Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

Dave “The Angelic Doctor” VanVickle (he’s really uncomfortable with that one) and I break down ten things you need to know to go out into the world right now and start evangelizing your family, friends, coworkers, and the random people you meet on the street. We’ve made all the evangelization mistakes through our years of talking to people about Jesus and the Church so that you don’t have to. We want to hear from you! Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com with your story, question, or comment—or if you’ve got a new nickname for Dave. Snippet from the Show “Real evangelization takes place within a trusting relationship. That means listening to the story they want to tell so that you actually understand where they’re coming from. Only then can you truly offer a response to the yearning of their soul.” Five Practical Takeaways Read Mark’s account of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Go back to your conversion story and review everything, asking God to reveal new parts of your story. Intercede for the healing of someone you know. Go to the internet and search for conversion stories, studying the way the Holy Spirit moves in people’s lives. Google the JPII Healing Center and research what healing looks like. Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

The phrase “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” has become so synonymous with Protestant spirituality that many Catholics seem to think it’s not that important. This is a huge problem. Dave “The Cheddar” VanVickle and I talk about why having a personal relationship with Jesus is absolutely vital for Catholics. It’s not about just having an emotional reaction, it’s about knowing the God we claim to love and allowing that intimacy to draw us ever deeper into the sacraments and mysteries of the Catholic Faith. Snippet from the Show “Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ ignites and amplifies the sacramental reception of him.” SHOWNOTES Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2558 - "Great is the mystery of the faith!" The Church professes this mystery in the Apostles' Creed (Part One) and celebrates it in the sacramental liturgy (Part Two), so that the life of the faithful may be conformed to Christ in the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father (Part Three). This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer. THE SOUL OF THE APOSTOLATE - If I do not believe the active presence of Jesus is within me, and if I did not try to make this presence within me a vital reality, I would be depriving my interior life of Jesus. . When Jesus, in this manner, becomes my light, my ideal, my counsel, my support, my refuge, my strength, my healer, my consolation, my joy, my love, in a word, my life, I shall acquire all the virtues. On Spiritual Perfection - The measure of a man’s love for God depends upon how deeply aware he is of God’s love for him. St. Theresa of Avila - “Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.” Pope St. John Paul II - “Conversion means accepting, by a personal decision, the saving sovereignty of Christ and becoming his disciple.” Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 - “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” St. John Paul II, speech to bishops of Southern Germany, Dec. 4, 1992 - “It is necessary to awaken again in believers a full relationship with Christ, mankind’s only Savior. Only from a personal relationship with Jesus can an effective evangelization develop.” Pope Benedict, Deus Caritas Est 1 - "Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction." Pope Benedict XVI, May 2004 - "Many people perceive Christianity as something institutional -- rather than as an encounter with Christ -- which explains why they don't see it as a source of joy." John 15:15 - “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” Marriage Analogy: If a couple has a great friendship, but refuses intimacy. If a couple has intimacy, but refuses to have a close friendship. Catholics are the latter, Protestants are the former. Neither is healthy! Five Practical Takeaways Read: A book about the life of a saint (St. Francis of Assisi, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Augustine, etc.) Intercession: Pray for someone whose love for Christ or his Church has grown cold. Read: Read the Song of Songs Community: Host a dinner, but not a potluck. Provide everything for them and ask nothing from them in return. Reflection: Examination of a relationship you have Resources The 99 - now shipping! Romans: The Gospel of SalvationSupport Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

I’m your host, Mike "Gomer" Gormley but I am not joined by my illustrious co-host, Dave “The Bearded Fox” Van Vickle because of life. Yes, life. For two weeks we kept trying to record a show together, but my daughter ended up in the hospital (she’s home now) for a few days and threw everything off. Prayers appreciated! Dave was flying all over the country talking about Catholic spiritual warfare (like a gentleman ought) so instead I’m bringing you another example from my own ministry of how I preach the gospel. This talk was given to the men's group at my parish (even though some people don’t like those cough Dave cough) and focuses on the message of salvation through Genesis up to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and points to the responsibility this puts on Christians to spread the good news. We will be back with a regular show next week so you can hear the wonderful vibrato of “The Bearded Fox” himself. Snippet from the Show “The very spirit of Christ is breathed out upon us, giving us the ability to overcome sin, death, and darkness in our own lives. The Holy Spirit is the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ unleashed into the human heart.” SHOWNOTES Matthew 28:16-20 - “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’” Dr. Scott Hahn - “The moment I’m more outraged at another person’s sin than my own is the day I need a reality check, because their sins don’t send me to hell the last time I checked.” Genesis 3:15 - “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” GK Chesterton on Original Sin - “The only doctrine of the church that’s empirically verifiable” St. Paul - “I do the very thing I don’t want to do, and I don’t do the very thing I want to do. Who will deliver me from this wretched body?” Two questions to ask yourself Why is it so difficult for you to evangelize? How has the resurrection of Jesus changed your life? Resources Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity Pope St. John Paul II, Theology of the Body Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

There’s a lot more to being a Catholic speaker than what you see. Dave “Extreme Narcissist” VanVickle and I discuss the little-known problems and behind-the-scenes difficulties of people who talk about the Faith for a living. From bringing kids to RCIA to feeling guilty about a paycheck, we talk about balancing family life, parish life, full-time jobs, and time on the road. Snippet from the Show “The life of a professional traveling speaker is not what most people think it is.” SHOWNOTES Money and Guilt Charging for a talk isn’t about making money off the gospel, it’s about providing for time spent away from family. Family Values Being on the road makes your spouse temporarily a single parent. It’s a huge strain on the family and the spouses are the ones who really have it hard. Missional Continuity What is the mission with the audience? The speaker is there to continue the work that is already happening, not to have a singular affect that probably won’t stick. Five Practical Takeaways Pray for your favorite Catholic speaker. Read Marcel’s article, “Why You Probably Don't Want To Be A Catholic Speaker!” Evaluate your most recent event and ask yourself about the impact it had weeks later. Critically examine your money and fame motives. Community: try to learn something new about someone already in your life. Try Patrick Lencioni’s opening question: what life event from your childhood affected you the most? Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

Welcome to EKSB, your weekly Catholic podcast on evangelization. I’m your host, Mike “Gomer” Gormley, and I’m joined, as always, by my co-host, Dave “The Masked Pamphleteer” Van Vickle. Today we’re answering questions and handing out sweet sweet nicknames. We talk about how to make men’s groups less painful, what to do if your parish has little to no money, our essential reading list for people who want to evangelize, resources for introducing kids to Adoration, and the Pew Research study on the True Presence in the Eucharist. Snippet from the Show “If you can teach what the Church actually believes about the True Presence, and then set up an encounter in Adoration, you will bring people to Jesus in droves.” SHOWNOTES Chaz The Man writes: Hey guys! Love the podcast. I have been asked to start/lead a men’s group at our parish. We have a mini retreat this weekend and I spoke to the guy leading about what were we going to do following the retreat to keep and engage the men coming. In turn he said great idea.....so now I have the reins on it which I’m pumped about but I don’t want it to be your typical old guys drinking coffee and talking about surface topics. My idea was to first give my testimony to show them how God can polish a turd:) Then I was thinking about something light to build trust and something that doesn’t require much from them except to show up! I was thinking just reading the Gospel for the coming Sunday in the same small groups every week and talking about it. How it applies to our life, what we take from etc. Then maybe do a book study. Thoughts? Luke the Seminarian writes: Dear Gomer and Dave ‘too hot to handle, too cold to hold’ VanVickle, I’m an English Seminarian preparing for ordination to the diaconate this coming year and I just wanted to say thank you for the great work your doing on the podcast and to ask a question. In the UK we face a lot of the same problems as you do in the states, our people generally aren’t well formed and we struggle for volunteers; but on top of that our weekly collections tend to be so low that paid employees aren’t typically realistic for most parishes. We can’t afford to pay a director of religious education or evangelisation and these things tend to fall (along with everything else) on the Priest. So I suppose my question is, what would you guys suggest as the absolute basics to start building from for a priest to get in place that he can manage reasonably alongside all of his other duties? I realise that it’s a big question, sometimes it seems a little overwhelming! I’ve read a lot of the books, Divine Renovation etc, but a lot of the time their starting position is so radically different from our average parishes that it’s difficult to think how you would even start to implement them. Please be assured of my prayers and keep up the great work. Aaron the Book Nerd writes: Hey fellas, love the podcast. Can't get enough. Was hoping you could help me out with a few things. First off, you make a ton of books recommendations on the podcast, but was hoping you could narrow it down a bit for me. I am a cradle Catholic who recently went through sort of a conversion experience where I feel I am being called to evangelize and bring the Gospel to people to advance the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth; however, I am extremely knew to evangelization and so was looking for one or two key books that you believe every evangelist should read. Secondly, our Parish asked for anyone interested in prison ministry to reach out to them. This is another area where I feel I am being called, but it seems like I may be the only at my Parish called to do so, as I seem to be the one now leading the charge to start the prison ministry at my Parish while getting advice from another Parish with an already established prison ministry. So my question is ....any advice? God Bless. Aaron the Adorer writes: Hello, Michael Gormley and Dave “Milk and honey” Van Vickle! First off, thank you. I have been listening to your podcast since day one and, while I haven’t always been faithful to the 5 practical tips each week, they have stretched me in ways I was afraid of in the past. In fact, the tips stretched me enough to take up a position in July at a local parish collaborative (2 parishes sharing resources) up here in Massachusetts as the Director of Lifelong Faith Formation. Your insights, challenge and resources (especially Sherry Weddell’s book) has been transformative for me and my family. I cannot thank God enough for the ways your podcast has prepared me for a deeper commitment as a disciple. The other reason I am e-mailing you is in reference to something Dave mentioned in one of the recent podcasts: guiding kids through an experience of Adoration. After the most recent Pew poll that just came out on Catholics and their understanding (or lack-there-of) of the Eucharist, I am wanting to focus the efforts of our religious ed and faith formation on the Real Presence and Adoration. I am hoping to have each grade level have an experience of one hour of Adoration over the course of the year. Do you have any resources that you have used that would help make this a success for the various age groups? You mentioned just doing this with 4, 5 and 6 year olds. Do you avoid adoration with the older kids? If so, why? Do you have any other ideas of how to ignite the older kids’ hearts for love of the Eucharist? Also, better yet, I am wondering if, in light of the recent Pew research poll on Catholics and belief in the Eucharist, you were planning on focusing in on the Eucharist as a jumping off point for evangelization? It seems to be something people struggle with accepting nowadays (though I suppose one could say people have always struggled to accept this teaching, as they did in Jesus’ own earthly ministry!). It is easy for the modern relativistic-thinking Catholic to pick and choose themselves away from this HARD teaching of Jesus. It seems like an area that needs some doubling-down on in our Church here in the US. In any case, know of my gratitude and prayers. Five Practical Takeaways Research weekly lectionary devotionals, like The Word Among Us Pray for Luke the Seminarian! Read The Way of the Disciple by Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis (https://amzn.to/34vqTCf) Go to adoration or take your kids to 10 minutes of Adoration. Share this podcast with at least one person! Resources and Events Dave's website (thesinnersguide.com) Dedication and Leadership by Douglas Hyde Leaving Boyhood Behind by Jason Craig Exodus 90 The Way of the Disciple by Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis Jesus Shock by Peter Kreeft Children of Hope Children of Hope Leader’s Guide Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

Dave “Wolfsbane” VanVickle is … not here today. It’s just me, Gomer, with a special episode where I recorded a talk I gave to my catechists about how to become excellent teachers of our Faith. This talk is the past two episodes of EKSB put into practice. If you are a catechist, thinking about becoming a catechist, or work with catechists in any way, this episode will be extremely helpful. Snippet from the Show What is catechesis? It’s about giving growth to a faith that already exists because of evangelization that has already happened. But if evengalization hasn’t happened, what are we maturing? 5 Practical Takeaways Read and pray with Ephesians 4:1-16 Memorize Catechesi Tradendae paragraph five. Handwrite every student’s name and pray for them for 1 min every day. Write one sentence per lesson that ties it to the person of Jesus Christ. Come up with one example from your life per lesson. Support 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 eksb@ascensionpress.com 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 Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

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 Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

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 eksb@ascensionpress.com 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 Support Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)

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.comSupport Every Knee Shall Bow (Your Catholic Evangelization Podcast)