Youth Ministry Training(Video)

In early 2018, I traveled to the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa to lead a Youth Ministry Training day for 25 youth ministers and DRE's from across the Diocese. 

In the first session, I do introductions, we play the "Worship or Love Song" game, rethink ministry using a Desert Island experiment and refocus our ministry.

In the second session, I share about comprehensive youth ministry and the tools for how to accomplish what the Bishops ask of us for our ministry.

In the final session, we discuss a new model for youth nights, the importance of good questions for discussion groups, finding volunteers, building a parent board, sharing resources and answering questions from the youth ministers. 

You can find all three videos in the playlist below. If you would like me to come to a training for your team, click here.

Appearance on Fiat Ministry TV. Watch/listen now!

Mr. Radio Face made his TV debut! I hid my face behind a mic, beard and hat and spoke with Kent Kuholski on the "Fiat Ministry Show." I was able to share my "yes" moments to the Lord, the importance of saying yes every day and the struggle that can often be. The show was aired live and we got to respond to live comments so that was fun. You can watch/listen to the recording now on Facebook or YouTube. Enjoy! 

Ministry Madness Bracket 2018 Results

Ministry Madness Bracket Results!
The #MinistryMadness bracket is one of our favorite things we do each year on the podcast. This was the 2nd annual running of the event which pits Catholic ministry leaders against one another in a boxing tournament with the winners determined by listener votes.

In our 2nd year, participation in the bracket doubled with 268 people participating. Thanks for making this fun for us! 

See below for the final results! If the results have trouble loading, click here.

To hear us break down the final results on the podcast, click here to listen to episode 77.

New Single out now!

Track 5 from the newest CD from Ablaze Ministries' Encounter Band! Tune in to my first song in a recording studio in 7 years! I love this song so much and hope you enjoy worshipping with me :)

"Since Your Love" was originally recorded by United Pursuit
©2015 United Pursuit Music (ASCAP) and Capitol CMG Genesis (ASCAP)

Ministry Madness Bracket 2018! Voting open now!

Ministry Madness Bracket
The 2nd annual Ministry Madness bracket is here! Last year was so much fun, we had to bring it back with a whole new cast of contestants! Have you ever wondered who would win in a boxing championship among Catholic ministry leaders from across the United States? I sure have. While it will most likely not ever going to happen in real life, we can always vote on who would win if it did.

The winner is decided by you the voter. THIS IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST. This is literally picking who would win in a legal boxing match. If you vote on anything but who would win in a boxing match, you will spend extra time in purgatory. Vote now in the bracket below! (If it is not loading click here).

Follow along on the podcast
The results and winner will be aired and discussed on the Forte Catholic Radio Show and Podcast on April 3rd so you have until then to vote, share with your friends and argue in the comments. For more information about the bracket and an in depth look at the matchups, including some interviews with contenders, tune in to the the Forte Catholic podcast throughout the month of March while you fill out your bracket.

Support the Show
If you enjoy the show or the bracket, I would love if you would consider heading over to the Forte Catholic Patreon page. This is a great way to join the Forte Catholic community, support the work of the ministry, and get some cool rewards for doing so! 

Bracket Descriptions
Top Left Division-Podcasters
Bottom Left Division-Speakers/Media
Top Right Division-Musicians/Authors
Bottom Right Division-Women in Ministry

Get final results sent to you!
Sign up at the bottom of the page to get an email when the results are final. Have fun!

Intro to the New Testament (Video Guest Appearance)

This is probably my favorite Beyond the Pew video I've ever recorded. This series is built for parents but can be a great jolt to any of our spiritual lives. I hope you enjoy. Let me know your favorite book of the New Testament and why in the comments.

The New Testament of the Bible is the history of our Church. But how much of it have you read? In this video, Taylor challenges all of us to take the time to read the Acts of the Apostles, as they began preaching the Gospel, to be inspired by the letters of Paul & early Church leaders, and to dive into the Book of Revelation, which should inspire a hunger for the Mass.

"Unpublished Worship Songs" A humorous look through the Scriptures

As a musician for Mass, your job is to enhance the prayer experience of the community and connect the songs to the daily readings. Not only does it help people pray during Mass but we have all had a hymn we heard at Church stuck in our head for days after. It helps to keep the theme of that Mass in our thoughts long after we've forgotten the readings & homily.

Sometimes the songs are easy to pick as there are a ton of Scriptures written about popular passages. Buuuut sometimes there are more odd or obscure readings and it is hard to find songs that match. That's where the idea for "Unpublished Worship Songs" came from. These are comical songs I wrote about the Bibles underappreciated stories. 

For instance:
1. "Dumb Ways to Die: Shebears Edition" comes from 2 Kings 2:23-24 where some children perish in one of the oddest ways.
2. "Kills With the Sword" is from Exodus 22:20-26 with some odd advice on how to deal with aliens.
3. "Thanks Paul" is a thank you to the Apostle Paul...but I also have some questions...
4. "Beer and the Bible" is Taylor's country side singin' about the alcohol proverb. (Prov 31:6)
5. "I Will Send A Curse" from Malachi Chapter 2 is the exact opposite of uplifting.

Listen is as the Bible comes to life in a WHOLE. NEW. WAY!

The Old Testament Is Not Boring (Guest Appearance)

In the most recent "Beyond the Pew" episode from Ablaze Ministries, I talk about how the Old Testament gets a bad rap but is actually hilarious AND helps tremendously in ability to grow deeper in our love and appreciation of the Lord.

Check it out and let me know whatcha think!

The Old Testament can often be skipped over in our Christian life, because we focus on the New Testament and the life of Jesus. But the Old Testament is the story of how God has loved us over thousands of years!

2017 Speaking/Worship Leading Highlights and 2018 Booking

Happy New Year!

2017 was an exciting year for Forte Catholic across the board! I was invited to speak and/or lead worship at 22 events for over 2500 people across Texas, as well as in Iowa and Baltimore. The radio show/podcast also continued to grow in production and reach. (More info on that here)

I am currently booking for events for 2018! Please keep me in mind for your next conference, youth night, retreat, parish mission or other event.

Below are some of the highlights of exciting events I was able to be a part of in 2017 and current bookings for 2018! 
 

Vote for Top Ten Podcasts of 2017!

2017 was a great year for Forte Catholic! 

I will be revealing the most listened to podcasts of 2017 in the first show of 2018!

UPDATE: Voting is now closed. See the Top Ten countdown list here.

Create your own user feedback survey

"People Get Ready" Cover

People Get Ready is a song originally written and sung by Curtis Mayfield in 1971. I heard the song as a child on a Country Christian cassette tape (I know I know, don't ask). I loved the song then and heard it recorded again by Rod Stewart in 1993. 

I don't think I have heard it since around that time. Yet, since the beginning of Advent, the song has been stuck in my head every! single! day! In this season of waiting and preparing for the Lord, I have been reminded by this song that we are not only preparing for December 25th, but also for the Lord's eventual return, or the day we meet him face to face.

So every time this song has popped into my head, I have asked myself, "Am I ready?" And it has inspired me not only to strive for Christ more this Advent season, but to continue seeking Him in new ways even after Christmas has come and gone.

For my full thoughts on the song, check out the first segment of episode 62 of the Forte Catholic Podcast.

I hope you enjoy the cover with the help of my friend Becka Landry on the keys! Merry Christmas!

Keynote Session from Revive 2017

I shared this "Ablaze" message at the Revive Youth Rally in Bryan, TX this Fall! It was a fun outdoor event in downtown Bryan(hence the train interrupting me at the beginning lol).

After playing the "Hunger Games or Scripture" trivia game, I talked about the image of fire throughout salvation history and it's implications for keeping our fire of faith aflame. I also talked about what fire needs to sustain and the equivalencies for that in our spiritual life.

Sioux City Diocesan Conference Keynote Video

Here is the full video of one of my keynote sessions at the Diocese of Sioux City Iowa Diocesan Youth Conference. I had such a blast returning to this conference for the second year in a row! Enjoy

0:00-3:55. Introduction
3:55-10:04. Star Wars vs. Scripture Game
10:04-End. Talk on Rebellion and Discipleship

Big news for the future of Forte Catholic Radio!

Big news today! In addition to airing on RED-C Radio in Central Texas and the weekly podcast, the Forte Catholic Radio Show will air on St. Michael Catholic Radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma every Thursday at 10am! 

Head to www.stmichaelradio.com for more about the station and how to listen in this new way.

I'm so thankful for this opportunity and excited for the future! 

#MakeCatholicismFunAgain

Your Schedule Is a Theological Statement

New video from Beyond the Pew about managing your family's schedule and commitments. Our schedules are an active reflection of our lives and priorities. As the school year kicks off, take some time to make sure your family's time is healthy & balanced by looking at the example of the teen Jesus.

This video first appeared on https://www.beyondthepew.org/schedule

An Introduction Into Comprehensive Youth Ministry

This is part 1 of a youth minister training session I did with my team at Ablaze Ministries. I lay out what comprehensive youth ministry is according to the US Bishops document on youth ministry, Renewing the Vision. I go through the 8 components the bishops say all good youth ministries have and analyze how we often fall short of fulfilling the vision and more importantly, how we can get there.

I edited out Part 2 because it got into specifics with some of the parishes we work in and it would have bored you. If you would like to receive youth ministry training/coaching to apply these concepts and vision to your parish youth ministry, we have partnered with Next Level Ministry to be available to go more in depth with this material to transform your ministry to be able to better grow the Kingdom of God in your parish.

Abandoning Our Selves To God, Even When It's Hard

This is the recording of a talk I gave to my fellow missionary youth ministers at Ablaze Ministries on the spirit of abandon...giving ourselves fully over to the Lord, even when it is difficult to do so.

So often, we who have been around the Church for a while have given our lives to the Lord generally but not in specific areas of our lives. God wants all of us. The more we give to Him, the more we can receive from Him.

In this session, I offer a challenge to give the parts of your life that you have been holding back from God up to Him. We often want to treat Jesus just as Savior and not as our Lord. I also offer encouragement for when life gets tough by looking through the story of David, a man after God's own heart, who struggled with the Lord. We will learn from him how humility is the key to abandoning our will to God's.

Get Plugged in to Church This Summer

With school out for summer(whoop!), it is often hard to keep your faith going with the dramatic change in schedule, especially for students and parents. In this video series on keeping your faith alive through the summer from Ablaze Ministries, I share one way to do just that: Stay involved with your youth group!

Summer break is not a vacation from your faith. In this video, Taylor stresses the importance of keeping your child plugged into their faith this summer.

After the Youth Conference video: https://youtu.be/xZHtMJdOjZk We appreciate all comments, shares, and likes!

Helping Young People Discern Their Vocation

Here's my most recent appearance on the "Beyond the Pew" video series from Ablaze Ministries, a resource for parents of young people. In this video, I share what I recently learned from a day long training session on discernment. Enjoy!

Parents are the number one influencer in their children's lives.

So how do you use that influence responsibly in your child's vocation?

Taylor shares great ideas for being a part of that conversation.

Podcast link: http://www.fortecatholic.com/radiopodcast/episode24

We appreciate all comments, shares, and likes!

Diocese of Sioux City Youth Conference Keynote and Worship Highlights

I had the privilege and honor to speak and lead worship at the 2016 Sioux City Diocesan Youth Rally! I survived an insane travel fiasco to get there on time and boy was it worth it! 

This video is highlights of the day from both of my talks and worship sessions. I look forward to joining the conference team again in Fall of 2017!