Summary

Charlotte McCorquodale, co-founder of Ministry Training Source, discusses the challenges and joys of pastoral leaders serving young Catholics. She highlights the need for pastors and ministry leaders to be on the same page regarding expectations and measuring success. McCorquodale emphasizes the importance of listening to the community's needs and sharing the stories of young people to inspire and recruit others. She also mentions strategies such as weekly video podcast messages and utilizing technology to engage and impact the community.

The conversation explores the importance of building relationships with young people and the shift towards smaller, more intimate youth ministry models. It also highlights the need for support and formation for pastoral ministry leaders. The guest shares her insights on the future direction of youth and young adult ministry, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and sustainable models. The conversation concludes with advice for new ecclesial ministry leaders and a message of hope for the Church.

Takeaways

• Pastoral leaders face challenges in justifying their role and dealing with an expectations gap.
• Listening to the needs of the community is crucial for effective ministry.
• Sharing the stories of young people can inspire and recruit others.
• Strategies such as weekly video podcast messages and utilizing technology can engage and impact the community. Building relationships with young people is crucial in youth ministry
• There is a shift towards smaller, more intimate youth ministry models
• Pastoral ministry leaders need support and formation
• There is hope for the Church through the dedication and love of pastoral leaders

Sound Bites:

"Pastoral leaders of youth and young adult ministries are a conundrum of joy-filled ministers serving in a bleak post-COVID mission field."

"The decline of youth ministry and youth ministry leaders may lead to a decline in ministry leaders in general."

"Getting people on the same page about measuring success is critical."

Charlotte Recommends:

Wired to Series by Britt Andreatta

Follow Charlotte:

Ministry Training Source

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Summary

Scott Williams, the owner of Catholic Concepts, discusses his journey from ministry to entrepreneurship and the development of his flagship brand, Sock Religious. He shares how his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for ministry influenced his decision to start his own business.

Scott also discusses the challenges he faced and his intentional approach to developing new products. He emphasizes the importance of living out his Catholic faith in his business and how Catholic social teaching guides its operations. Catholic Concepts aims to start conversations about the Catholic faith through joyful products. They want to be a spark that develops conversations and empowers people to share their faith.

The company has impacted the founder's faith and helped him live out his faith more authentically. It engages the Catholic community by partnering with organizations and providing merchandise for events. Its vision is to make ministry and evangelization easier and become a dream place for people to work and make a difference in the Church. It also wants to help parishes by developing products and services that serve the Church in a unique way.

Takeaways

• Scott Williams transitioned from ministry to entrepreneurship and started Catholic Concepts, which owns Sock Religious, a Catholic sock company.
• The entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to serve the Church influenced Scott's decision to start his own business.
• Scott emphasizes the importance of living out his Catholic faith in his business and using Catholic social teaching as a guide.
• Product development at Catholic Concepts involves intentionality, brainstorming sessions, and incorporating customer requests.
• Christmas is the busiest season for Catholic Concepts, followed by Easter, Father's Day, Mother's Day, and sacramental seasons. Catholic Concepts aims to start conversations about the Catholic faith through joyful products.
• The company has impacted the founder's personal faith and helped him live out his faith more authentically.
• They engage the Catholic community by partnering with organizations and providing merchandise for events.
• Their vision is to make ministry and evangelization easier and become a dream place for people to work and make a difference in the Church.
• They also want to help parishes by developing products and services that serve the Church in a unique way.

Sound Bites

• "We like to start conversations through joyful products."

Scott Recommends:

All In: How Great Leaders Build Unstoppable Teams by Mike Michalowicz

Follow Scott:

Sockreligious.com

Catholic Concepts

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Summary

Regina Boyd, a therapist, and founder of Boyd Counseling Services, shares her journey into counseling and the inspiration behind her book 'Leaving Lonely Behind.' The conversation delves into the importance of vulnerability, mental health challenges in ministry, and the role of the church in addressing mental health issues. We also explore the intersection of faith, therapy, and mental health within the context of ecclesial ministry. It delves into the importance of finding therapists who hold a similar worldview, the bright spots in addressing mental health issues within the church, and the significance of setting boundaries in ministry. The conversation also touches on the impact of social media and the hope it brings for evangelization in the church.

Takeaways

• The importance of vulnerability in building strong relationships and addressing loneliness.
• The need for mental health awareness and support in ministry settings.
• The role of the church in normalizing conversations about mental health and providing resources for mental health challenges. The importance of finding therapists who hold a similar worldview to provide effective therapy within the context of faith and church teachings.
• The significance of setting boundaries in ministry to prevent burnout and maintain enthusiasm for the work.
• The hope and potential of social media for evangelization and creating dialogues within the church community.

Sound Bites

"You can't give what you don't have, right? You have to have that full cup to pour into people.”

Follow Regina: https://www.reginaboyd.com/

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Summary:

Cynthia Psencik, the Mentoring Program and Alumni Director at the Given Institute, joins us to discuss the organization's mission to activate the gifts of young adult women for the Church and the world. The Given Institute offers leadership training, faith formation, and a year-long mentoring program for young women.

Cynthia emphasizes the importance of equipping and empowering women in all areas of the Church, not just in ministry roles. She encourages young women starting out in ministry to explore different areas, find a support network, set boundaries, and prioritize self-care.

Cynthia also shares the challenges she faced as a leader in ministry and the importance of finding support and setting expectations. She expresses gratitude for her time in the Archdiocese of New York and the opportunities it provided for her growth as a leader. She highlights the need for dioceses and parishes to support and sponsor women to attend the Given conference. Cynthia's hope for the Church is that more women will listen to the voice of God and respond to His invitation to use their gifts for the transformation of the Church.

Takeaways

• The Given Institute activates the gifts of young adult women for the Church and the world through leadership training, faith formation, and mentoring.
• Women in the Church have unique perspectives and gifts to offer, and it is important to provide them with platforms and support to share their ideas and contribute to the Church.
• Young women starting out in ministry should explore different areas, find a support network, set boundaries, and prioritize self-care.
• Diocesan leaders and lay leaders in the Church would benefit from more formation and training, especially in areas like staff management and HR.
• Creating a balance between ministry and personal life is crucial to avoid burnout and maintain overall well-being. Leaders in ministry need support and guidance to effectively lead their staff and hold them accountable.
• It is important to set realistic expectations for yourself and your staff and to seek support when needed.
• Gratitude should be expressed for the opportunities and challenges that have shaped one's leadership journey.
• Investing in the leadership development of young women is crucial for the future of the Church.
• Dioceses and parishes should sponsor women to attend leadership conferences and provide ongoing support and mentorship.

Sound Bites

"Maybe I've gotten as far in this ministry as I needed to... Sometimes we can stay beyond because we're comfortable."

Cynthia Recommends:

Bible in a Year

The House of Pines

Follow Cynthia: https://giveninstitute.com/

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Summary

Matthan Teves, a media enthusiast and content creator, discusses his passion for using media and film as a gift to the Church. He shares his experience working as an associate for live streaming and creative content at St. Joseph's parish and emphasizes the importance of capturing the Holy Spirit in media production. Matthan also talks about his project, Project Faith Moves, which combines his love for dance and faith. He highlights the role of community in ministry and the need for young people to realize that the Church needs them and their innovative ideas.

Episode Takeaways:

• Using media and film as a gift to the Church can be a powerful way to capture the Holy Spirit and share the faith.
• Community is essential in ministry, providing accountability, support, and the opportunity to use one's talents for the Church.
• Young people have a unique perspective and skill set that can be harnessed to engage others and bring them closer to the Church.
• The Church needs young people to step up and contribute their innovative ideas and talents to help spread the faith.
• Capturing the Holy Spirit in media production requires reverence, authenticity, and a focus on the viewer's experience.

Sound Bites from Matthan

• "Don't try to capture something or don't try to set up artificially what's happening. But instead capture the Holy Spirit."

• "Put ourselves in the audience viewer perspective and receive it how we would want to receive."

• "The market in a way is not saturated in a way where there's true competition. We're all fighting for souls and fighting together in a way."

Matthan Recommends:

Spider Man: Into the Spiderverse

Follow Matthan: https://linktr.ee/matteverse

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GET CUSTOM GEAR for your next ministry event from our partner 4 Marks Printing. They make ministry and evangelization easier! Visit 4marksprinting.com/churchpod for more.

MYM MERCH: Show off some humor and what you do with awesome t-shirts from Marathon Youth Ministry’s Store. Visit HERE to see what we have.

Dive into an enlightening episode with Craig Gould as he unravels the profound impact of asking questions within ministry leadership. This conversation isn’t just about techniques—it’s a deeper exploration of how questions can transform relationships and enhance spiritual growth both for leaders and those they guide.

We kick off the discussion by framing the act of asking questions as a fundamental aspect of discipleship. They explore how this approach helps leaders not only better to understand the needs and aspirations of their communities but also to forge stronger connections with the individuals they serve.

The conversation delves into leaders' inherent challenges when adopting a question-based approach. From overcoming personal barriers to addressing the broader cultural hesitations within organizations, they discuss strategies for embracing inquiry as a primary tool in leadership.

Highlighting the transformative power of questions, Craig shares insights into how effective questioning can lead to significant self-discovery and mutual growth. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the personal stories and experiences of community members, fostering a deeper engagement and sense of belonging.

The discussion emphasizes the crucial shift from a directive to an inquisitive leadership style. By prioritizing questions over quick answers, leaders can cultivate a culture that values continuous learning and open dialogue, enhancing their ministries' overall health and dynamism.

Key Takeaways

• The role of questioning in deepening discipleship and enhancing leader-community connections.
• Overcoming the challenges associated with implementing a question-based leadership approach.
• The benefits of fostering self-discovery and growth through effective questioning.
• Strategies for creating a ministry culture that embraces and prioritizes inquiry.
• The importance of engaging and empowering the laity in the evangelization and growth of the church.

Follow Craig: McGrath Institute For Church Life

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SHOP SOCK RELIGIOUS: Evangelize with funny Catholic shirts and epic saint socks that you can buy at sockreligious.com

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MYM MERCH: Show off some humor and what you do with awesome t-shirts from Marathon Youth Ministry’s Store. Visit HERE to see what we have.