This Strange Land

In this episode of This Strange Land, Jason Simon and Jason Jensen dive deep into what real accompaniment looks like in today’s Church. They explore why traditional ministry metrics are no longer enough, how parishes can cultivate “accompaniment capacity,” and why curiosity, presence, and trust in the Holy Spirit are essential to walking with people far from faith. Together, they unpack the shift from program-driven ministry to people-driven mission — one authentic relationship at a time.
Guest Bio
Jason Simon is the President of the Evangelical Catholic, an organization dedicated to forming missionary disciples and equipping parishes, campuses, and dioceses for evangelization. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Jason has spent decades helping Catholic leaders build cultures of accompaniment, discipleship, and mission. He and his wife, Grace, have been married for 27 years and are parents to six children.
Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction to the Episode00:53 – Jason Simon Introduces Himself02:00 – What Excites Jason About the Church Today03:33 – The Changing Language of Evangelization04:20 – The New Shift: Equipping the Laity06:00 – Luis Shares His Parallel Conversion Story09:00 – The Rise of “Accompaniment” as a Core Concept10:50 – Introducing the Idea of Accompaniment Capacity14:45 – Jason Reacts to Accompaniment Capacity15:40 – A Powerful Example of Real Accompaniment18:00 – “The Measure Is Love, Not Numbers”19:45 – Mission Capacity vs. Accompaniment23:00 – The Fear of Letting Go of Old Metrics25:00 – Why Current Metrics Don’t Measure Evangelical Vibrancy30:00 – How Leaders Should Track Actual Mission Stories33:00 – Why Pastors Must Invest in the 5%36:30 – The Limits of Programs Like Alpha38:45 – Luis on the Truth Pastors Must Face45:00 – What Qualitative Accompaniment Looks Like47:00 – Curiosity as the Superpower of Accompaniment50:00 – Compassionate Curiosity & Seeing People as God Sees Them56:00 – How Being Seen Heals the Accompanier Too01:00:00 – Why Apologetics Often Short-Circuits Accompaniment01:05:30 – Identity, Shame Culture, and Evangelization Today01:14:00 – Apprenticing Under Jesus as the Framework for Discipleship01:20:00 – Hope + Radical Acceptance01:33:00 – Helping People See Jesus as Personally Relevant01:43:00 – Final Reflections on the Slow Work of Accompaniment
Stay Connected
Thank you for listening to this episode with Jason Simon. If this episode encouraged you, make sure to subscribe on your favourite streaming platform and follow us on Instagram to be notified about our latest episodes.
Instagram | Apple | Spotify | Youtube
Learn more about Glass Canvas ➡︎ https://glasscanvas.io

Show Notes

In this episode of This Strange Land, Jason Simon and Jason Jensen dive deep into what real accompaniment looks like in today’s Church. They explore why traditional ministry metrics are no longer enough, how parishes can cultivate “accompaniment capacity,” and why curiosity, presence, and trust in the Holy Spirit are essential to walking with people far from faith. Together, they unpack the shift from program-driven ministry to people-driven mission — one authentic relationship at a time.

Guest Bio


Jason Simon is the President of the Evangelical Catholic, an organization dedicated to forming missionary disciples and equipping parishes, campuses, and dioceses for evangelization. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Jason has spent decades helping Catholic leaders build cultures of accompaniment, discipleship, and mission. He and his wife, Grace, have been married for 27 years and are parents to six children.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to the Episode
00:53 – Jason Simon Introduces Himself
02:00 – What Excites Jason About the Church Today
03:33 – The Changing Language of Evangelization
04:20 – The New Shift: Equipping the Laity
06:00 – Luis Shares His Parallel Conversion Story
09:00 – The Rise of “Accompaniment” as a Core Concept
10:50 – Introducing the Idea of Accompaniment Capacity
14:45 – Jason Reacts to Accompaniment Capacity
15:40 – A Powerful Example of Real Accompaniment
18:00 – “The Measure Is Love, Not Numbers”
19:45 – Mission Capacity vs. Accompaniment
23:00 – The Fear of Letting Go of Old Metrics
25:00 – Why Current Metrics Don’t Measure Evangelical Vibrancy
30:00 – How Leaders Should Track Actual Mission Stories
33:00 – Why Pastors Must Invest in the 5%
36:30 – The Limits of Programs Like Alpha
38:45 – Luis on the Truth Pastors Must Face
45:00 – What Qualitative Accompaniment Looks Like
47:00 – Curiosity as the Superpower of Accompaniment
50:00 – Compassionate Curiosity & Seeing People as God Sees Them
56:00 – How Being Seen Heals the Accompanier Too
01:00:00 – Why Apologetics Often Short-Circuits Accompaniment
01:05:30 – Identity, Shame Culture, and Evangelization Today
01:14:00 – Apprenticing Under Jesus as the Framework for Discipleship
01:20:00 – Hope + Radical Acceptance
01:33:00 – Helping People See Jesus as Personally Relevant
01:43:00 – Final Reflections on the Slow Work of Accompaniment

Stay Connected

Thank you for listening to this episode with Jason Simon. If this episode encouraged you, make sure to subscribe on your favourite streaming platform and follow us on Instagram to be notified about our latest episodes.

Instagram | Apple | Spotify | Youtube

Learn more about Glass Canvas ➡︎ https://glasscanvas.io

What is This Strange Land?

How shall we sing the Lord’s song in this strange land? Like the Israelites in Babylon called out in Psalms 137, we are also called to be God’s people in a time that is foreign and seemingly distant from its Creator. Together we explore the changing world we live in and how Church leaders can navigate these unknown territories. Hear from leaders around the Christian world, gathering insight on how they are breaking through the noise and navigating ministry in this strange land.