The Church Podcast
Each episode features conversations with people from various backgrounds, exploring the real side of ministry. We discuss insights and learnings from the local and national landscape, enriching our understanding of the ministry's impact.
Episodes
November 3, 2025 • 58 mins
In this energizing and deeply personal episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Chase Crouse, founder of Hypurofit and author of The God of Endurance. As a Catholic athlete, husband, father, and coach, Chase has spent years integrating physical fitness and spiritual formation, helping others see how the discipline of the body can become a path to holiness.
Chase shares how his own journey through endurance sports—marathons, triat...
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October 28, 2025 • 59 mins
Episode 037 – The Freedom to Live Fully: Addiction, Healing, and Authentic Masculinity with Nick Redd
In this raw and hope-filled conversation, Christopher Wesley sits down with Nick Redd, co-founder of The Freedom Group, a Catholic coaching community helping men break free from addiction and rediscover their God-given identity. After fifteen years in ministry with NET Ministries and St. Paul’s Outreach, Nick felt called to walk m...
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In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Gabriella Escalante, Pastoral Juvenil Coordinator at the Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI). Originally from Venezuela, Gabi shares her journey from hesitant young adult newcomer in Miami to a leader serving across 30 dioceses in the southeastern United States.
Gabi reflects on how her father’s search for community drew her into young adult ministry, how a ...
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October 14, 2025 • 64 mins
In this timely and thought-provoking episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with sociologist and author Josh Packard, co-founder of Future Faith, and campus minister Cari Foster, Director of Mission and Formation at Lake Catholic High School. Together, they explore how sacred listening, accompaniment, and presence are transforming the way we engage with Gen Z and Gen Alpha in faith formation.
Drawing from Josh’s upcoming book Faith...
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October 7, 2025 • 43 mins
In this engaging episode, Christopher Wesley reconnects with longtime friend Greg Carpinello, Executive Director of Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest (JVC Northwest). From his roots in Cincinnati to years of campus ministry at Xavier and Boston College, Greg shares the journey that led him to guide nearly 100 young adults each year in faith-driven service across the Northwest.
Greg unpacks the four core values of JVC Northwest—spiri...
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September 30, 2025 • 52 mins
In this engaging and hope-filled episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Evan Psencik, principal of St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School in Austin, Texas. With a background spanning parish ministry, diocesan leadership, classroom teaching, and now school administration, Evan shares his journey of discerning God’s call from engineering to theology, youth ministry, and ultimately Catholic education.
Evan discusses what it means ...
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September 23, 2025 • 52 mins
In this lively and wisdom-filled episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Ela Milewska, Director of Franciscan Media. With more than 30 years of experience spanning parish, diocesan, national, and now digital ministry, Ela shares her journey from a small-town Catholic upbringing to shaping how the Church engages people online today. Ela opens up about her path into ministry, the mentors and experiences that formed her, and what s...
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June 24, 2025 • 9 mins
In this solo mini-episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher Wesley reflects on three powerful questions that every ministry leader should wrestle with at some point in their journey. These aren't just practical or strategy-based—they’re personal, spiritual, and essential for long-term sustainability in ministry. Sharing from his own experience with burnout, transition, and rediscovering identity, Chris invites listeners to pause a...
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June 17, 2025 • 55 mins
Join me, Christopher Wesley, on The Church Podcast for a profound conversation in Episode 030: Radical Solidarity: Listening, Healing, and Hope with Meghan Fiebelkorn. This episode dives into the crucial topic of supporting survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic leaders. Meghan, from Awake Community, shares her journey from parish ministry to advocating for survivors, emphasizing the importance of radical solidarity and preferential...
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June 10, 2025 • 30 mins
Episode 029 – Reboot: Combating The Issue Of Staff Turnover
In this special Reboot edition, we revisit one of the most relevant and enduring challenges in ministry: staff turnover. Originally recorded as part of The Church Podcast with co-host John Rinaldo, this episode (#115)—first aired at the start of 2020—dives into the systemic and personal reasons why turnover remains one of the most pressing issues in the Church today.
Chris...
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June 3, 2025 • 59 mins
In this engaging and heartfelt episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with longtime Catholic speaker and ministry leader Mike Patin for a conversation that blends wisdom, humor, and real talk about what it means to endure in ministry. From crawfish boils in Louisiana to car rides that double as prayer time, Mike shares how decades in the Church have shaped his approach to leadership, storytelling, and spiritual health.
The two explo...
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May 27, 2025 • 48 mins
In this episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Jason Kidd and Rick Grinstead from Alpha USA for an honest and energizing conversation about what real evangelization looks like today. Drawing on their decades of experience in parish and diocesan ministry, Jason and Rick share how Alpha has transformed their understanding of outreach—not as a program to push, but a culture to cultivate.
Together, they unpack how radical (and eve...
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May 20, 2025 • 60 mins
Join me, Christopher Wesley, on The Church Podcast for Episode 026, where I sit down with Chris Bartlett, president of Ablaze Ministries. In this engaging conversation, we explore the concepts of radical hospitality and shadow optimism within the church. Chris shares his insights on why apathy poses a greater threat to the church than heresy and emphasizes the importance of active evangelization. We discuss how radical hospitality ...
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In this episode of The Church Podcast, titled "Your Podcast Episode Title Here," I sit down with my friend Nick Stein, the international director for Bon Secours Young Adults. We dive into his journey with the Sisters of Bon Secours and explore the global impact of Pope Francis's papacy. Nick shares insights from his international experiences, highlighting the diverse ways the church operates around the world. We also reflect on Po...
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SUMMARY
In this engaging episode, Christopher Wesley sits down with Ray Chang, Executive Director of the TENx10 Initiative, to talk about the future of the Church and the bold goal of reaching 10 million young people over the next 10 years. Ray shares how his global upbringing, ministry background, and work in higher education led him to champion a collaborative movement for youth discipleship.
Together, they explore the urgent cha...
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April 29, 2025 • 58 mins
In Episode 023 of The Church Podcast, I sit down with my friend Noah Gilchrist from Damascus Ministries to explore the transformative power of evangelization through personal encounters. Noah shares his compelling journey from a cradle Catholic upbringing to a life-changing retreat experience that ignited his passion for ministry. We dive into the challenges he faced, including the loss of his father, and how these experiences fuel...
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April 22, 2025 • 49 mins
In Episode 022 of The Church Podcast, I sit down with Laura Roland, a certified Catholic motivation coach, to explore the roots of burnout in ministry and how to reframe our motivations. Laura shares her journey from Catholic educator to motivation strategist, emphasizing the importance of understanding our unique design and calling. We discuss the Motivation Code Assessment, a tool that helps individuals and teams discover what tr...
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April 15, 2025 • 62 mins
In this episode of The Church Podcast, I sit down with Jack and Faustyna Waters to explore the dynamic of navigating marriage and ministry together. As a newly married couple deeply involved with Heart is Nails Ministry, Jack and Faustyna share their inspiring journey from conversion experiences to embracing a life of evangelization. Jack discusses his transformative encounter with faith as a teenager and how it led him to Heart is...
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April 8, 2025 • 65 mins
In this powerful and heartfelt episode, Marcia Lane-McGee takes us on her journey from a shy young woman to a bold and confident voice in the Catholic Church. She shares her conversion story, the influence of her cultural background on her faith, and what it was like to co-author her first book.
Together, we dive into themes of identity, community, and cultural expression in worship—drawing from Marcia’s lived experience as a Black...
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April 1, 2025 • 62 mins
In this engaging conversation, Shannon Wimp Schmidt shares her journey into ministry, the impact of youth ministry, and the importance of cultural expressions within the Catholic faith. They discuss the challenges of writing their book 'Fat Luther, Slim Pickens,' including addressing the legacy of slavery and the need for hope in their narratives. The conversation emphasizes the significance of reclaiming ethnic expressions of fait...
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