Description

I recently put together a reflection on “Jesus as Savior” that featured, prominently, a story from Father’s Day. So, in that spirit, on Father’s Day, I thought I’d share it.

Love to hear your thoughts!

www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach.

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

 You’re gonna, love this conversation.

Gian Gamboa is a youth ministry leader and Catholic speaker with more than 10 years of experience serving parishes, Catholic schools, and youth conferences across the country. He previously served as a full-time missionary with The Culture Project International for over two years and has collaborated with major Catholic organizations, including LifeTeen, FOCUS, NFCYM, and EWTN. Gian is currently completing his master's degree in theology and sacred scripture through the Augustine Institute. He is deeply passionate about discipleship-based evangelization and helping Catholics fall in love with Jesus by sharing the gospel with clarity, confidence, and authenticity. Gian lives in Hutto, Texas, with his wife and three children, And is the world's self-proclaimed number one fan of Taco Bell.

Connect with Gian at his website: www.giangamboa.com

And in his speaking coaching community for youth ministers at:

www.skool.com/mic

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

 This is sort of public speaking, preaching, teaching 101, but is often overlooked, in our circles as, as something that's critical. It's the idea that there's a reason why we give talks rather than sending emails. It's because a talk is an embodied message, both in our body language, which we may talk about more another time but primarily and first, it's this embodied message that comes through our voice.

And so today I wanna look at the ways in which we use our voice, and that there are four different levers that we can adjust that need to be considered each time we're handed a microphone.

As always, I would love to hear from you at ryanohara.org/betterpreach.

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 this bonus episode Pete shares with Ryan about his new book, as well as the experience of giving a keynote to 20,000 people at SEEK 2026.

Link to his book: https://www.amazon.com/Man-Purpose-Rules-Faithful-Father/dp/1646804414

Link to SEEK Keynote: https://seekreplay.com/video/471

Hit me up on Instagram @betterpreach or on my website www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach - there’s a contact form there.

Also, if you want to connect with Pete online, check out www.renewalministries.net

Pete Burak is the vice president of Renewal Ministries, a ministry dedicated to Catholic renewal and evangelization around the world. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville and has a master’s degree in theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Pete is a frequent speaker on discipleship and evangelization and the co-director of Pine Hills Boys’ Camp. He is a monthly columnist for Faith Magazine and the host of two podcasts: Spirit-filled Leadership and The Hour. Pete and his wife, Cait, have five children.

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

It is an incredible honor to be invited to a Parish or a Conference or a Retreat Center to give a talk (or multiples talks) to a Catholic audience. Whether it is across town or across the country, it is a privilege that should never be taken for granted. And along the way - the more times you are entrusted with a microphone and a message - the more opportunities you have to level up, or better yet to be humbled, to learn, and to grow.

And today is an episode to celebrate some of those unusual, hard, and/or joyful milestones along the journey. Merit Badges for Catholic Speakers - the brain child of my guest today Pete Burak. He and I share our Top 5 Merit Badges for Catholic Speakers and stick around to the end for a couple doozy Honorable Mentions.

As Pete says in the episode - we are just making stuff up here, but all of it is “based on a true story”, if you know what I mean.

And we want to hear from you - What Merit Badges have you earned? Which obvious ones (or not so obvious ones) did we miss?

Hit me up on Instagram @betterpreach or on my website www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach - there’s a contact form there.

Also, if you want to connect with Pete online, check out www.renewalministries.net

Pete Burak is the vice president of Renewal Ministries, a ministry dedicated to Catholic renewal and evangelization around the world. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville and has a master’s degree in theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Pete is a frequent speaker on discipleship and evangelization and the co-director of Pine Hills Boys’ Camp. He is a monthly columnist for Faith Magazine and the host of two podcasts: Spirit-filled Leadership and The Hour. Pete and his wife, Cait, have five children.

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 honor of Pentecost that launched some of the greatest preaching this world has ever seen, would you agree with me that the Holy Spirit has something to say And if the Holy Spirit, as the Church says, is the principal agent of evangelization, It would stand to reason that the Holy Spirit wants to speak through you more than you want the Holy Spirit to do that.

So today I wanna share five attributes of Spirit-led speaking that I think can help you evaluate your talks, as well as beg the Holy Spirit to do these things in the midst of your speaking whenever you are entrusted with a microphone. Happy Pentecost, folks. I'm so excited to share this incredible moment in the church, uh, this year with you 

If you have thoughts on the show or just want to stop by and say “hi”, please fill out the contact form at www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

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

 Preaching can set the stage for the healing process to begin, to continue, and to accelerate.

In my conversation with Heather Khym today, we go deep on how and why people are seeking and experiencing more healing in their lives today, how preaching helps or hinders that, the finicky interior lives of speakers and how can you share about the power of healing if you haven't had a profound experience of healing yourself.

Heather Khym is a Catholic speaker, author, and ministry leader with more than three decades of experience accompanying people toward healing, renewal, and authentic discipleship. She is the co-host of the Abiding Together podcast and serves as Assistant Director of Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Heather is the author of Abide and the award-winning Encountering Emmanuel. Known for her pastoral presence, she invites others to open their lives more fully to the work of the Holy Spirit and the transforming love of God.

Please reach out on ryanohara.org/betterpreach. Would love to connect.

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 this episode I share an upcoming highlight - speaking at SEEK 2026 - as well as four of my favorite podcast moments from 2025, as well as a few things to come in 2026.

Here are the three questions I asked:

Which episode in Season 5 (2025) resonated most with you and why?

Who should I interview in 2026? And do you have an “in” with any of the following ‘dream guests’ (Sr. Miriam Heidland, Bishop Barron, Msgr Shea, Andy Stanley, Francis Chan, or Louis Giglio)

What do you think about the idea of me sharing some “Daily Reading Reflections”, occasionally, in the Better Preach Podcast feed?

If you have thoughts on one or more of the above, please fill out the contact form at www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

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.