Description

I’ve often repeated the phrase that “communication is not what is said, but rather what is heard”, which is similar to Thomas Aquinas when he says that “everything that is received, is received in the mode of the receiver” (not the deliverer or presenter). Through many incredible stories (which included one of my favorite “worst talk stories” ever), ministry convictions, and tons of practical examples, Michael Marchand always aims to lean into the wisdom and life experiences of the audiences he speaks to. More than just ‘knowing your audience’, he and his colleagues at Project YM have made a habit of seeking out deep, meaningful engagement with the audiences they are serving, training, and leading.

Bio

Michael Marchand is a preacher, teacher, and innovator who is focused on serving his (second) favorite group of people on the planet: Catholic youth ministers. After years of working in parish youth ministry, Michael cofounded ProjectYM to do just that. Since then, his work with ProjectYM has taken him across the country and around the world – training, equipping, and supporting thousands of youth ministry leaders...and letting them know that they matter.

Link to Project YM’s special page for listeners of Better Preach - https://projectym.com/preach

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

 When you are giving a talk there are many things that can go wrong, apart from anything related to your content, preparation and delivery.

What do you do when the mic fails, video glitches, or powerpoint dies? How do you react when no one shows up to your talk or teenagers won’t stop looking at their phones?

In this conversation with my trusty occasional co-host, Connor Flanagan we dig into each of these questions and more…

Things will often go wrong How will you respond? There’s a lot more riding on your response than you might think.

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

In the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death a few years ago, the conversation in the Church and America turned swiftly to race. And as often is the case those national conversations make their way into (and in a few years) out of, our lives. Today, I’d like to send that email again and you know, bring it to the top of your inbox. The discussion about race is an important one - not just for Americans at large, but for Catholics in the US, as well.

The issue is personal for me. My family, as you know is multi-racial - my youngest son is African American - and living in the Twin Cities through George Floyd, and the riots that followed - this question of racism and its effects has been top of mind since. In fact, the overlap of racial justice and poverty has been the context for the works of mercy God has invited my family into since 2020.

Along the way I started listening to Gloria Purvis’ podcast, who I am excited and honored to interview. Her podcast and writing has been a wonderful education on what it means to be black and Catholic in the US today. I encourage you to check it out if you haven’t yet. 10/10 recommend!

Gloria Purvis is an author, commentator and the host and executive producer of The Gloria Purvis Podcast. Through her media presence, she has been a strong Catholic voice for life issues, religious liberty, and racial justice.

Link to Gloria Purvis’ talk at the National Eucharistic Congress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWAxXDYNr38

Information about the process of Canonization for the first African American Saint. There are currently seven, underway.

https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs/road-sainthood-leaders-african-descent

Book: Slavery by Another Name by Douglas Blackmon

https://www.amazon.com/Slavery-Another-Name-Re-Enslavement-Americans/dp/B002D1W8ZY

Watch: Eyes on the Prize (2 Seasons) on Prime. There is a paywall, but the series is available here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.26619625-5243-4ea9-8b09-850310b93c4d?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb

Book: When Affirmative Action was White by Ira Katznelson

https://www.amazon.com/When-Affirmative-Action-White-Twentieth-Century/dp/1324051086?adgrpid=180140477444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=748008426879&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=776688375324422722&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019551&hvtargid=dsa-2414841786926&hydadcr=&mcid=&hvocijid=776688375324422722--&hvexpln=67&tag=googhydr-20&hvsb=Politics_d&hvcampaign=dsadesk

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.