Welcome to Holy Conundrums!

Everett reconnects with his friend Addie Magruder, Director of Ut Fidem at Dowling Catholic High School. They tell the story of developing this unique campus ministry program and the incredible success Addie has seen by developing small groups with spiritual mentors. Both in numbers and in culture, the dedication of the student body to the practice of the Faith, coupled with the “reverse statistic” of how they keep their faith in college and are driven to mentor others themselves speak to a shocking effectiveness. Addie talks practicals about finding mentors who are already disciples, but also the intangible power of asking God to guide her steps.From the Dowling Catholic website: Ut Fidem, from a Latin phrase meaning “Keep the Faith,” strives to develop high school students into intentional disciples who will keep the faith for the rest of their lives, and especially through college. Ut Fidem does this by supporting students in forming deep, personal relationships with Christ through small group ministry and faith mentoring.Our solution: Basically... learn from “Ut Fidem”Learn more about Addie and Ut Fidem at utfidem.org.

Spoiler alert: It’s a circle.Everett talks with Kyle Heimann, Chief Content Officer of Spoke Street Media (the podcast network we’re part of). They talk about Truth, Charity, and whether or not you can have one without the other. In particular, how does Christian community live out the idea that truth cannot exist without charity, and charity cannot exist without truth? Or how does it fail to live it out? They talk about the polarizing effect of news and social media, and the reputation Christians have of being anti-everything. Kyle and Everett share perspectives on getting people’s stories first, learning how and when to speak to young people about the faith, and how to avoid heated disagreements by hanging out in coffee shops!Kyle’s Advice for Overcoming Division: Pray (for guidance)Ask “Who would be hurt by this?”Not everything that we think needs to be shared, does.Our solution: Start with curiosity rather than anger. Christians should be known by what we love, not what we hate. Love people. Learn more about Kyle and Spoke Street at spokestreet.comSpoiler alert: It’s a circle.Everett talks with Kyle Heimann, Chief Content Officer of Spoke Street Media (the podcast network we’re part of). They talk about Truth, Charity, and whether or not you can have one without the other. In particular, how does Christian community live out the idea that truth cannot exist without charity, and charity cannot exist without truth? Or how does it fail to live it out? They talk about the polarizing effect of news and social media, and the reputation Christians have of being anti-everything. Kyle and Everett share perspectives on getting people’s stories first, learning how and when to speak to young people about the faith, and how to avoid heated disagreements by hanging out in coffee shops!Kyle’s Advice for Overcoming Division: Pray (for guidance)Ask “Who would be hurt by this?”Not everything that we think needs to be shared, does.Our solution: Start with curiosity rather than anger. Christians should be known by what we love, not what we hate. Love people. Learn more about Kyle and Spoke Street at spokestreet.com

For this episode, Everett is joined by Kelsey Skoch to discuss the problem that seems to be everywhere: pornography. Kelsey and Everett share what they’ve learned about how to minister to men and women who have been exposed to pornography or fallen into an addiction. They talk first about the false idea so prevalent in the church that it’s “only a guy problem.” They also mention in particular the effects of the pandemic, the victimization of young people, and how to speak to the shame and guilt that many people carry. Kelsey and Everett talk about specific strategies they use as parents to protect their children and to talk with them about sexuality in a healthy and appropriate way.Our solution: It’s not just about software filters. Know what’s out there in the culture, and speak with your kids on the truth about sexuality.Resources Everett recommends: ProtectYoungEyes.com, Common Sense MediaLearn more about Kelsey and her ministry at kelseyskoch.com or Instagram.Order a copy of Kelsey and Everett’s book, Uncompromising Purity: It’s Not Just a “Guy” Problem.

This week, Everett is joined by his dear friend, Catholic speaker, writer, and author of Real Love, Mary Beth Bonacci. Mary Beth shares her story about how she began teaching to single Catholics, and the unique needs that they have that the Church isn’t meeting. She responds to the advice to “get out there more” and where the “there” is that you can go. She cuts right to the question that often lies in the subtext when she hears from single Catholics, which is “Where is the spouse I was told to expect?” There are lots of guarantees in scripture, but a spouse is not among them. She and Everett discuss the question of living a life when the thing you’re hoping for seems to never come, and the hard question of “Is God enough for you?”Mary Beth also calls out the question that every single person grows to hate, which is “Why are you still single?” (implying, “What’s wrong with you?”). But also, gently… is there a blind spot about yourself that you need to look at with honesty, or some area in which you need to grow? Mary Beth and Everett also speak frankly about whether singleness is a vocation, chastity, dating, compromise, and settling. All the things.Our solution: Do not put your life on hold. He put you here to follow his will now, not once you find a spouse.Learn more about Mary Beth and her ministry at Reallove.netLearn more about Everett's ministry at https://andrew-ministries.com/Grab a copy of Everett's new book, One Disciple at a Time: How to Lead Others to Dynamic, Engaged, Life-Changing Faith!Sneak peek from the cutting room floor: “Is there a beatitude somewhere, ‘Blessed are the chaste, for they shall receive a spouse by their 35th birthday’? Where do we get this stuff??”

Everett reached out to David Bereit, Founder of 40 Days for Life (The world's largest grassroots movement to end abortion) for this hot-topic conversation on the landmark overturning of Roe vs. Wade on June 24, 2022.David starts off by telling the story of how 40 Days for Life began, with prayer, peace, and focus on conversion of heart. He shares compelling stories of conversion, but also his perspective on the fallout from the Dobbs decision and what still needs to happen in order to make abortion unthinkable. He emphasize the critical need for the Church to walk with mothers and children, providing support for community, education, friendship, whatever is needed so that mothers no longer feel the need for abortion.David goes on to explain some of the misconceptions around post-Roe medical care, and the opportunity for compassion from pro-lifers in engaging with those who struggle with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade.“The goal is not to prove that you’re right. The goal is conversion of heart.”David’s solution: Hope, compassion, prayer, and accompaniment.Learn more about David Bereit and 40 Days for Life at  https://www.40daysforlife.com/Learn more about Life Beyond Roe at https://lifebeyondroe.com/Learn more about Everett's ministry at https://andrew-ministries.com/Grab a copy of Everett's new book, One Disciple at a Time: How to Lead Others to Dynamic, Engaged, Life-Changing Faith!

So how do we get them back? Jacob King joins Everett to talk about evangelizing the unaffiliated.Jacob’s mission is to use media to go after the nones – the religious dropouts – like he once was. Everett and Jacob also discuss the unique challenges of starting a ministry as a Catholic entrepreneur, and dive deep into what it means for the Church to have such large numbers of young adults become religiously unaffiliated, and discuss their theories for how to talk to them. There are some horror stories of bad ministry tactics, so be forewarned.Learn more about Dropout at wearedropout.com and on Instagram @wearedropoutLearn more about Everett's ministry at www.andrew-ministries.com/Grab a copy of Everett's new book, One Disciple at a Time: How to Lead Others to Dynamic, Engaged, Life-Changing Faith!

Everett is joined in this episode by Deacon Charlie Echeverry. Deacon Charlie is the founder of the Black//Brown Collective, an accelerator based in Los Angeles that aims to connect emerging technology with emerging audiences. He comes from a Latino background himself, and provides some context on the Latino community's massive potential for impact in the Church today.They discuss cultural Catholicism (as opposed to Catholic devotion), the challenges for non-Latinos in ministering to the Latino church, where we fall short in engaging the Latino community, the particular experiences of suffering that can touch the Latino community, and catechesis vs. relational ministry."A strategy that is rooted only in language automatically fails." - Deacon CharlieThe solution? Walk with and get to know the people in your community.Get in touch with Deacon Charlie at deaconcharlie.com and his podcast Living the CALL.Learn more about Everett's ministry at https://andrew-ministries.com/Grab a copy of Everett's book, One Disciple at a Time: How to Lead Others to Dynamic, Engaged, Life-Changing Faith!

In this first episode, Everett Fritz talks with longtime collaborator Annie Grandell about the nature of youth ministry.The studies that have come out about the trends of young people leaving the Church have been astounding, particularly when it seemed like youth groups were thriving.What's the disconnect? Why hasn't youth ministry been as effective as we thought? And on top of it all, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to reveal the already-crumbling nature of youth discipleship. What can we learn from this crisis? We're learning that people want the Church to be a place of relationship, where they are known.“Discipleship by its nature is customizable. The journey a person goes on in conversion is not going to be the same as somebody else.” - Annie GrandellOur solution: investing in relational ministry, mentorship, and discipleship

In this new podcast, Everett Fritz, founder of Andrew Ministries, will be inviting friends and thought leaders into conversation about all the various experiences of the Catholic Church that touch our lives: the beautiful and the disappointing, the painful and the uplifting. Sometimes there will be proposed practical solutions, sometimes there will be reflection and diving for deeper understanding, and usually there will be dry humor and maybe a little bit of irreverence... but only when it’s deserved.