The Rebuilt Parish Podcast

In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Brandon Hollern returns to unpack a topic many parish leaders avoid - but can’t afford to ignore: metrics. Brandon reframes parish numbers not as cold data points, but as indicators of real people, real stories, and real souls. Drawing from his experience at Church of the Nativity, Brandon explains how tracking attendance, giving, small groups, and se...

Pastors carry more than most parishioners will ever see—and when they’re supported well, the whole parish gets healthier. In this episode, Melissa sits down with Henry White, Assistant to the Pastor at Church of the Nativity, to hear his faith story (including a very real season of wrestling with belief and the Catholic Church), how God opened an unexpected door into parish ministry, and what it l...

 What if conversations about giving felt less like “asking for money” and more like helping people talk with God about the gifts He’s entrusted to them? In this episode, Melissa sits down with Charlie Hiebler, Director of Stewardship for both Church of the Nativity and Rebuilt, to unpack a deeply relational—and deeply pastoral—approach to stewardship. Charlie shares how gratitude, visibility, and...

What happens when the interviewer becomes the guest? In this episode, Tom flips the script and sits down with Melissa to hear her story—from a “cradle Catholic” upbringing (and a surprising family connection to parish life), to an eighth-grade encounter with the Holy Spirit, to seasons of doubt, leadership lessons from Target, and the moment God pulled her back into the Church in a deeper way. Mel...

In this episode, Melissa and Tom sit down with Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS, to explore what it truly takes to form missionary disciples in our time. Curtis shares his own journey back to Christ and back to the Catholic Church, the heartbeat behind FOCUS, and why evangelization begins not with programs but with people rooted in prayer. He unpacks the simple, relational, and deeply biblical meth...

In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa sits down with longtime Church of the Nativity parishioner and volunteer minister, Eva Fiastro, who has been connected to Nativity for over 40 years (and whose husband goes all the way back to the “Mass-in-the-middle-school” days). Eva shares a vivid before-and-after picture of Christmas Eve at Nativity—from a stressful holy day of obligation...

Tom and Melissa sit down with Jeff Cavins—Catholic speaker, author, and creator of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible. Jeff shares his powerful journey from leaving the Church to coming back to the Catholic Church with a renewed fire for Scripture. He talks about how people truly meet Jesus in the Church, why priests must preach so the Word lands in everyday life, and how Scripture moves people fr...

In this episode, Melissa talks with Casey Phillips and Micah Johnson from the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington, Kentucky — the first cathedral to partner with Rebuilt. They share their honest, often funny journey from “closet Rebuilt meetings” to a thriving culture of hospitality, alignment, and mission. Hear how they moved from simply maintaining programs to forming disciples, the practi...

Jason Simon shares his journey from an evangelical Protestant upbringing to entering the Catholic Church—and ultimately leading Evangelical Catholic. He unpacks what “missionary discipleship” really means (hint: it’s not a buzzword), why true formation begins in communion (small, deep relationships), and how parishes of any size can build a replicable, dialogical process that sends everyday Cathol...

Creative Director Kathy O’Leary (New Roads Catholic Community, MA) joins Melissa to share a decade of parish renewal experience: saying yes to coaching, building a weekend experience for newcomers, preaching in message series, and shifting staff from “doing ministry” to equipping ministers. Kathy unpacks Boston’s Disciples in Mission collaborative model, why New Roads chose its name from Pope Fran...

In this very special (and longest-ever!) episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson and Tom Corcoran sit down with legendary pastor and author Rick Warren — founder of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church. Rick reflects on how he mentored Fr. Michael White and Tom during the earliest days of the Rebuilt movement and shares wisdom from...

When Rebuilt first introduced the idea of preaching in message series to him, Fr. Mark Peacock wanted nothing to do with it. “How could I possibly talk about one topic for five weeks?” he remembers thinking. In this candid conversation, he shares how partnership, planning, and prayer helped him move from resistance to enthusiasm — and how preaching in series has transformed Holy Spirit Parish. Fr....

What actually works in Catholic youth ministry right now? Dan DeMatte shares how Damascus is forming 30,000+ young people each year through high-adventure Catholic camps and year-round missions—combining ropes courses, paintball, and beach time with Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer labs, and small groups. We unpack the “culture of encounter” (with God and with one another), why play is a pathwa...

Where do you start with parish renewal—and how do you keep it practical? Maria Pulitano unpacks Rebuilt’s Equip Courses: short, action-oriented video series with workbooks that help pastors and parish leaders take clear first steps (and next steps) across the Four Anchors of renewal. From onboarding new staff to aligning councils and launching small groups, Maria shares how parishes use these cour...

How do you help parishioners move from consumers to disciples? Tom Corcoran shares the story behind STEPS (Rebuilt’s simple path of discipleship), why he and Fr. Michael wrote Rebuilt Faith for people in the pews, and how a new YouVersion Bible App plan makes daily formation easy and communal. You’ll hear how Nativity and partner parishes have used STEPS to launch small groups, increase serving an...

“Sunday is always coming.” In this episode, Colleen Droney shares how Rebuilt’s Content Library helps pastors and parish teams preach in message series aligned to the Catholic lectionary, launch small groups, and support Children’s Liturgy of the Word—without starting from scratch. Colleen traces the Library’s roots at Church of the Nativity, explains the “One Church, One Message” framework, and o...

How do you build a worship culture—not just a music set? In this Rebuilt Conference breakout, worship leader Simon Piles (Church of the Nativity) shares a practical, parish-tested playbook for clarifying vision, recruiting and developing a team, aligning tech and space (including using lighting as “architecture”), and creating campus-wide moments that form people in praise. He makes a clear case t...

In this episode, Biblical scholar Dr. Mary Healy pours into pastors and parish leaders on cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and how that relationship drives parish renewal. She shares how Confirmation is meant to “perpetuate the grace of Pentecost,” why many never experience its full fruit, and how leaders can move parishes from maintenance to mission. From preach...

In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson sits down with Cynthia Marr, longtime music director at Ascension Parish in Sudbury MA, to talk about one of the most vital elements of the weekend experience: music. Cynthia shares her decades of experience in parish music ministry, what she learned from attending the Rebuilt Conference and visiting Nativity, and how her parish has...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Lisa Brenninkmeyer, founder of Walking with Purpose, to hear her powerful story of faith, conversion, and mission. Lisa shares her journey from an evangelical Protestant background to embracing the Catholic Church, the struggles she faced with poor formation and belonging, and the transformative moments that shaped her ministry. Together with Tom and Mel...

In this episode, Tom and Melissa sit down with Chris Stefanick—international speaker, author, and founder of Real Life Catholic—to talk about the heart of evangelization today. Chris shares his own conversion story, why he’s passionate about parish-based evangelization, and how he’s seen God work powerfully through simple faithfulness. Together, we discuss the challenge of reaching the de-churched...

Join Melissa Wilkinson and Mia Corcoran as they delve into the transformative power of faith, healing, and community in the Church of the Nativity. Discover how personal experiences and spiritual revelations have shaped their journey and inspired others.   Join us for our FREE Workshops - back in session in September: https://www.rebuiltparish.com/workshops      Key Takeaways Embracing Change: Mia...

Join Melissa Wilkinson as she welcomes Bob Boulter, Director of Member Care at Church of the Nativity, to discuss the journey of deepening faith while working in a church setting. Bob shares his unique experiences from both the corporate and church worlds, offering insights into the challenges and rewards of living a faith-driven life. Key Highlights:  Bob's diverse religious upbringing and journe...

Join us for our FREE Workshops - back in session in September: https://www.rebuiltparish.com/workshops     In this engaging podcast episode, Debbie Pine, a Pastoral Associate at one of our Partner Parishes, St. Alexander in Fonthill, Ontario, shares her journey from personal faith to becoming a ministry leader. She discusses the importance of community in faith, the challenges and rewards of launc...

Join us in this insightful episode of the Rebuilt Parish podcast as we sit down with David Chrzan, a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in church leadership. Discover the profound connection between David and Tom and dive into the behind-the-scenes stories of working with renowned churches like Saddleback and Life. Church. Listen in to explore the impact of the YouVersion Bible app....