Jason Simon shares his journey from an evangelical Protestant upbringing to entering the Catholic Church—and ultimately leading Evangelical Catholic. He unpacks what “missionary discipleship” really means (hint: it’s not a buzzword), why true formation begins in communion (small, deep relationships), and how parishes of any size can build a replicable, dialogical process that sends everyday Catholics into mission at work, at the gym, and across their neighborhoods. Jason also offers a powerful “glory story” from Iowa that shows communion naturally spilling over into life-saving mission.
Evangelical Catholic: evangelicalcatholic.org
Contact Jason: jsimon@evangelicalcatholic.org
➡️ Take the first step toward renewal—get our free Weekend Experience Evaluation to identify what’s working, what’s not, and where your parish can grow. https://download.rebuiltparish.com/weekendevaluation
Key Highlights
- From Protestant to Catholic: How family witness, Scripture devotion, and one-to-one mentoring opened Jason to the Church.
- Mutual enrichment: Why Protestants often mirror back Catholic “impoverishments” (Scripture, preaching, worship) and how Catholics offer sacramental/liturgical depth in return.
- Missionary discipleship ≠ cliché: A robust, heroic vision inspired by Evangelii Gaudium—formed laity sent into secular culture with love, zeal, and prudence.
- Formation flows from communion: Real formation happens in small groups / micro-groups / one-on-one, not large lectures.
- A replicable pathway: Communion → plan/curriculum → dialogical learning → daily prayer → bi-weekly one-on-ones → discern the who before the what.
- Glory story (Des Moines): A “baby believer” in a dads’ group reaches out—prompting a conversation that literally saves a life.
- Any parish can start: Rural or suburban, staff or no staff—assemble a small formation team and prioritize a repeatable process.
- Pastors’ role: Preach to awaken desire (not compulsion), make the “hot” disciples hotter, and trust them to accompany the lukewarm.
Chapters with Timestamps
- 00:00 — Welcome & guest intro (Jason Simon, Evangelical Catholic)
- 00:18 — Jason’s story: evangelical roots, Catholic conversion, mentor, and EC leadership
- 03:27 — Protestant strengths, Catholic riches & “mutual impoverishment”
- 06:36 — Family witness: lectionary after dinner & proactive evangelizing at home
- 10:13 — What is “missionary discipleship”? A robust, heroic vision
- 15:24 — Depth first: relentless relationships, learning the “language” of secular life
- 19:08 — Formation that starts in communion (small groups & real friendship)
- 21:30 — Plan + pedagogy + dialogue: why conversation forms people
- 24:24 — The formation rhythm: weekly meetings, daily prayer, one-on-ones
- 27:45 — Discern the who before the what—and support the missionary
- 28:45 — “Glory stories” from Iowa—communion spilling into mission
- 34:24 — Rural vs. suburban: different constraints, shared opportunity
- 37:30 — First steps for overwhelmed parishes: build a small formation team
- 40:20 — Pastors: preach to awaken desire for holiness & mission
- 43:44 — Preach to the disciples; let them accompany the lukewarm
- 46:27 — Vision casting: missionary disciples on the pastor’s team
- 47:27 — How to connect with Evangelical Catholic & closing
Rate, Review, & Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts!
“I love the Rebuilt Podcast! It’s helping my parish make strides in parish renewal!” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show! This helps us support more people just like you, take steps towards parish renewal and making disciples. Be sure to give us 5 stars, write a review and share what you loved most about the episode!
https://www.rebuiltparish.com/
facebook.com/rebuiltparish
instagram.com/rebuiltparish
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rebuilt-parish/
https://www.youtube.com/@rebuiltparish
missionary discipleship, catholic small groups, parish renewal, Evangelical Catholic, Jason Simon, Evangelii Gaudium, catholic evangelization, forming disciples, lay apostolate, Rebuilt Parish podcast, parish coaching, catholic leadership, catholic preaching, pastoral strategy
