Reclaiming the Art of Accompaniment with Jason Simon

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

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