The EquipCast

Happy Easter! I pray that you receive all the graces God has on offer during this season.

As St. Paul says, "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain". And so, I want Easter to have lasting meaning to each of our lives. Thus today, I give you a moment to pause and reflect. 

For this EquipCast, we invited Fr. Taylor Leffler to reflect on the resurrection, the road to Emmaus, and what all this means for our life.

May it be as fruitful for you as it was a joy for me to record.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

This episode is a Skill Demo, videoed and produced for our Equip website. We've cut and posted it here on our podcast, but if you'd like to see the presenter’s delightful face or access the resources, head over to Equip.Archomaha.org.

Beth Carlson takes us through a practical demonstration of how to lead group lectio using ARRR.

When I hear the word stewardship, I think of money...and I bet most of you do as well. But stewardship is more than fundraising and fundraisers. A good steward connections people with the mission and ministries of the Church. 

Today, I talk with our Stewardship and Development Office, and they challenge us to stop selling magazines and start selling the mission. Fundraisers are transactional, but when a parish raises money, it should be transformational because good stewardship can lead to deeper conversion.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Special Guest: Shannan Brommer.

How well do you know your neighbors? Do you want them to know Jesus and be his disciples?

The Thresholds of Evangelization give us a mental framework to approach our neighbors and to engage them in conversations about faith, but at the level they are comfortable with.

Today, I want to share with you a conversation that I had with some old friends. Aaron and Brooke Keller have committed themselves to not only making friends with their neighbors but to bringing Jesus into the lives of their neighbors.

And, I promise, they aren’t weird!

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Have you ever been on a mission trip? Chances are, if you have, that you went to a different state or even a different country.

On today’s EquipCast, I talk with Hope of the Poor. While they do have a ministry to the poor in Mexico, their mission is first to evangelize. Yes, they bring Jesus to the poor that they serve, but more than that, they also help the Americans that they bring to Mexico to see Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor.

The goal is then to help these same Americans find a mission field in their own backyard.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

I've been on many teams throughout my career with FOCUS and at the Archdiocese. One thing I've learned is that for a team to be truly collaborative, it must have prayer as a foundation.

This foundation of prayer not only leads to greater trust among team members, it also keeps our team goals focused on God's mission for us. Effective team prayer offers the opportunity for teams to grow and discern together.

Today's podcast offers 5 principles for effective team prayer.

Special Guest: Andy Dejka.

Have you ever wondered about the difference between a ministry and an apostolate? Until recently, I hadn’t. These words seem like synonyms, and talking about their differences feels a bit like quibbling or semantics. However, because we’ve forgotten the difference, most of the energy in our parishes goes toward building up ministries. But without the apostolate of the laity, the Church becomes a country club, only concerned with serving its members.

So what is an apostolate? And how does remembering help the lay faithful evangelize? Join us for a conversation with Peter Andrastek, Senior Consultant at The Evangelical Catholic, as we discuss the pivotal role of the lay apostolate and practical advice for both parishioners and church leaders to foster personal holiness and effective apostolate in various contexts.

[01:25] Peter's Faith Journey

Resources

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Do you meet resistance when you talk about your pro-life beliefs? Do you find it hard to understand why anyone would be in favor of abortion? The truth about abortion seems so obvious, and yet, so many of our family and friends don’t agree with us. The fact is since the passing of Roe vs. Wade, our American culture has changed considerably, and we must be willing to reframe the debate in order to reach people.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Special Guest: Whitney Bradley.

Have you ever had something important happen in your life and had no one to share it with? Did you know that the average American hasn’t made a friend in the last five years?

As Catholics, we know that community is integral to the faith, and yet, so many in the Body of Christ feel disconnected and alone.

I’d like to propose a solution: small groups.

Small groups give us the opportunity to enter into life with individuals and to form relationships. They allow us to live and grow in the faith in a way that is otherwise impossible when we do not have a consistent and intentional way of journeying together.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Special Guest: Calvin Mueller.

Part 2 of our talk with Michael Gormley. This time he talks about the parish as a school of discipleship and how all evangelization must prioritize people.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Special Guest: Michael Gormley.