Forge Des Moines
Launched in November 2023, Forge was born in Des Moines—and it’s here that the movement first took root, grew rapidly, and began transforming lives. As the birthplace of Forge, Des Moines continues to serve as the foundation and model for what’s now becoming a national mission.
FORGE
Forge was born in response to one of the most urgent and destructive threats of our time: the breakdown of the Christian family in the face of an anti-family, anti-Christian, and pagan sexual culture. As we fight for the family, we recognize the uniquely leveraged role of men. Thus, taking men as its central, strategic focus, Forge champions the flourishing of the family, and, through the beauty of that flourishing, evangelizes the world.
Forge is for all men, both single and married. We believe men are uniquely positioned to lead the renewal of family life and culture. We support single men because they are valuable leaders in their communities and potential fathers of the future. We fight for married men as they stand at the very center of the FORGE movement, a movement that seeks to heal the family through an emphasis on the father.
Forge is a movement, but what is the movement seeking to accomplish? At its core, our goal is to bring men fully to life. Christ himself said, “I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). And Saint Irenaeus tells us, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” We take these words seriously. At Forge, we want to help men become saints and lead their families and communities toward heaven.
More specifically, Forge exists to build men, marriages, and families who are “TAO”: Thriving, Apostolic, and Orthodox.
- Thriving: We want to see men and families flourish in their natural, human capacities—emotionally, intellectually, physically, and relationally. We are particularly interested in building those capacities that make for strong domestic Churches.
- Apostolic: We form men and families who both love their Catholic faith and are empowered to bring others into the Church.
- Orthodox: At Forge we understand the Church to be more than a human institution, but rather a divinely ordained instrument. Insofar as the Church is inspired by the Holy Spirit, she does not err in her teachings. Thus, Forge seeks to build men who are obedient to the teachings of the Catholic Church, without any exceptions.
So, Forge is a movement that advances the TAO. How so? The strategy of a local Forge chapter is to create a “net”; that is, a network of men that “catches” souls for the gospel and supports those who have already received the gospel. The most fundamental unit of the Forge network is a small group. A Forge small group consists of 4-10 men led by a Forge volunteer. That group of men gets together at least once every two weeks to grow in the TAO. Forge groups have a flexible focus. They can choose to engage Forge curriculum or use any outside curriculum. Some are seeking freedom from addiction, some growth in virtue, others a deeper intellectual understanding of the faith. What unites the groups is a desire to advance the TAO in their community.
While small groups are the heart of Forge, we also host large events—men’s nights, retreats, and conferences. These events serve to form, inspire, and connect. They build momentum for the movement and offer space for real relationships to form. In Forge, the large always serves the small. We host professional-grade, winsome large events, but our aim with these events is that they transfer into sustained, regular interpersonal experiences, primarily small groups. We also create worldclass content for those small groups. You can explore samples of our curriculum at www.myforge.org/courses.
FORGE in Des Moines
In 2023 John and his wife Katelyn moved back to Des Moines, John’s hometown. Upon arriving back home, John started to lay the foundation for Forge: writing curriculum, talking to donors, filing for the non-profit, etc. Forge hosted its first event in November 2023 and launched half a dozen small groups that same month. Thanks to the generosity of many donors, John was able to start working fulltime with Forge on January 1st, 2024.
After its first year in Des Moines, Forge saw enormous fruit. Many men dramatically alter their lifestyles and became the leaders their families need. Many men returned to Church and/or found faith for the first time. Families brought their sexuality into union with the teachings of the Church. Very quick it became very clear that Forge was changing the lives of hundreds of men!
Concretely speaking, during its first year, Forge accomplished the following:
- Established over 40 men’s small groups in Des Moines, helping men build meaningful relationships and grow in their roles as leaders of their families.
- Produced three world-class courses—Fathers and Sons, Home Church, and Patriarchs—that are equipping men to raise their sons and pass on their faith.
- Formed national partnerships with organizations like the Knights of Columbus, Communio, and Heroic Men, expanding our reach across the country.
Shortly after concluding its first year of operations, Forge hosted the largest Catholic Men’s Conference in Iowa’s history. On March 1st, 2025, nearly 900 men packed the Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines. That conference served as a catalyst for Forge’s continued growth in 2025. By year-end 2025, Forge is on track for 100 men’s small groups in Des Moines and central Iowa!
Dr. John Bishop
John Bishop serves as both the Director of Forge’s founding location in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Executive Director of Forge National. He was raised in a devout and vibrant Catholic family in West Des Moines, Iowa. After attending Benedictine College and spending time in seminary with the Diocese of Des Moines, John entered full-time ministry, serving with FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) for eight years. During his time with FOCUS, John helped launch and scale multiple initiatives, wrote curriculum, and trained missionaries. These experiences significantly shaped his leadership at Forge.
While serving with FOCUS, John pursued doctoral studies in theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., specializing in sexual ethics. His dissertation, which explores the thought of John Paul II on masculinity, will be published as a popular book by Our Sunday Visitor in February 2026.
After completing his doctorate, John and his wife, Katelyn, felt called to leave FOCUS and devote their lives to building up the family. The idea for Forge was born during a date night in October 2022. Just over a year later, they had left FOCUS, moved to Iowa, and launched the Forge mission. John and Katelyn now live as a family on mission and are deeply grateful to the donors, volunteers, and supporters who make their work possible.
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