Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

CALLING ALL DIRECTORS OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND CATECHISTS! This one’s for you. Dave “Cucumber Melon” VanVickle and I talk about the qualities that make for bad catechists vs. great catechists and how to find the right people for your program. This is a huge issue for religious education that is so important because the immortal souls of kids depends on it. We also have storytime with Dave on why Kenny Baldwin is A MONSTER (just kidding) and extend an extra-special welcome to long-time listener Ralph “The Party” VanVickle! We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. SHOWNOTES What makes a good catechist? You have a mature spiritual life with daily prayer and a mentality of fides quaerens intellectum or "faith seeking understanding". You have an answer to this question: “Can you tell me about your daily lived relationship with the Lord?” You prioritize the truths of the Faith and always tie them to the Person of Christ. In the classroom, you make sure any craft or art project is truly effective and relevant to the lesson. You understand that you are making a difference to the immortal souls of your students. You have a DRE who is responsible for ongoing formation of catechists. What makes a bad catechist? Unprepared, you haven’t read it or prayed about it. You don’t know your kids’ names. You never pray for them. You don’t quote the Bible. You never share your story of God’s movement in your life. You don’t think about conversion, only communicating the doctrine. You don’t see the whole and how it is all interrelated to Christ and the Trinity. Prayer is nothing but a bookend to your class. How to find good catechists Start a Bible study or adult faith formation event (or go to one that already exists) and see who shows up consistently and is serious about growing in their faith. Invite specific people to be catechists. Don’t advertise to the whole church. You’re looking for people who are called, not guilted into it. Do a ministry fair where people can come and see what ministries your parish has. Pray and ask God for good catechists. Be comfortable letting people go. 5 PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS Personal Prayer Time: Ephesians 4:1-16 Memorize Catechesi Tradendae center of paragraph five. Handwrite each kids’ name and pray for one minute for each kid in your class this week. Prepare a lesson plan for one lesson on one topic and, keeping in mind good/bad catechist, write one sentence that ties it to Christ. Come up with one example from your life per lesson plan. RESOURCES AND EVENTS Dave’s School of Spiritual Warfare event in Akron, OH Catechesi Tradendae Chosen Confirmation Prep Program

Dave “Biker for Christ” VanVickle and I are talking about Catholic schools again (because that worked out so well last time.) We received a lot of feedback from our episode on making Catholic schools evangelizing powerhouses, so we wanted to talk more about what teachers can actually do to be powerful witnesses for Christ. First we talk about hitchhiking for Christ (because that’s a thing) and then we get into some ways teachers can talk to students about the Faith and infuse it into everything they do in and out of the classroom. Snippet from the Show “One of the most powerful things we can offer kids is to replace the false labels that our culture imposes on them.” SHOWNOTES Tips to Evangelize Students Listen - Students want to be heard and tell their story. Show you’re willing to listen to their point of view and after you get to know them you can start asking the big questions about topics like eternity, purpose in life, spirituality, and Jesus. Affirm their true identity - Sarcasm is everywhere in high school, and the labels we affix to young students tend to become their identity. One of the most powerful things we can do is affirm their true identity as sons and daughters of God. Teach to convert, not just inform - Frame the lesson plans to form hearts as well as minds by making it Christocentric and tying everything back to the life of Jesus Christ. Give opportunities for encounter - There are opportunities in every subject for God to enter in through Goodness, Truth, and Beauty. Build community among teachers - What could be a more powerful witness than a group of teachers who actually love one another the way Christ loves them? 5 Practical Takeaways Read Catechesi Tradendae, paragraphs 1-5 Meditate on Jesus as teacher while looking at your favorite image of Jesus. Pick a Bible study and invite teachers to join with you. Think of a young person in your life and listen to their story. Intercede for Catholic school teachers as this school year begins. RESOURCES Gomer's FREE program, Don't Walk Alone Ascension's Bible studies

Dave “Velvet Fog” Van Vickle and I dive into history, culture, and politics (oh my!). We talk about three types of culture—pre-Christian, Christian, and post-Christian—and what Catholics can do to navigate the current political climate and evangelize in the culture without getting swept up in it. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “When you get rid of religion, all you have left is politics, and so politics becomes religion.” SHOWNOTES Mark Sayer, evangelical pastor and social commentator - “Post-Christianity is one where the Christian project is continued, but forgetting its sources, a Kingdom without a King.” Sherry Weddell, Forming Intentional Disciples - “God has no grandchildren” Mark Sayer - “Every generation can forget God and every generation can remember Him.” St. Pope John Paul II, Memory and Identity: Conversations at the Dawn of a Millennium - “One of the most important tasks that we all share is to remember what happened to the 20th century.” 5 Practical Tips Go people watching. Reflect upon this question in adoration: how has the culture colonized my mind/heart? Read an article or a news story from the Progressive Left to understand their point of view better. Look for “obvious signs of transformation” in your life or ministry. Pray for the conversion of our political candidates. Resources: Evangelii Nuntiandi

Dave “Milk and Honey” VanVickle and I are talking about Catholic education, and the opportunities we have to evangelize in and out of the classroom. We love Catholic schools, but so many students who attend leave without any inclination to practice the Faith. Dave and I attempt to identify the root of this problem and talk about what leaders, teachers, and parents can do to evangelize their students and create lifelong disciples. Snippet from the Show “The greatest tendency of our Catholic schools is to teach faith like history—just another liberal arts thing to memorize facts, figures, and dates to get a good grade on the test.” Check out this episode and the shownotes (including the 5 Practical Tips and instructions on how to get Gomer's FREE program) at media.ascensionpress.com

So you’ve got the kerygma down … now what? Dave “I’m Kind of a Big Deal” VanVickle and I talk about how to mature in your faith after an initial proclamation of the gospel. The kerygma is not the end of evangelization, it’s just the beginning. It’s how someone takes the first step to becoming a disciple of Jesus, but we can’t stop there, we have to make sure that we’re preaching, but also teaching. Snippet from the Show “An initial proclamation of the kerygma is not enough. It is the doorway to faith, but once you cross that threshold, you are in the house of faith, and now you must conform your life to Christ.” SHOWNOTES Catechism of the Catholic Church, 89 - “There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.” Pope St. John Paul II in Catechesi Tradendae - “The Church has always considered catechesis as one of her primary tasks … very soon the name of catechesis was given to the whole of the efforts within the Church to make disciples, to help people to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, so that believing they might have life in His name, and to educate and instruct them in this life and thus build up the Body of Christ.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 89 - “The mutual connections between dogmas, and their coherence, can be found in the whole of the Revelation of the mystery of Christ. ‘In Catholic doctrine there exists an order or hierarchy of truths, since they vary in their relation to the foundation of the Christian faith.’ St. Teresa of Avila - “If you want to hear God speak to you, read scripture. If you want to see a miracle, receive the Eucharist.” St. John the Baptist - “Bear fruit that befits repentance” (Matthew 3:8). 5 Practical Tips Read the Catechism, paragraphs 74-95. Pick a dogma to enter into more deeply. Connect dogma to the kerygma. For your spiritual life, ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, ask where you need him to assert his lordship over you, and conform. Pray for the USCCB.

Dave “Thunderclap” VanVickle and I are talking to the one and only Mark Hart—author, speaker, and Executive Vice President of Life Teen. We talk about the struggles parishes have to organize a movement of evangelization and the difficulty of training and empowering individuals to spread the gospel. Instead of just telling people to evangelize, Mark is on a mission to teach people to evangelize with a new program—The 99. Featuring Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. Josh Johnson, Leah Darrow, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, and more, the program will help parishes start a movement of evangelization in their communities. See more at evangelization.com. Snippet from the Show - “The Church is an organized religion, but we’re painfully disorganized on a parish level.” SHOWNOTES Quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi - “Preach the gospel at all times, when necessary, use words.” Mark’s 4 Practical Tips As part of your morning prayer, ask the Lord for greater awareness of the people he’s putting in your path that day. Pray an examination of conscience at the end of the day (consider using Romans 12). Put your phone down more often to be present to those around you. Instead of texting someone, call them and leave a voicemail if you have to. One last tip from Gomer and Dave: Buy The 99!

Dave “Too Hot to Handle, Too Cold to Hold” VanVickle and I are focusing on the role of the laity in the Church when it comes to explicit word and deed evangelization. The Church needs the voice of the laity to speak up! Priests can’t go into your office and nuns can’t go into your friend’s house (probably). We are the ones that must carry the Gospel into our homes, schools, jobs, and public places. Snippet from the Show “Catholics were attempting to be modest and self-critical instead of being triumphant … We went from being triumphant and engaging in apologetics to just being apologetic.” Check out the shownotes for today's episode at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

Dave “Don’t Fear the Reaper” Van Vickle and I are talking about how to keep Jesus at the heart of your ministry and your life. Today’s totally made up middle name for Dave is brought to you by listener Lina., who also asks the questions that we are answering in this show - thank you Lina! We’re talking about the vine, the branches, and the backyard … (Dave bought a new house). We start with how to open your home to engage the culture and build community and then get to a question from Lina who asks, “What are the practical steps to stay grafted onto the vine when you’ve been sent to work out in the vineyard?” In other words, how do we keep Jesus as the defining characteristic of our life when we feel called to go off and do great things on our own or within our parish? Snippet from the Show “The presence of suffering and persecution is the way that God makes you better, stronger, and woven even tighter with Christ the vine.” Check out the shownotes for today's episode at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

We want people to convert to the Catholic Church not because it’s a popular thing to do, but because they have a genuine experience of God’s love and truth through the Church. This means we can’t water down the gospel. Dave “Lay Assistant to Exorcists” VanVickle and I talk about this vital aspect of winning hearts for Christ, as well as the importance of repentance. On a practical note, we also talk about how to start intercessory prayer groups. Check out today's shownotes at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

Dave VanVickle (that’s right, no nickname today) and I are waking the dead! We’re talking about how to really reach people through evangelization. Not just a short moment of emotional connection that fades the next day, but a true conversion where a person reorients their life to God. Snippet from the Show “Taking someone’s heart of stone to a heart of flesh is a supernatural act. You are making them alive in Christ Jesus. That is a bigger miracle than resurrecting a deceased corpse to natural life.” Check out the shownotes at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

Public speaking to teens: a favorite pastime of … no one. But somebody has to do it, and with some prayer and preparation, your talk can be a great opportunity to change hearts and minds—just look at the fruits that come from Steubenville Conferences. Dave “Father of Wildlings” VanVickle and I go over how to prepare a talk for high school students that will bring the house down. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “Christ is the one who destroys the walls of hostility that we keep building up. Every new barrier we put up, Christ is the one who tears them down. God is pursuing us.” SHOWNOTES How to prepare a talk for high schoolers Select a piece of Scripture: The Word of God is the only thing that gives real clarity in the world. Be yourself: teens appreciate authenticity Speak to their experience. 5 Practical Tips Find three narratives where Jesus pursues (or talks about) going after someone outside and brings them in. Write down your thoughts and observations. Take a half page and try to write a tract that you think would be compelling to bring someone to the Lord. Ask someone in your life to pray for you and your call to evangelize. Reach out to someone in your life and compliment them on some part of their life. Pray for the RCIA team and the adults to be baptized in your parish. Resources from the Show The Great Adventure Bible Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation - Fr Josh Johnson Ascension’s soon-to-be-released program for evangelization, The 99, at evangelization.com

It’s difficult to spread the gospel if you haven’t read it. Dave “Too Hot to Handle, Too Cold to Hold” VanVickle and I talk about why it’s vital to regularly read Scripture and how to immerse yourself in the Word. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “The most effective evangelists are those who are steeped in the Word. Evangelization is the fruit of encounter, meditation, and study of Sacred Scripture. It’s an overflow of what’s in your heart because of your total commitment to the Word of God.” SHOWNOTES If using Scripture to prepare a talk: Take the theme and look for the scriptural narrative around it. Let the Scripture narrative guide the talk, don’t use the Scriptures just to prove your point. It is important to be regularly reading, studying, and praying the Scriptures in order to feel comfortable with them. If worried about misrepresenting Scripture or using it the wrong way: Look for outside resources to explain Scripture. Look to Navarre Bible commentary, the Fathers of the Church and Barclay’s commentary on the Bible for help. Read through the Scriptures every day, even if just a small amount. 5 Practical Tips Find an image of Catholic artwork and meditate upon it. Get the book A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott Hahn, or Walking with God: A Journey through the Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins to read through and get the big picture of the Bible. Pray for the priests in Africa who are being murdered. Discuss with someone the chapters in the books mentioned in the second tip. Memorize John 1:1-5. Resources from the Show A Father Who Keeps His Promises - Scott Hahn Walking with God: A Journey through the Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins GENERAL AUDIENCE St Peter's Square Wednesday, 14 November 2007 - Benedict XVI Benedict XVI Promotes Biblical Meditation SPIRITUS PARACLITUS - Pope Benedict XV Check out this podcast at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow to browse the shownotes for every episode!

It’s hard to start proclaiming the kerygma, “God loves you and has a plan for your life”, when someone doesn’t believe in God. Dave “All Thriller No Filler” VanVickle and I wade into the world of apologetics as we address a listener's question about how to evangelize an atheist. Our faith is rational. Don’t fear questions about what we believe, because at some point over the past two thousand years, that question has already been asked and answered. We just have to find it. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “Catholic students need to understand that faith is not irrational. We don’t leave our minds at the door. That’s the Catholic tradition, it’s OK to question.” SHOWNOTES Christianity has reasons for its beliefs. Start with Jesus as a man, his birth and resurrection. Pray and ask others to pray with you for conversion. Ask: What is your moral absolute? What do you base your morality on? Look into metaphysics. Teaching even a little bit of it helps people look into things and start thinking. Keep the conversation about their relationship with God, but also learn about apologetics. Have material around that they can “stumble on.” Make sure they understand we welcome and encourage questions about our faith. 5 Practical Tips Think about how you would change your testimony if you knew there was an atheist in the audience. Memorize names and facts about your community members to show that you care about them. Pray with us for the conversion of the boys at this high school. Build a database of online answers to atheism. Practice reverse mentoring. Ask someone younger than you to teach you something. Resources from the Show The Handbook of Christian Apologetics - Peter Kreeft The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics - Peter Kreeft, Ronald Tacelli Fundamentals of the Faith - Peter Kreeft More than a Carpenter - Josh McDowell Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine - Archbishop Michael Sheehan Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis The Reason for God - Timothy Keller Making Sense of God - Timothy Keller Memorare Prayer Magis Center website- Fr. Robert Spitzer

There’s good news and bad news. Bad news: Gomer is out today, so no fun nicknames. Good news: this episode is all about equipping you for spiritual warfare and fighting the kingdom of evil. Spiritual warfare and evangelization go hand-in-hand. Turns out the devil doesn’t like it when you try to win souls for Christ. Acknowledging the reality of spiritual warfare is an important first step. Once we realize that we’re fighting battles everyday, we can use these principles to guide the way. Snippet from the Show “Spiritual warfare is more than a metaphor for the spiritual life, it’s a reality ... We’re all at war with the world, the flesh, and the devil.” 10 Practical Principles of Spiritual Warfare By his passion and death, Christ won a definitive victory over Satan and the kingdom of darkness and any personal victory we have is a participation in the victory Jesus won and gave to his church. The devil and the fallen angels play a mysterious role in the drama of salvation. The battle that they wage against us is a test of God’s elect. While powerful, the devil is only a creature and if we stay close to Jesus Christ and his Church we should not fear the actions of evil. The way we participate in the victory of Jesus Christ is through personal faith, moral living, and prayer. The devil should not be given too much attention but his actions should not be ignored. The Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. Michael, and all the saints and angels are our allies in this battle. Any spiritual warfare you conduct for others is first won in the battle for your own heart. Humble submission to God and the Church is a powerful weapon against evil. True holiness as witnessed in the lives of the saints is what destroys the kingdom of darkness. The devil despises: A sure knowledge of the sonship that comes from baptism, knowledge of the abundant mercy of God, authentic Christian community, and a clear knowledge of, and courage to speak out about, what is good and evil. 1 Practical Tip If you’ve never thought of yourself as a spiritual warrior, take some time to see how you have entered into the spiritual battle. See more at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave.

Today Dave “Open Book, Closed Heart” VanVickle and I talk about extraordinary and ordinary means of fighting the devil, which leads (naturally) into a conversation on evangelization and how to lead when you’re not in charge. Snippet from the Show “One person can bring about dramatic change at a parish.” We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. SHOWNOTES How do you lead when you are not in a leadership position? Try to be close friends with the current staff on evangelization teams. Try to win the front of “what is the truth” and make sure everyone is on the same page on what they believe. Give talks on what the life of catechists and parish workers should look like. Encourage the use of Scripture and the new Catechism for formation. Give talks on how to have a personal relationship with Jesus in the context of the Catholic Church. Offer a talk on the history of the Catholic Church in America since Vatican II. Pray for the leaders and with them. Work with your priest to prioritize and organize an annual staff retreat. Have a “ministry leader summit.” If people are refusing or rejecting evangelization, work with your pastor to make sure the appropriate people are in the right positions. Go in trying to win souls for Christ, not fight them. Remember to always be praying for these people. When confrontation has to occur do not do it out of hate for people but in service to people who are missing out on the gospel. You need to have the courage to stand up for the truth and gospel when needed. 5 Practical Tips Go to NewAdvent.org and search the name of a church father (St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Athanasius … ) Pray for the CCD staff (or another staff group) and their openness to the gospel. Listen to Mike’s talks on the kerygma at Soundcloud.com/AMDGomer. Meet once a week with your pastor and discuss the kerygma. Send this podcast to your CCD Staff. Check out the resources from this episode at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

We need leaders in the Church. If you want ministries at your parish, that aren’t happening (or aren’t going very well) this may be your que to step up as a leader in evangelization. In this episode, we talk about how priests, lay employees, and volunteers can be leaders in their own right, and you don’t have to wait for someone to formally empower you to lead others. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “The word ‘leader’ can be intimidating, but the Holy Spirit is the primary agent of evangelization. You’re just the lead follower of the Holy Spirit.” SHOWNOTES Priests The homily needs to be kerygmatic. Give a call to action every homily. Win your staff. Make sure your staff is on board with the mission. The parish priests need to be available to the people, especially for sacraments. Try to imitate St. John Vianney. Lay Employees It is poor form to give a class or workshop on something you are not willing to do. Model what you are teaching. Set up regular meetings with your parish priest. Witness to your fellow employees the same as your parishioners. Don’t view working at the church as a chance to make money. Volunteers Continually discern how God is calling you to lead in your parish. Don’t grow comfortable with someone as a leader just because they have been doing a good job. Help onboard new leaders before they are needed. Be a good disciple outside of your volunteer position. 5 Practical Tips Priests: Ask yourselves honestly, and ask others “how is your leadership holding back the parish?” Kerygma: Explicitly share the gospel with someone. Employees: Are you waiting for empowerment or permission to serve the gospel? Identify areas where you can be more active in the kerygma and come up with an action plan to start implementing this. Prayer: Prayerfully read Acts 14 and read the kerygma from Paul and Barnabbas. Volunteers: Spend more time praying for those people God has placed in your ministry. Resources from the Show Douglas Hyde

Dave “Thunderdome” Van Vickle and I are talking about the importance of digital evangelization. If we are trying to meet people where they are, we need to be online. We cover best practices for parishes and individuals to spread the Word on the web, as well as examples of things we’ve seen work really well (like this podcast). We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Check out the shownotes and resources at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

We have a great show today. Not that we don’t usually, but today is especially good. We start with a question from a parish leader about intercessory prayer groups (Dave’s group is #goals). Then we cover what individuals and parishes can do for the newly converted and what tools we have for someone after their initial “yes” to Jesus. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “Walking alone is the greatest way for the devil to destroy your newfound faith.” SHOWNOTES Questions from our listeners: How do you start an intercessory prayer group? What resources are there? Start by finding the people who are already praying. Give each intercessor a job description (example: one Memorare a week, holy hour a month). Add fasting and prayer days with sign-ups (daily, weekly, monthly). Plan a monthly holy hour where we pray for the parish. Boost prayer life through monthly conferences. What Happens After They Say “Yes” to Jesus? Teach them to communicate with God. Devotional Prayers Mental Prayer Meditative Prayer Create a community outreach to interact with new parishioners. Introduce them to reading Scripture. Moral and intellectual formation - there is a huge difference between knowing your faith and living it. For our 5 Practical Tips, as well as a list of resources from this episode, check out the shownotes at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow

Hallelujah! It's the Easter Octave and I for one am glad Christ rose from the dead. This week it's just me, Mike "Gomer" Gormley, your humble co-host of EKSB. I wanted to offer you fine folks an Easter message on discipleship and the Resurrection. Our regular show will return next week! Happy Easter!

Calling all DREs, catechists, youth ministers, and parish volunteers! Have we got a show for you. (Yes, that was a VeggieTales reference.) We start off today answering some tough questions about the kerygma, and then pivot to ways you can infuse evangelization into programs your parish already has like baptism prep, marriage prep, and religious education. Our advice isn’t the only way to do it, but it is a (pretty darn good) way to do it. How do you evangelize at your parish? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “People aren’t going to surrender their life to Christ if we’re hitting them over the head with moral issues and their failure … but there is no gospel without repentance.” Check out this episode at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow for shownotes and resources from the show.

You’ve got frequently asked questions, we’ve got infrequently given answers. We tackle questions about what to do when you encounter someone purchasing the Plan B pill, what to do when people (especially family members) give dumb reasons for why they don’t go to church, the role of Mary in evangelization, and talking to family members about having a sacramental wedding when they’re angry with the Church and you’re long distance. (Whew.) We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. _Snippet from the Show “We so desire the conversion of our friends and relatives and neighbors that we feel disappointed when the outcomes haven’t happened. But the success is in the evangelizing. The conversion is up to Jesus. One sows the seed, the other waters, God alone gives the growth.”_ Check out the show on ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow to browse the resources from the show.

We’re talking to the one and only Jeff Cavins, Catholic speaker and author of the new book, The Activated Disciple. We’re pumped to interview him about discipleship and sharing the Faith (and so are our moms). Jeff’s book really gets to the heart of discipleship. It gives us a practical roadmap to a path of discipleship and explains what it actually means to be a disciple. We also get Jeff to give us his practical tips for evangelization. You can get Jeff's book at ascensionpress.com. We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. _Snippet from the Show “There’s a difference between having a branch named Jesus on your vine vs. realizing that you are a branch on the true vine that is Christ.”_

The New Evangelization invites baptized Catholics to renew their relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church (according to the USCCB). Started by Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, it’s a call for the Church (aka, you and me) to reach out to fallen away Catholics and bring them back to the sacraments. We want to talk about how to bring this movement to your parish and community. Starting with Carole Brown’s Gems for the New Evangelization: Shamelessly Pilfered from Various Treasuries of Church Teaching, we then add some additional points that we’ve discovered along the way. There are a lot of different things you can do, but the important thing is to start. Snippet from the Show “My favorite thing is to take every part of the Catechism and tie it back to the Cross and resurrection, because you can do it with everything.” We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. SHOWNOTES The Five Points for the New Evangelization Recover the importance of kerygmatic proclamation. Build explicitly Christ-centered witness testimony into everything. Talk in the explicitly evangelical language of the New Evangelization popes. Saturate yourself in the world of God (Bible studies, lectio divina training…) Establish a permanent discipleship track in the parish. Dave and Mike’s added points for parish evangelization Establish a formalized intercessory prayer group to bring about conversions. You can’t do it alone. Start with the programs that people must attend, to draw in people who might not be involved otherwise. Start trying to meet everyone at your parish and learn their names. The Five Practical Takeaways Read paragraphs 1- 21 of the Catechesi Tradendae by Pope John Paul II. Consider joining or starting a Bible study at your parish. Begin a conversation with the pastor, DRE, or director of religious evangelization about evangelization at the parish. Look for touchstone moments (baptism class, marriage prep class) and how you can be a volunteer in those ministries. Buy a Catholic Bible for someone who doesn’t have one in your life. Resources Mentioned in the Show Michael Gormley – Radical Communities Bible Studies from Ascension Press The Great Adventure Timeline Catholic Bible

We tackle the biggest, most complicated, stickiest moral issues–contraception and same-sex attraction. How is a Catholic evangelist to approach such a minefield when proclaiming the gospel? In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” So we know that we have to tell people about moral issues, but we need to make sure we’re doing it in a way that actually helps. We talk about when, how, and why to bring these issues up, and examples of times these strategies have actually worked (we promise we’re not using you as guinea pigs). We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with your story, question, or comment–or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show Holiness and happiness are coterminous in God. Me seeking my own happiness is what God made holiness to be–seeking union with him forever in Christ Jesus.

Mike and Dave give practical advice about how to get over that awkward feeling and share the Faith BOLDLY. Telling someone the good news about Jesus isn’t hard ... if you really, truly believe it. You’re not imposing your arbitrary morality and spirituality on someone, you are proposing to them the truth of God’s love for them and their elevated status as creatures made in the image and likeness of God. Like Mike says, “If you discovered the cure to cancer, and you kept it to yourself–you would be a monster ...We have even greater news, but so often we keep it quiet.” Mike also gives solid advice to a listener who asks about how to talk to her husband, who is a Muslim, about Christianity. Check out the shownotes at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow to see practical tips on how to be BOLD when you share the Faith.

Mike and Dave answer your questions about how to get programs going at your parish, how to share the gospel with fallen-away family members, and how to invest in Catholic evangelism as well as catechesis when funds are short. Snippet from the Show “You have a mission as a layperson ... To not proclaim Jesus Christ and just wait for a priest to do it is a fundamental corruption to your baptismal dignity. Christ is inviting you on this mission. You don’t need anyone else’s permission.” Listener Questions: “My priest isn’t into evangelization, what do I do?” “I have three children, none are truly evangelized, except my oldest daughter who is now evangelical, but ‘at least she has Jesus.’” “I am a DRE who got caught up in the catechesis game. I now want to invest in evangelism, but am at a poor parish.” Resources mentioned: Christifideles Laici, Chapter 3 The Great Adventure Bible Studies No Greater Love by Edward Sri The Life of Christ by Rev. Fulton Sheen To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed Radical Communities by Michael Gormley Redeemer of Man by Pope St. John Paul II Catechesi Tradendae, 19-20 5 Practical Tips: Kerygma: Refresh yourself on what the kerygma is and isn’t. Community: Meet up for Eucharistic Adoration and drinks. Reading: Jesus Shock by Peter Kreeft. Intercession: Pray a decade of the Rosary every day for clergy who need conversion. Lent: Don’t let Lent pass you by, be intentional! Prayerfully consider what God wants from you this Lent. Take an hour and figure it out.

What does it mean to be in the world but not of the world and how does this affect evangelization? Many people assume there are two ways to approach this notion. On one side is the thought of Christ against culture—that to be loyal to Jesus or the Church I need to run completely away from the world. On the other side is the Christ of culture—that Jesus is the peak and pinnacle of all culture’s greatest desires, aspirations, and hopes. Which one is right? What balance should we strike? Today, Mike and Dave take these two basic concepts and break them down into practical, real life situations. They explain what we should do in regards to the world around us and stress the importance of finding the distinctive Christ element that sets your life apart. We walk a delicate line being in the world and not of it, but Mike and Dave make this line a bit easier to see. Snippet from the Show: “We as Christians have to present some difference from the culture at large, the culture of the world. There has to be something different about our life.” 5 Practical Tips: 1) Spiritual Practice: Do an examination of conscience of a secularist mindset. What parts of your life have you brought in from the culture that you really should not have? 2) Read: Jeremiah 29 (the whole chapter). 3) Go Fishing: Do small pious acts in public. 4) Community: Become a regular at one restaurant. 5) Intercessory Prayer: Pray for the conversion of your favorite secular artist. Resources Mentioned in the Show: Christ and Culture a book by Richard Niebuhr

Spiritual warfare is more than just an analogy. It is a reality. Quite literally, it is a struggle between two kingdoms—a battle between man and that which draws man away from God. This fighting and resisting evil is a common experience, yet many don’t believe they are at war. Therefore they come unprepared to fight the battle. Today Mike and Dave approach this topic from the viewpoint of evangelists. They discuss the Church Fathers’ understanding of spiritual warfare, the context behind the Church’s teachings on the subject, and practical ways you can resist evil and equip yourself with the best possible resources. Snippet from the Show “This is a battle. This isn’t an analogy, it’s not an allegory … We are actually at war.” Two mistakes we assume about spiritual warfare: 1) Looking at it as a personal faith issue, that the victory comes from you. 2) That this is just a small part of the Faith. Resources mentioned in the show Gaudium et Spes 1 Peter 8 Anima Christi 5 Practical Tips: 1) Pray the St. Michael the Archangel prayer 2) Rekindle your relationship with your guardian angel 3) Read about St. Joseph terror of demons 4) Read Colossians 1-2 5) Do a Marian consecration. There are many different forms.

Do you want to evangelize in a post-Christian society? There are a few things you need to know. We all proclaim the same gospel, but we all need to use different methods. The methods that St. Paul used in Athens or Rome and the approach of a missionary in India, Southeast Asia, or parts of Africa will be different than someone who lives in a post-Christian society. There are, however, universal principles that stand the test of time. Today, Mike and David go through three ages of evangelization, explain how to overcome four hurdles in evangelizing, and also three different types of evangelizing. Snippet from the Show: “No matter how opposed someone is to Christianity, you have to understand that deep down, it is what they want. It is what they most desire. It is the answer to all their questions.” SHOWNOTES: *5 Practical Takeaways: * 1) Read Evangelii Nuntiandi 2) Fast for someone at your parish 3) Pray and reflect on St. Augustine’s Prayer to the Holy Spirit 4) Read 2 Timothy 4 5) Write down and reflect on this quote “She exists in order to evangelize.” What parts of your life exemplify this? What parts do not? Resources Mentioned in this Podcast: Gaudium et spes Evangelii nuntiandi (Paragraph 9 and 80) Redemptoris Missio Podcast, This Cultural Moment Introduction to Philosophy by Daniel Sullivan

Church teaching is an important part of our Catholic Faith. Today, Mike and Dave are going to show you how to incorporate the church into the kerygma. They explain how fellowship is not socializing and why the Church comes before the individual in the plan of God. “Our love for Jesus and for our neighbor impels us to speak to others about our faith. Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith.” (CCC 166) Snippet from the Show: You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life. The believer has received faith from others and should hand it on to others. (CCC 166) 5 Practical Tips 1) Meet someone at your parish that you have never met before. It can be as simple as introducing yourself. 2) Read 2Timothy 2. 3) Read CCC 176-184. 4) Pray for the staff of your parish all week long. 5) Look at the four steps of the kerygma below and compare them to your personal testimony. (You can also go to the shownotes on at ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow.) Pencil in what parts of your testimony line up with the kerygma. This will help you make the kerygma center stage of your testimony and not your personal story. 4 Steps of the Kerygma: 1) God has a plan for your life. 2) Sin interrupts that plan and separates you from God. 3) Jesus Christ died and rose so that you could be forgiven of these sins and be united to God in heaven. 4) Through faith and his Church, you can be united to God forever. Recommendations 1) Fr. Spitzer’s book New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy 2) Rev. Timothy Keller’s book The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism 3) C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity 4) Dr. Peter Kreeft’s book Fundamentals of the Faith: Essays in Christian Apologetics CCC #166

When evangelizing, there comes a moment in time when you will invite someone to completely give their life over to Christ and begin living a Christian life. How do you know what moment is right? What does the invitation look like? Why is an invitation to Christian life so important? Using Scripture, contemporary faith formation tools, and personal experience, Mike and Dave explain the sometimes subtle art of inviting someone to live a fully authentic Christian life. For more information visit ascensionpress.com/everykneeshallbow Snippet from the Show: “If you read the Gospels, you are going to see constantly that the one man who could have demanded, is constantly instead inviting.” Tips on Invitation: 1) Invitation should be gradual 2) Invitation should be compelling but not forceful 3) Invitation should be loving and gentle 5 Practical Tips: 1) Create one gathering of friends doing some activity. Invite someone who is on the “outside” of your group to take part. 2) Acts 10:34/43 Peter is preaching the Kerygma. Take it line by line and pray through it. 3) Meet one of your neighbors that you haven’t met yet. 4) Start your own group of intercessors. Ask one person to specifically pray for the people you will encounter and that you and others be open to the Lord’s words. 5) Go to Adoration for thirty minutes and pray for those specific people you will encounter and evangelize. Resources Mentioned: The Calling of Saint Matthew painting by Caravaggio Ananias Training from the Catherine of Siena Institute

Mike and Dave, the hosts of Every Knee Shall Bow, take time to answer your questions and respond to your reviews. They also provide resource recommendations such as Alpha, Sherry Weddell, SEEK, and more! At the end of the podcast, they also provide five easy ways to observe effective evangelization in action! Snippet from the Show: The beautiful thing about our Catholic faith is that when you conform yourself to a celebrity...you lose yourself. But what Christ wants in conforming to him, instead of losing yourself, you actually gain yourself back, and become who you truly are called to be. Resources Mentioned on this Show: 1) Alpha the Catholic Program 2) Sherry Weddell and the Catherine of Siena Institute 3) Divine Renovation a book by Fr. Mallon and Ron Huntley 4) SEEK 2019 5) Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling a book by Andy Crouch 6) The Rubin Report: “A Bishop and a Rabbi Discuss Religion”, a YouTube video 5 Practical Tips 1) Open up your computer and see what churches or movements in your area are doing well with evangelization. 2) Read Culture Making: Recovering our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch 3) Pray for a specific priest that they might be able to communicate the gospel well 4) Watch “A Bishop and a Rabbi Discuss Religion” from the Rubin Report on YouTube. 5) Start an evangelization journal. Get a notebook dedicated for growing as an evangelist. Write about who you are praying for, mistakes you made, things you want to try, talks you have given, basically anything to do with evangelization. Write our practical tips and how well you did. This will help you grow as an evangelist.

The phrase “Physician heal thyself” (Luke 4:23) references the often forgotten truth that one must solve their own problems before attempting to fix the problems of others. Becoming a true Catholic evangelist requires more than just knowledge of the Faith, a certain style, or even success. Your life must reflect the fact that Jesus Christ is active, makes a difference, and has healed your heart. As an evangelist, you are held to a higher standard and your personal life needs to be a fitting witness to your evangelization. How can you do this? The answer is simple: prayer. Prayer creates a true Catholic evangelist because the Holy Spirit is the cause of conversion. Today Michael and David share ways you can incorporate prayer into your daily life and how that prayer will make you a true Catholic evangelist.

Kerygma is a Greek word that means proclamation. We, as Catholic Christians, are called to share the gospel message as we evangelize: God loves you, has a plan for your life, but because of sin we have been separated from him, and the only one who can save us is Jesus Christ. Through our repentance and turning toward him we come back to life with him. This is the context in which all of our Catholic faith can be understood. In this episode, Michael and David provide a brief history behind the Kerygma, expound upon this basic gospel message, and give you five tips on how you can start proclaiming the gospel. Snippet from the Show For most of us Catholics, we think repentance is the thing you do in the confessional. We don’t realize that in the Catechism, it is repentance, the interior sorrow, that sends us to the confessional. 4 Steps of the Kerygma: God has a plan for your life. Sin interrupts that plan and separates you from God. Jesus Christ died and rose so that you could be forgiven of these sins and be united to God in heaven. Through faith and his Church, you can be united to God forever. Five Practical Tips to Help you Enter Into the Kerygma and Start Proclaiming it: If you do not have a vital relationship with Christ, start with Mark’s Gospel. Read it as straight through as you possibly can. Ask yourself as you are going through it: “What do the words and deeds of Jesus reveal to me about God the Father’s heart?” In the book of Acts there are eight different kerygmatic sermons that the apostles give. Prayerfully take one of them (we suggest Acts 2:14-36) and meditate on it. Write down in your own words the basic gospel message. Intentionally go and ask someone if they have some need in their life that you can pray for. Start to build a relationship with a non-believer by inviting them to do something that is mutually enjoyable.

Merry Christmas from Every Knee Shall Bow!

What does it look like to help others move from placing a basic faith in Jesus Christ to having him as their Lord, the center of their life? Every religious conversion is unique. There is no step-by-step guide because, ultimately, it is God who changes their life. However, by listening to other evangelists’ stories, failures, and tips, you can better equip yourself to be an instrument in revealing God to others. Snippet from the Show: What we are getting into now is an era of time where people are totally comfortable with their children and grandchildren not being evangelized in any way whatsoever. 5 Practical Takeaways: 1) Evangelization is much more than a hobby, but just like a hobby, you need to invest in it. Take time to invest in yourself and read the book Forming Intentional Disciples. 2) Read “Man’s Response to God” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraphs 142-175). It only takes 10 min. This is the best and most wonderful understanding of faith, as it lays out the individual and ecclesial dimensions of faith. 3) We want to be comfortable with the basic Gospel message, so read Acts 4:8-12. 4) To continually prepare your heart and engage in spiritual evangelization, go to your church, walk the whole perimeter, and pray the rosary for religious conversion. 5) It’s important to know what we don’t know about our Faith. Take the Apostles’ Creed and prayerfully meditate on it. Work through the different tenets of the Creed.

Giving testimony is one of the most important parts of the Christian life, but putting your conversion story into words can be a daunting task. We should always be prepared to give testimony to what God has done in our lives. So today, Mike and Dave talk about the central importance of testimony, why it's important, and practical tips on how to actually do it. Grab your Bible, a pen, and a piece of paper and get ready to write your testimony. Snippet from the Show: Your testimony is your journey with God, your lived relationship with Jesus, and how it all started. 4 Basic Principles of Writing Your Testimony: 1) Remember your testimony is not actually yours. You do not own it, it is God’s story of what he has done in your life. 2) Being specific about the amount or gravity of sin, does not usually add to your testimony. Be careful not to glorify the sin, it robs the limelight from God. 3) Your testimony is about God’s pursuit, and your cooperation and surrender. Remember, he plays the primary role and you play the secondary role. We should try to showcase what God has done rather than on what we did to follow him. 4) Writing a testimony can be a bit like writing an examination of conscience. There may be a part of writing it that calls you to repentance. Practical Steps to Prepare Your Testimony: 1) When you begin writing, start broad and then get specific. Write about everything from the first moment of your life up until the present day. Use words or sentences that would describe you before you became an intentional disciple of Jesus. Here are some questions you could ask yourself: Did you have a life philosophy that you lived by? What were the basic principles you used to govern your life? Did you have an unsatisfied inner need? 2) Describe your identity before you became a serious disciple of Jesus. This gets to the end goal of your conversion—be broad. Who did you want to become? 3) Focus on what made that conversion possible. What made you serious about following Jesus? Again, be broad. 4) Then focus on how you would describe yourself immediately after the conversion. 5) Then describe how you are different now. Write down five to ten sentences or words that describe who you are now as opposed to then. 6) Then write down any Scriptures, quotes, or stories that had particular meaning to you during your conversion process or that mean something to you now. This can sum up your story. 7) Then put it all together in a twenty-minute testimony. Only after you master the long testimony should you cut it down to a shorter version. Remember: Don’t lie or exaggerate. 5 Practical Takeaways: 1) Read Acts 26 - Listen to the Apostle Paul giving his testimony. 2-5) Take a few days to write your twenty minute testimony using the four basic principles listed above.

Do you find making a good first impression to be awkward? Have you ever tried to say something inspiring but ended up saying the wrong things? Is the mere thought of evangelization too nerve-racking to even contemplate? Welcome to the Every Knee Shall Bow podcast where hosts Michael Gormley and Dave VanVickle discuss ways you can bring God’s kingdom to earth, so his will may be done as it is in heaven. Every week they will answer questions, explain Catholic teachings, and give you five practical takeaways, all centering around bringing people to Jesus Christ. Today, Mike and Dave explain what Season One is all about—being unashamed of the gospel. The world desperately needs the love of God, and who else will bring it to them except you?

Michael Gormley announces a new Ascension podcast that will help you share your Catholic faith with your family, friends, co-workers, and even total strangers.