Episode 054 – Discipleship, Missionary Training, and the Power of Mentorship with Pete Burds

In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with Pete Burds, Chief Mission Officer at NET Ministries and co-host of the YDisciple Podcast through the NFCYM Podcast Network.

Pete shares his journey from growing up in Chicago in the 90s — shaped by a powerful high school conversion — to campus ministry in Denver and Milwaukee, diocesan leadership, and eventually stepping into a national role at NET Ministries. Along the way, he reflects on what it means to truly disciple someone and why mentorship is not a strategy but the very method Jesus modeled for the apostles.

Together, Christopher and Pete explore what it looks like to build a culture of discipleship in parishes and schools today, why so many ministry leaders fall into the trap of ministering from a distance, and how relational investment — not programming — is what actually produces lasting fruit. They also discuss how NET's training model forms missionaries not just spiritually but as whole persons, and how that formation translates into greater confidence, courage, and effectiveness in ministry.

In This Episode

• Pete's story of conversion through high school youth ministry and the path that led him to Franciscan University of Steubenville
  
  
• What formal ministry training at Franciscan looked like — and why courses on evangelization felt ahead of their time
  
  
• Why Pete chose campus ministry over parish youth ministry, and what being embedded in a school culture taught him about discipleship
  
  
• The connection between relational presence and genuine discipleship fruit
  
  
• Why so many ministry leaders default to program management instead of mentorship — and how to break that pattern
  
  
• The two practical shifts Pete recommends for leaders who want to rebuild a culture of relational ministry
  
  
• How NET Ministries trains missionaries through community, prayer labs, and human formation
  
  
• Why sending out teams — not individuals — is one of NET's most formative and distinctive features
  
  
• What one concrete step any parish or campus minister can take tomorrow to begin building a stronger culture of discipleship
  
  
• Pete's biggest hope for the Church in this moment
  

About Pete Burds

Pete Burds serves as the Chief Mission Officer at NET Ministries, where he helps guide the organization's mission to evangelize and disciple young people across the country. Before stepping into this role, Pete spent years in campus ministry at Catholic high schools in Denver and Milwaukee, followed by diocesan work in young adult ministry and parish evangelization leadership in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He is also the co-host of the YDisciple Podcast, part of the NFCYM Podcast Network, where he engages ministry leaders on discipleship, relational ministry, and the evolving landscape of youth evangelization.

Resources Mentioned

• YDisciple Podcast
  
  
• NET Ministries
  
  
• YDisciple
  
  
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
  
  
• Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
  

Connect with Pete

• NET MINISTRIES - https://www.netusa.org/

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The Church Podcast is a proud member of the NFCYM Podcast Network https://nfcym.org/podcastnetwork/. Check out some of our other shows like the Accompany Podcast and the Ydisciple Podcast.

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Recorded on Riverside - HERE

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