The EquipCast

What is the Lord doing for you in prayer? As many of us know, life comes with suffering. Our daily struggles can so easily rattle us and disrupt our peace. This, then, creeps into the way we interact with God. Today, I bring you the story of Jill Ruskamp. She has built a personal manifesto around her prayer, collecting moments of inspiration, scripture passages, words from God, and key memories. N...

The culture is changing around us, and the things that used to grow the parish community no longer do. If we want to continue drawing others to Jesus, we must change the way we walk with people in the secular world. For most of us (dare I say ALL of us), this means venturing into the unknown. We are in uncharted territory and must figure out our way forward. Making this shift towards becoming a mi...

I know…I know! Talking about Lent in August feels like it should be in one of those “It’s too early for Christmas” memes. You guys know, I get really excited about the impact small groups can have on a parish, so I just couldn’t wait to share this story with you! Sacred Heart, a parish in Omaha, was able to use their Live Lent Together initiative to both bring parish leaders together and to reach...

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 inta...

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 intent...

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 i...

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." Kat...

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" Hi...

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 expres...

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...

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 discussi...

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 l...

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 d...

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 ho...

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...

“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)

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...

Danny Leger, cofounder of Hope of the Poor, walks us through how to talk to the homeless. A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

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...

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 d...

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 wi...

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 Gretn...

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. Stewardshi...

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 f...

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...