Divine Renovation Podcast

This week on the podcast we’re joined by pastor, author, and speaker Daniel Im. Daniel joins us to discuss how we can normalize mission. Dan O’Rourke, Ron Huntley, and Father James Mallon join together with Daniel to discuss the ways in which we can make mission the focus of our churches. This is an incredibly powerful tactical conversation on how to mobilize our parish for mission. Daniel walks us through the micro-shifts that can make a difference in our churches and this is a can't miss episode.

This week on the podcast Dan O'Rourke asks Father James Mallon and Eric Myatt if it's time to change the music? Music ministry can have a polarizing effect on a parish. What sorts of instruments should be played and what songs should be sung can have a great impact and in this week's episode the team talks about when change is good, when change is not so good, and why. Have a listen.

We believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is one of the three keys to parish renewal. This week on the podcast we dig deeper into this topic by asking; how do we know that we're being guided by God? How can we discern what God is calling us to do in a sea of personal and professional demands? Ron, Rob, and Father James walk us through their own processes for discerning and share with us some of the ways they've learned to be better spiritual listeners.

This week on the podcast we welcome back Gabriel and Chris from WorshipNOW. They discuss how we can meet parishes where they are with music ministry and how their hymnal can make great music accessible to parishes in ways they've never even considered. Sometimes it's hard to know how to balance modern music with an understanding of the liturgy and WorshipNOW help bridge the gap. How can a hymnal be used as a tool for radical hospitality? Tune in for this incredible discussion on music in the Catholic Church.

This week Dan O'Rourke, Father James Mallon, and Eric Myatt are joined by Gabriel Wanous and Chris Nolin of WorshipNOW. WorshipNOW provide parishes with support in pursuing music that inspires parishioners to sing praise to God. We know that music can have a huge impact on lives and yet we often fail to push ourselves in music ministry. The team from WorshipNOW share their story and dive into how we can move from maintenance to mission in music.

This is the question that Ron Huntley, Rob McDowell, and Father James Mallon seek to answer this week. Scripture is one of the most powerful tools that we have access to within our parishes and this week the team speaks into how to get people to recognize this gift. We discuss why reading Scripture is so important and some ways to get people more engaged in this conversation with Christ. Scripture has often been seen as inaccessible to some and this week the team works to dispel that myth. Whether you’re starting a study plan for the first time or looking for a new way to connect, this is going to be a great one to tune into. If you’re looking for a great way to introduce people to Jesus before you introduce them to Scripture, check out Unlocking Your Parish: Making Disciples, Raising Up Leaders With Alpha by Ron Huntley and Father James Mallon.

We're joined once again by Tanya Noye from Saint Benedict Parish to chat about why it's so hard to invite people to your church. Tanya opens up about some of the reasons that Catholics struggle with invitation and why it's so important. There are some incredible personal stories in this week's podcast including the story of Tanya's husband accepting an invitation from an unlikely source. If you believe that your church could get a little help with moving through the struggles of invitation, this episode has some great actionable advice.

This week on the podcast we're joined by Tanya Noye who works with Alpha and Engagement with Saint Benedict Parish for a discussion on evangelization. Tanya shares the story of how she fell away from the Church and why she returned. She shares with us the story of how Alpha has impacted her family's life and why she believes that invitation is so key to the future of the Catholic Church. This is a great conversation for ministry leads, pastors, and lay people who want to better understand the purpose of invitation, engagement, and evangelization.

In case you missed our Facebook Live, join the Divine Renovation team as we announce details and open registration for DR20, and share with you what we've got coming up in the future!

This week on Summer Shorts we’re very grateful to look back on our conversation with author Steve Foran. His book, “Surviving to Thriving: The Ten Laws of Grateful Leadership” help shine a light on some of the characteristics of great leaders that we may not have previously considered. We talk with Steve about his own story of becoming a grateful leader and why at every level of great leadership gratitude is a shared principle. This conversation helps reframe what a leader is and who the leaders are within our communities. This is such a unique viewpoint of leadership that we don’t consider nearly enough. If you want to learn more about Steve’s work and about his book, check out www.gratitudeatwork.ca.

Hospitality is something we take very seriously at Divine Renovation. It’s a ministry that we always recommend investing heavily in but sometimes the view from the inside is different than the view from the outside. Melanie Smollen of Faith Perceptions joins us on this episode of Summer Shorts to discuss “mystery shopping” at churches. What Melanie and her group have seen at churches across the continent should make us take a serious look at hospitality, especially as it relates to those who do not share our understanding of or history in the church. If you want to know what people think about your parish, have a seat and a listen.

This week on our Summer Shorts series we speak with someone who has had an enormous impact on our work at Divine Renovation. Brent Dolfo is a world-renowned leader in the field of pastoral leadership. This discussion with him about the early days of Divine Renovation, what he sees working and not working for pastors worldwide is wonderful. Brent offers a unique glimpse into the future of leadership and is a great place for pastors and lay people seek guidance and wisdom on missional leadership. There’s a lot packed into this 10 minute episode and we know you’ll enjoy it.

Most people know that we have invested heavily in Alpha at Divine Renovation. We do so because we have found it to be the most effective tool for evangelization. This week we call on our conversation with the National Director for Catholic Context at Alpha USA, Josh Danis. Josh shares his insights on the state of the church in the United States. We ask some very tough questions about the challenges that the Church is facing, in the US and beyond, and Josh does an incredible job of inspiring hope in us for our future. This is a powerful and poignant conversation.

We get to talk to a large number of pastors on the podcast but it’s always interesting to hear the perspective of a few bishops. This week on Summer Shorts we talk with Bishop Thomas Dowd about some topics that most wouldn’t expect a Bishop to be talking about. Bishop Dowd speaks about social media, how he came to discern his calling, and what life is like for Bishops in Canada. This is a rare insight into church leadership that we think you’ll really enjoy.

We’re never going to move forward unless we start moving forward and this week on the podcast we talk with an organization helping churches make that happen. Tithe.ly builds custom applications for parishes that help them connect with their parishioners, support prayer life, and increase giving. In this Summer Short we learn more about how Tithe.ly uses technology as an evangelization tool and how that’s impacting churches worldwide. For those looking for a great way to connect with the people in the pews, especially outside of mass, this is a must listen.

Truly great leaders don’t create great followers, they raise up great, new leaders. This week on Summer Shorts we talk to Catholic Christian Outreach President Jeff Lockert about why lifting up leaders on campuses is so important and what it means for the future of the Catholic Church. Jeff’s working knowledge of mission and leadership, especially through Scripture, is unparalleled. This is a great conversation if you’re sending a child off to college anytime in the near of distant future. You won’t regret tuning into this episode focused on Christian leadership

This week on Summer Shorts, we’re heading across the Atlantic. 2019 saw incredible growth and development in our UK parishes and an incredible experience of community at DR19UK. Leading up to the event, we were joined by Hannah Vaughan-Spruce to discuss the state of the Catholic Church in the UK. Through her work at Divine Renovation, she has seen lives changed and parishes renewed. We also talk about what she sees for the exciting future of Divine Renovation in the region. This is an incredibly personal conversation and if you want to know what mission looks like for parishes and pastors, the insights in this episode should not be missed.

This week on our Summer Shorts series we had our work cut out for us. How do you trim down so many incredible insights on leadership and relationships? Our team has taken the very best from our conversation with Brett Powell and created 10 minutes of thought-provoking, actionable conversation on Jesus and how we can balance ferocity and tenderness all while building into leadership. This is a can’t miss episode and if you want to know more about Brett and his work, check out www.brettpowell.org and www.wayoftheheartpodcast.

This week we put on our Summer Shorts, a series of podcasts cut down to highlight the best discussions from our last season. These are a great way to catch up on old episodes or be reminded of some of the great insights that have happened around the podcast table. This time we're looking back at the Facebook Live event that launched our latest book Unlocking Your Parish. Enjoy and God Bless. Original Episode Description: Recorded earlier this week from our DR Facebook Live Q&A for the launch of our newest book, Unlocking Your Parish: Making Disciples, Raising Up Leaders with Alpha. Written by Ron Huntley and Father James Mallon, Unlocking Your Parish outlines the role that Alpha has played within Divine Renovation and the difference it can make in your parish! Link: http://bit.ly/DRUYP2019

We’re so happy to have you join us for our last podcast episode of the season. Dan O’Rourke, Ron Huntley, and Father James Mallon sit down and reflect on the amazing guests and some of the highlights they’ve shared during this past season. The team focuses on the insights from our wonderful guests and take the time to delve into these topics a little bit deeper. Our guests this season helped us explore our three keys to parish renewal and we use this episode to explore some of these concepts further. Although this is the end of the season, we don't want to leave you waiting all summer so stay tuned next week for a special summer project...