The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture WOF 526: The Early Days w/ Bishop Barron & Fr. Steve (pt. 1)
11 snips
Jan 26, 2026 
Fr. Steve Grunow, priest and CEO who built Word on Fire's strategy and media operations, and Bishop Robert Barron, theologian and media evangelist behind the Catholicism series, trace the ministry's early days. They talk about the push into radio and YouTube, the creation and distribution of the Catholicism series, the role of beauty in evangelization, and how culture became a pathway to faith.
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Humble Radio Beginnings
- Bishop Robert Barron began Word on Fire after a priest friend challenged him to stop complaining and start acting. He bought a $50,000 Sunday radio slot, then launched a website and named it Word on Fire.
Experiment First, Learn Fast
- Early adoption of emerging platforms mattered more than perfect expertise; Bishop Robert Barron describes trying YouTube as a pure experiment. Frequent content production and engaging with comments grew an audience from dozens to millions of views.
Proclaim Christ Through Culture
- Word on Fire prioritized ad extra outreach: attract cultural audiences with film, literature, and conversation. This strategy draws nonreligious people in through culture and then introduces them to Christ.
