Todd and Wels sit down in the Twin Cities with longtime friend and collaborator Andy Gray, Executive Director of Catalyst for Harmony. From a heart attack the morning after announcing his transition to launch Catalyst, to building discipleship-centered cohorts and national Sankofa trips, Andy shares why nonprofit growth has to be intentional—rooted in vision, paced with patience, and supported by systems, brand, and storytelling. We also unpack VBG’s role in helping Catalyst translate mission into media, including documentary work from Sankofa journeys.
What You’ll Learn
Why “build slow, build strong” beats quick wins for nonprofit impact
How to stand up a new nonprofit: board, legal, finance, site, and fundraising platform
The power of discipleship-driven formation over one-off events
Why Sankofa trips create lasting empathy and multi-ethnic ministry momentum
Practical advice for leaders: align vision with infrastructure and generational skill sets
How brand, video, and web help unlock grants, partnerships, and community trust
Highlights & Timestamps
00:01 – Cold open and on-location intro from the Twin Cities
03:30 – Andy’s story: engineering, pastoring, then launching Catalyst for Harmony
07:12 – The moment that sparked action: Philando Castile, presence, and pastoral care
13:51 – 2020–2022: calling crystallizes, paperwork, launch—then recovery after a heart attack
23:08 – Starting a nonprofit: articles, board, payroll, website, and why details matter
28:05 – Visionaries need operators: pace yourself for five-year outcomes
31:12 – Generational collaboration: pairing mission with modern media and systems
36:42 – National Sankofa initiative, and the Flourishing Together Cohort model
40:15 – What’s next: more cohorts, a larger national trip, deeper church partnerships
