182| Why Parish Renewal Needs Deep Roots | Dr. John Sehorn, Augustine Institute

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 focused on making disciples. Through coaching, resources, courses, workshops, and the Rebuilt Conference, we come alongside parish leaders with practical frameworks for moving their mission forward. Learn more: https://rebuiltparish.com 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    Catholic parish leadership, Catholic theology, Augustine Institute, John Sehorn, Dr. John Sehorn, Catholic formation, parish renewal, Catholic discipleship, lifelong faith formation, Catholic Church Fathers, Saint Augustine, Saint Basil the Great, Scripture and theology, Catholic leadership, parish ministry, missionary discipleship, spiritual formation, Catholic evangelization, rooted in Christ, deep roots in faith, Catholic parish growth, pastoral leadership, Catholic education, theology for parish leaders, Catholic graduate programs, Catholic faith formation, Church as mother, Catholic conversion story, Word and sacrament, Catholic Scripture study, Colossians 2, Rebuilt Parish, Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Bill Baird, Melissa Wilkinson, Rebuilt Conference 2027, Catholic conference, parish leadership conference, making disciples, Catholic parish renewal