Todd and Wels sit down in the Twin Cities with longtime friend and collaborator Andy Gray, Executive Director of Catalyst for Harmony. From a heart attack the morning after announcing his transition to launch Catalyst, to building discipleship-centered cohorts and national Sankofa trips, Andy shares why nonprofit growth has to be intentional—rooted in vision, paced with patience, and supported by systems, brand, and storytelling. We also unpack VBG’s role in helping Catalyst translate mission into media, including documentary work from Sankofa journeys.

What You’ll Learn

• Why “build slow, build strong” beats quick wins for nonprofit impact

• How to stand up a new nonprofit: board, legal, finance, site, and fundraising platform

• The power of discipleship-driven formation over one-off events

• Why Sankofa trips create lasting empathy and multi-ethnic ministry momentum

• Practical advice for leaders: align vision with infrastructure and generational skill sets

• How brand, video, and web help unlock grants, partnerships, and community trust

Highlights & Timestamps

• 00:01 – Cold open and on-location intro from the Twin Cities

• 03:30 – Andy’s story: engineering, pastoring, then launching Catalyst for Harmony

• 07:12 – The moment that sparked action: Philando Castile, presence, and pastoral care

• 13:51 – 2020–2022: calling crystallizes, paperwork, launch—then recovery after a heart attack

• 23:08 – Starting a nonprofit: articles, board, payroll, website, and why details matter

• 28:05 – Visionaries need operators: pace yourself for five-year outcomes

• 31:12 – Generational collaboration: pairing mission with modern media and systems

• 36:42 – National Sankofa initiative, and the Flourishing Together Cohort model

• 40:15 – What’s next: more cohorts, a larger national trip, deeper church partnerships