners
13,051 Listeners
332 Listeners
8 Listeners
131 Listeners
5 Listeners
30 Listeners