The Rebuilt Parish Podcast

What does it mean to be truly rooted in faith, especially when parish life is changing around us? In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson is joined by Rebuilt Parish Executive Director Bill Baird and Dr. John Sehorn of the Augustine Institute for a rich conversation about theology, formation, leadership, and the importance of developing deep roots in Christ. Drawing from Scripture, the Church Fathers, and his own conversion to Catholicism, Dr. Sehorn explores why strong parish renewal requires more than programs or quick fixes. Sustainable growth comes when pastors, parish leaders, and disciples allow their roots to grow deep through Scripture, the sacraments, prayer, study, and an ongoing relationship with Christ. Explore graduate programs, theological formation, and resources from the Augustine Institute: https://augustine.edu Dr. Sehorn encourages parish leaders who feel called to deeper theological formation to “trust the process,” recognizing that formation happens over time through the life of the Church, Scripture, and the sacraments. Ready to bring your team together, deepen your leadership, and discern what God is calling your parish to do next? Join pastors and parish leaders from across the Church at the Rebuilt Conference, May 3–4, 2027, at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland. This year’s theme, Go Forward, will invite parish teams to move from inspiration to action through practical breakout sessions, meaningful conversations, prayer, and opportunities to learn alongside other leaders working to make disciples. Register and learn more: https://rebuiltconference.com Jesus, the Rich Young Man and the Meaning of Life by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran invites readers to consider what Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man reveals about discipleship, surrender, generosity, and the life God is calling us to live. Parishes can also access free resources designed for personal reflection, small groups, and parish-wide engagement. Explore the book and resources: https://download.rebuiltparish.com/richyoungman IN THIS EPISODE Melissa, Bill, and Dr. Sehorn discuss: Why Dr. Sehorn’s study of Scripture and the early Church eventually led him into full communion with the Catholic Church• Why disaffiliation is one of the major challenges facing parishes today• What people may be searching for when they return to faith, tradition, relationship, and community• Why “rootedness” matters for lasting parish growth• What the Church in Nigeria can teach us about faith, community, and parish life• How Colossians 2 offers a framework for forming Christian leaders• Why thanksgiving and the glory of God belong at the heart of missionary discipleship• How St. Paul models the connection between theology and pastoral leadership• What the Church Fathers can teach today’s pastors and parish leaders• Why there is no quick fix for deep spiritual formation• The importance of becoming a lifelong learner of the Catholic faith• How deeper formation helps the many pieces of our faith come together into one coherent whole One of the central images throughout the conversation is Jesus’ parable of the seed. Visible growth matters, but fruit that lasts requires roots that go deep. As Dr. Sehorn explains, parish programs and resources can serve that growth, but they must support the deeper work of being formed through the Word, the sacraments, and life in Christ. About Dr. John Sehorn: Dr. John Sehorn is a theologian and professor at the Augustine Institute. After being raised in a faithful Christian family, his study of Scripture and the early Church led him into full communion with the Catholic Church. He earned an M.A. in Early Christian Studies and a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame and has a particular love for the Church Fathers, including St. Augustine and St. Basil the Great. Rebuilt Parish helps Catholic pastors and parish leaders build healthy, growing parish communities focu

What does healthy parish leadership look like when the demands of ministry feel overwhelming? Fr. Paul MacNeil, pastor of St. Alexander Catholic Church in Fonthill, Ontario, returns to the Rebuilt Parish Podcast for a deeply personal conversation about priesthood, leadership, burnout, parish growth, and learning to lead from a place of peace. Fr. Paul shares the remarkable story of meeting both St. Teresa of Calcutta and St. John Paul II, including the words from Mother Teresa that helped lead him back to the seminary: “A vocation is a beautiful gift from God. Don’t throw it away.” He reflects on how that experience continues to shape his understanding of ministry today.He also speaks candidly about anxiety, burnout, counseling, and the importance of healthy relationships and support for priests and parish leaders. Then, he brings those lessons into parish leadership: trusting others, developing leaders, improving systems, creating ministries that can grow beyond one person, and helping parishioners take real ownership of the mission. Today, St. Alexander is seeing remarkable signs of growth. Weekend Mass attendance has grown significantly, the parish has added another Mass and an associate pastor, nearly 30 small groups are helping parishioners build relationships and grow in faith, and more lay leaders are stepping forward to lead and serve.For pastors and parish leaders carrying a heavy load, Fr. Paul offers a powerful reminder: we are not simply completing tasks or keeping ministries running. We are building the Kingdom of God. RESOURCES FOR YOUR PARISH 📖 Jesus, the Rich Young Man, and the Meaning of LifeLooking for a resource to help your parishioners grow deeper in discipleship? Explore free resources for Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran’s newest book, including the first chapter, reflection questions, and resources for parish-wide and small group use:https://download.rebuiltparish.com/richyoungman 🌊 REBUILT CONFERENCE 2027: GO FORWARDMay 3–4, 2027 | Church of the Nativity | Timonium, Maryland Bring your team and learn alongside pastors and parish leaders who are working to renew their parishes and make disciples. Dive deeper into leadership, small groups, volunteer ministry, creating an exceptional weekend experience, and more through 30+ breakout sessions. Register and learn more:https://rebuiltconference.com IN THIS EPISODE 00:19 – Welcome back, Fr. Paul MacNeil00:40 – Meeting Mother Teresa and St. John Paul II03:20 – The words from Mother Teresa that changed Fr. Paul’s vocation06:14 – Returning to faith and discovering a call to serve08:44 – What had to change in Fr. Paul before the parish could change09:39 – Anxiety, counseling, trust, and delegation12:08 – Understanding the “ladder” of anxiety, avoidance, and connection14:56 – Burnout in the priesthood and the importance of relationships18:07 – Protecting lay leaders from burnout too19:53 – Moving parishioners from helping Father to owning the mission20:20 – Using “lean thinking” to improve parish ministry23:22 – Responding to “we’ve always done it this way”25:38 – A heart ready to love and hands ready to serve27:03 – Remembering that we are building the Kingdom of God29:27 – Developing leaders who train the next generation of leaders32:45 – Helping ministry leaders invite and develop others34:32 – Creating a healthy leadership culture without fear or territorialism37:04 – The growth happening at St. Alexander41:40 – Nearly 30 small groups and growing participation43:08 – Better systems that help pastors know and serve their people44:44 – Fr. Paul’s encouragement for pastors and parish leaders45:53 – Closing prayer ABOUT REBUILT PARISH Rebuilt Parish partners with Catholic pastors and parish leaders who want to create thriving parish communities and make disciples. Through coaching, courses, workshops, resources, and the Rebuilt Conference, we help parish leaders create a clear pathway toward renewal. Learn more at https://rebuiltparish.com Catholic p

What if finding the right volunteers for your parish was less about filling empty spots and more about helping people discover how God has uniquely gifted them to serve? In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson sits down with Jill Simons, founder of Many Parts Ministries, to talk about charisms, volunteer ministry, and creating a parish culture where people serve from their God-given gifts. Learn more about Jill and Many Parts Ministries: ManyPartsMinistries.com or listen to the Charisms for Catholics Podcast Join us at the Rebuilt Conference 2027: May 3–4, 2027 at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland. Come connect with pastors and parish leaders, explore practical tools for building stronger ministry teams, and go deeper into topics like volunteer ministry, leadership development, and parish renewal. RebuiltConference.com Explore resources from Jesus, the Rich Young Man, and the Meaning of Life: rebuiltparish.com/richyoungman Jill shares how understanding charisms can help parish leaders move beyond relying on the same small group of volunteers and begin making more personal, meaningful invitations to serve. She also explains how Many Parts Ministries helps parishes assess charisms, gather useful data, and better understand where parishioners are on their discipleship path. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why charisms matter for the life and mission of a parish How to move beyond the “10% doing 90% of the work” dynamic Making personal invitations based on people’s gifts Using parish data to identify potential volunteer ministers Creating a culture that respects discernment and helps prevent burnout Why sometimes leaving a ministry role open can be better than filling it with the wrong person Practical first steps for introducing charism discernment in your parish One of the central ideas Jill shares is that parish ministry should not simply be about finding a “warm body” to fill a role. It is about recognizing the gifts the Holy Spirit has already placed within your parish and creating pathways for people to use those gifts well. Jill also encourages parish leaders to think beyond one-time volunteer recruitment and instead build a culture where discernment becomes part of how people understand their role in the Church. That means creating space for people to discover their gifts, make their best “yes,” and serve in ways that are sustainable and fruitful. For more from Jill, visit ManyPartsMinistries.com or listen to the Charisms for Catholics Podcast. Rate, Review, & Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts! “I love the Rebuilt Podcast! It’s helping my parish make strides in parish renewal!” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show! This helps us support more people just like you, take steps towards parish renewal and making disciples. Be sure to give us 5 stars, write a review and share what you loved most about the episode! https://www.rebuiltparish.com/ facebook.com/rebuiltparish instagram.com/rebuiltparish https://www.linkedin.com/company/rebuilt-parish/ https://www.youtube.com/@rebuiltparish Rebuilt Parish, Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Catholic parish renewal, parish volunteers, Catholic volunteers, volunteer ministry, parish ministry, finding volunteers, recruiting parish volunteers, Catholic leadership, parish leadership, charisms, Catholic charisms, spiritual gifts, discovering your charisms, God-given gifts, Many Parts Ministries, Jill Simons, Charisms for Catholics, volunteer burnout, ministry burnout, parish engagement, parishioner engagement, discipleship, discipleship path, building parish culture, Catholic stewardship, stewardship renewal, ministry discernment, volunteer discernment, Catholic ministry, parish staff, Catholic pastors, church volunteers, parish transformation, making disciples, leadership development, volunteer recruitment

Generosity in a parish starts with a simple but sometimes uncomfortable step: you have to ask. In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson and Tom Corcoran sit down with David Gaines, a Catholic business leader, parishioner, and generous giver, for a candid conversation about generosity, stewardship, and what pastors and parish leaders should know about inviting people to give. David shares how his own faith shaped his approach to generosity and why he believes some people in your parish may simply be waiting to be asked. Together, they explore how pastors can make the ask with confidence, connect giving to a clear vision, build relationships with potential donors, and help people see the impact their generosity is making. This conversation offers an important reminder: inviting someone to generosity is not simply about raising money. It can be an invitation to grow deeper in discipleship and recognize everything we have as a gift from God. 📖 FREE RESOURCES FOR OUR NEW BOOKExplore resources for Jesus, the Rich Young Man, and the Meaning of Life by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran, including the first chapter, reflection questions, parish resources, and more:https://download.rebuiltparish.com/richyoungman 🙌 JOIN US AT THE REBUILT CONFERENCEGo Forward with hundreds of Catholic pastors, parish staff, and ministry leaders at the Rebuilt Conference, May 3–4, 2027, at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland. Discover actionable ideas, connect with other parish leaders, and explore topics that can help your parish grow stronger in mission. https://rebuiltconference.com IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 – Meet David Gaines01:18 – David’s background, family, and career03:24 – How David met his wife in an airport06:03 – David’s faith story10:14 – Becoming Catholic and finding Church of the Nativity13:45 – How generosity became part of David’s faith18:45 – The moment that changed his perspective23:18 – Why pastors need to talk about giving25:11 – “You have to ask”28:21 – How giving can become part of discerning God’s will30:04 – How David decides what organizations to support32:14 – What parish leaders should know about approaching donors34:21 – Connecting generosity to vision and growth35:17 – The joy of seeing the impact of your giving37:56 – Why donors should see the fruit of their generosity41:08 – Advice for pastors who are hesitant to ask43:06 – Tom’s biggest takeaway43:52 – How generosity can loosen money’s hold on our lives46:27 – Psalm 127 and trusting God with the mission KEY TAKEAWAYS: Do not assume people know your parish needs support. Sometimes you simply need to ask.• Help people understand the vision behind the ask and what their generosity will make possible.• Build relationships with the people in your parish and recognize the experience, gifts, and resources they can bring to the mission.• Follow up with donors so they can see the people, ministries, and lives their generosity is impacting.• Calling people to generosity can be part of helping them grow as disciples.• Remember that the mission ultimately belongs to God. As Psalm 127 reminds us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” ABOUT REBUILT PARISH Rebuilt Parish comes alongside Catholic pastors and parish leaders to help them build thriving parish communities focused on making disciples. Through coaching, resources, workshops, and the Rebuilt Conference, we help parishes move forward with greater clarity, stronger leadership, and a renewed focus on mission. Rate, Review, & Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts! “I love the Rebuilt Podcast! It’s helping my parish make strides in parish renewal!” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show! This helps us support more people just like you, take steps towards parish renewal and making disciples. Be sure to give us 5 stars, write a review and share what you loved most about the episode! https://www.rebuiltparish.com/

Small groups can help a large parish feel small, giving people a place to be known, grow in faith, and support one another. But how do you actually get them started, find leaders, and build momentum? In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson talks with Tammy Jacobs and Deborah West from Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church in Oklahoma City about their experience launching parish small groups. Tammy and Deborah share how Epiphany moved from traditional adult faith formation studies toward a more intentional small group model centered on relationships, shared material, and pastoral care. After beginning with a parish-wide Advent study, they took a bigger step during Lent, eventually launching 24 small groups across the parish. They also share the challenges behind that success, including the fear of asking people to lead, receiving a few “no’s,” and working within a short timeline. Their experience is an encouraging reminder that a successful small group ministry does not require everything to go perfectly. Sometimes the most important step is simply identifying the people God has already placed in your parish and personally inviting them to lead. You’ll also hear how Epiphany created excitement around their Lenten small group launch through consistent communication, parish-wide messaging, shared resources, and creative invitations. Their launch even inspired teenagers to form a small group of their own. Today, 13 of those original Lenten groups continue to meet, and the parish is expanding the small group model into middle school, high school, young adult, and other areas of parish life. Want to bring small groups to your parish? Rebuilt Parish has resources to help you prepare a parish-wide small group experience, including message series materials, discussion resources, a Spiritual Campaign Guide, and a free first chapter of Jesus, the Rich Young Man and the Meaning of Life. Visit rebuiltparish.com/richyoungman to explore the resources mentioned in this episode. Want to dive deeper into small groups and other practical strategies for parish renewal? Join us May 3–4, 2027, at the Rebuilt Conference at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, MD, where parish leaders will learn from other parishes, connect with peers, and leave with practical ideas they can bring home to their teams. Register now at rebuiltconference.com. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why small groups can extend pastoral care throughout a Catholic parish• How to move from adult Bible studies toward a true small group culture• Why Lent can be an ideal time to launch parish small groups• How shared content can make leadership easier for small group facilitators• Practical ways to identify and personally invite small group leaders• How Epiphany launched 24 groups despite early uncertainty and setbacks• Why consistent promotion across the parish helped drive participation• How small groups are strengthening relationships among adults and teens• Why small groups should become a pathway to discipleship, not simply another parish program Timestamps 00:00 Meet Tammy Jacobs and Deborah West03:07 Why Epiphany Began Focusing on Small Groups04:40 Moving Beyond Traditional Adult Studies05:40 Small Groups as an Extension of Pastoral Care07:52 Building Faithful Friendships09:08 Using Shared Small Group Resources09:48 Why They Chose Lent for Their Launch11:29 Finding Small Group Leaders13:46 Overcoming the Fear of Asking16:58 Launching 24 Small Groups17:40 Creating a Parish-Wide Small Group Launch19:34 When Teenagers Asked to Start Their Own Group22:21 The Fruit of Small Groups at Epiphany27:03 Where Parish Leaders Should Start31:07 Making Small Groups an Ongoing Pathway to Discipleship34:25 Encouragement for Parish Leaders35:08 Free Small Group Resources Catholic small groups, parish small groups, Catholic parish renewal, Catholic discipleship, small group ministry, Catholic faith formation, parish ministry, launching small groups, Lenten sma