The Concordia Publishing House Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Has American Christianity Failed? | Part 2 | Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller Oct 29, 2022

Show notes

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller rejoins host Elizabeth Pittman for the second part of a two-part series to answer a big question: Has American Christianity failed? The pair dive into the why behind American Christians’ move away from the real meaning of our faith, and what this means for the future.
Get a copy of Bryan’s book Has American Christianity Failed? by visiting cph.org.
Show Notes:

It is evident that American Christianity’s focus has turned from Christ to Christian.

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller explains what he means by this statement in this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast. The source of our faith is Jesus, but many have confused this along the way. Instead, modern American Christians think that Jesus starts our faith but it us up to us to continue it through good works. Pastor Wolfmueller shares his thoughts on how American Christians can bring their focus back to Jesus and recognize the invitation to serve Him found in His Word.

Wolfmueller's website: https://wolfmueller.co/
Wolfmueller's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wolfmueller
Wolfmueller's Twitter: https://twitter.com/bwolfmueller

Questions Covered

· You write that American Christianity softens the Bible’s teaching on sin. What does that look like?

· In American Christianity, the focus has moved from Christ to the Christian. Why is it essential that we keep the Cross/Christ at the center of our theology?

· In American Christianity, the spiritual life is on the inside. What does this mean? What is the better posture?

· What about good works? How does American Christianity view them? How does God view them?

· “Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.” What is this cliché supposed to mean and what are the problems with relationship theology?

· How are we surprised by the Gospel?

· What is the alternative to American Christianity?

About the Guest

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller is the pastor at St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX. Prior to that he was the pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora, CO since 2005.
He is the co-host of Table Talk Radio, the world’s most famous Lutheran theological game show. Bryan has a new hobby every day, but he always comes back to reading about Law and Gospel. He lives in Round Rock, TX with his wife Keri and four children.

Has American Christianity Failed? | Part 1 | Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller joins host Elizabeth Pittman for the first part of a two-part series to answer a big question: Has American Christianity failed? Bryan discusses different ideas surrounding this question, and leaves listeners with the assurance that can only come from one place – the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Get a copy of Bryan’s book Has American Christianity Failed? by visiting cph.org.
Show Notes:

Jesus never fails us. He claims us as His own.

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller offers this comfort to all Christians in this episode of The CPH Podcast. Bryan provides his thoughts on how believers can defend themselves against poor theological teachings, and what dangers there are in modern American teachings. Truth is our number one tool, and we must use it to combat errors in American Christianity and when trying to understand what God says in His Word.
Learn more about Bryan: https://wolfmueller.co/
Bryan’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wolfmueller
Bryan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/bwolfmueller

Questions Covered

· How have Americans gone theologically nose-blind? How can we combat this?

· What are the four movements that lead to error in American Christianity?

· What does it mean to understand that God speaks in His Word and His speaking is in His Word?

About the Guest

Why Should I Trust the Bible? | Trevor Sutton Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Rev. Trevor Sutton discusses the truth about Scripture, reassuring listeners that the Bible is inspired and breathed out by God. We as followers of Jesus ought to trust His Word.

Check out Sutton’s book, Why Should I Trust the Bible?at cph.org. Visit Sutton’s website at https://atrevorsutton.com/ and check out his other books at https://www.cph.org/m-173-a-trevor-sutton.aspx#products.

Show Notes:

Many people have questioned the Bible and proclaimed that “The Bible is racist,” or, “The Bible has too many errors and edits,” or, “The Bible is merely a mythological story like Homer’s Odyssey.” As Christians, we know all these things to be false. Sutton dives into these questions and provides evidence for how we can be sure that the Bible is true and trustworthy.

Learn answers to many common attacks of Scripture and be prepared to defend your faith using solid evidence. You’ll see that when all other texts fall, the Bible still stands—as completely, undeniably trustworthy.

Questions Covered:

· Why can we trust the Bible?

· Why is it important that Jesus is the foundation of our trust in the Bible?

· What are some of the elements that make up the body of evidence for why we can trust in the Bible?

· The creation account in the Bible is not myth. How does Scripture make this clear?

· What do you say to some who says, “the Bible is so full of errors and human edits that it can’t be trusted.”

· Why is it important to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in writing the Bible?

· What are some arguments people have used to discredit the history contained in the Bible? How does the Bible prove these arguments incorrect?

· What are some common “discrepancies” found in the Gospels and how can we refute them?

· Far from being old and obsolete, the Bible is real and relevant to us today. What are some of the ways it is relevant to our contemporary culture?

· Some people will claim that translations of the Bible are vastly different from the original texts. How do you respond to those claims?

· How does the statement “all religions are essentially about being a good person” misrepresent the message of Scripture?

· Why is it outrageous by modern standards to claim that the Bible is right while other holy texts are wrong?

About the Guest:

Rev. A. Trevor Sutton is senior pastor at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Haslett, MI. He is currently a graduate student in Writing and Rhetoric at Michigan State University. Sutton has a BA from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, MI, and an MDiv from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Sutton’s work has appeared in Faith & Leadership (Duke Divinity School), The Cresset (Valparaiso University), and Concordia Journal (Concordia Seminary). He has published multiple sermons, Bible studies, and devotional books with various Christian publishers. He previously served as managing editor of Relief Journal: A Christian Literary Expression. He speaks at academic conferences, retreats, and congregations. Sutton lives in Lansing, MI, with his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Grace. He enjoys cycling, hiking, fly-fishing, and impromptu dance parties with his daughter.

LSB Companion to the Services | Rev. Dr. Paul Grime Oct 08, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Rev. Dr. Paul Grime talks about the Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Services and the history of the Divine Ser vice.

Check out more church resources for pastors and laypeople at cph.org.

Show Notes:

There is a lot to learn about the services included in the Lutheran Service Book. Expert Rev. Dr. Paul Grime discusses the Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Services and why it is such a helpful resource to pastors and church members. He clears up some misconceptions around the words “services” and liturgy,” and jumps into the biblical basis for the order of service that we have today.

The Lord’s Day is sacred and should be honored as such, connecting back to when Jesus sat with His disciples and broke bread with them. Teaching and dining are practices that date back to the Old Testament, yet they are still important practices in our church today.

Questions Covered:

· Book is called Companion to the Services and not Companion to the Liturgy. Why? What’s the difference between “liturgy” and “service(s)”?

· Where do we get the Divine Service?

· What is the oldest part of the Divine Service? What is the newest part?

· When was it more or less fixed as we know it?

· Is the Divine Service still changing?

· What kind of considerations are there before we add or remove things?

· What is distinctly Lutheran about the Divine Service?

· How is the Lutheran service similar to the mass or services in other denominations?

· What was Martin Luther’s view of the Roman Mass as he knew it? What did he change? And more importantly, why did he change things?

· Beyond the obvious, what do we do in the Divine Service? Is our role passive or active? Do we offer or give anything? Do we simply receive?

About the Guest:

Paul Grime is the dean of the chapel and a professor at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, teaching primarily in the area of worship and homiletics. From 1996 to 2007, he served as executive director for the LCMS Commission on Worship at the church body’s headquarters in St. Louis. In that position, he was project director for both Hymnal Supplement ‘98 and Lutheran Service Book. Prior to that, he served eight years as senior pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, West Allis, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. Grime has music degrees in church music and organ performance from Valparaiso University (BMus) and the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati (MMus). His theology degrees are from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (MDiv, STM) and Marquette University (PhD).

Wise Men Seek the Savior | Elena Fox Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, teacher Elena Fox discusses a creative activity for children to learn more about the Christmas story. Wise Men Seek the Savior: Family Advent Activity Kit is a perfect resource to use at home or in the classroom.

Order the activity kit Wise Men Seek the Savior: Family Advent Activity Kit by visiting cph.org. Check out the Playmobil Three Wise Kings as a supplement to the activity kit.

Show Notes:

Christmas is quickly approaching! Elena Fox, an elementary teacher, offers a creative Christian alternative to other secular Christmas products. Follow the Wise Men as they make their way to Jesus and travel all over your home. Fox shares her experience using this kit in her classroom, as well as shares the excitement that it brings to her students and the faculty.

Not the creative type? Not a problem. In this episode, Fox will also share her tips and tricks for making this a success this Christmas. Many of the suggestions are also featured in the kit, making it super user-friendly and hassle-free.

Questions Covered:

· What lead you to create Wise Men Seek the Savior?

· How did you discover that there was a need for this in our homes and classrooms?

· What makes this kit different from other products (such as Elf on the Shelf)?

· As our families are decorating for Christmas, what do you hope they remember?

· How have you used this in your classroom?

· Why do you call this a treasure hunt? What comes in the kit?

· Whare tips do you have for parents who will be using this in their homes?

· What did you learn about the Magi that may have surprised you?

About the Guest:

Elena Fox is a commissioned teacher for the LCMS at Christ Lutheran School in Phoenix, AZ.

Studying the Apostles' Creed | Emily Belvery Oct 01, 2022

Show notes

Emily Belvery joins host Elizabeth Pittman on this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast to talk about how we study the Apostles' Creed and why it is important.

Emily’s upcoming book, Together We Believe: A Study of the Apostles' Creed is set to release in December 2022. Visit cph.org to learn more (preview available for download soon).
Show Notes:

Why is it important for Christians to understand what others believe?

Emily Belvery dives into her experience as a mission worker, and why she found it vital to learn the Apostles' Creed in another language while serving the Church in this way. She also gives an inside look at her upcoming Bible study, Together We Believe, and explains it’s unique take on studying the Apostles' Creed as a way to deepen our faith in Jesus and our understanding of the triune God. Through her new work, Emily hopes to better equip Christians to talk with each other about beliefs in different cultural settings and to widen our international perspective.
Learn more about Emily: https://www.cph.org/m-397-emily-belvery.aspx
Emily’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emily.barz.9

Questions Covered

· What was your experience in Taiwan like?

· Why was it important to you that you learned the Creed in Mandarin?

· Tell us about your two aims in writing this study.

· What benefit is there in studying the Apostles' Creed?

· What does Article 1 tell us about God?

· What does the use of “Father” show us about God’s love? How have you seen the father-figure stereotype differ between cultures?

· What did your students in Taiwan think about the concept of Christian prayer?

· In Article 2, we are told of reasons that Jesus came. What are these reasons?

About the Guest

After graduating from Concordia Nebraska Emily served as a mission partner in Asia with Mission of Christ Network (MCN) for six years. Since returning to the US in 2020, she is grateful for the opportunity to continue partnering in Gospel proclamation work and to stay a part of the MCN family.

Emily works to connect churches and individuals with needs in the mission field through recruitment, communications, and resource development. She and her husband, Jacob, live in Nebraska where he is an English teacher. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Nora, in May 2021. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading and writing, biking, watching college basketball, drinking coffee, and having deep conversations.

Ten Questions to Ask Every Time You Read the Bible | Rev. Andrew R. Jones Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Rev. Andy Jones talks about his tips for understanding the Bible that are included in his upcoming book, Ten Questions to Ask Every Time You Read the Bible.

To preview Andy’s book (released November 2022) visit books.cph.org/10-questions.

Show Notes:

Reading Scripture by yourself can be intimidating. Andy Jones has come up with 10 questions to use to improve your Bible-reading skills.

Listen as Andy walks through a preview of the questions he has created as tools to use as you meditate on Biblical verses. He also gives an in-depth view of how he realized he wanted to help readers deepen their understanding of Scripture and why he picked 10 questions in total. Andy concludes with explaining how he believes Church leaders will be able to use this book in their teaching.
Andy’s website: https://www.patreon.com/c3pojones
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/c3pojones
Instagram: @andyamca
Questions Covered:

· What led you to realize that you wanted to deep your understanding of Scripture?

· How will this book enrich the lives of everyday Christians?

· A lot of people are really insecure about reading the Bible. How will this book help them?

· Why did you pick these ten questions, and is their order significant?

· Let’s talk about 3 of the questions:

Who are you, Lord?
How did we get here?
Where have I heard this before?

· Why should we ask, “what questions remain?”

· How do you think this book will benefit Church leaders? (Pastors, DCEs, teachers, etc.)

· How could you see Church leaders using this book in their teaching?

About the Guest:

Rev. Andrew R. Jones lives in the Bay Area of California where he enjoys writing, hiking, and adventures with his wife, Stephanie. He has served the church on three continents in varying roles including campus ministry, international mission work, professor of preaching, and parish pastor. His writings speak to the importance of spiritual disciplines in the midst of a hectic world. His book, Ten Questions to Ask Every Time You Read the Bible will be released in November 2022. You can find more of his writing by visiting patreon.com/c3pojones.

Healthy Ways to Process Emotions | Part 3 | Heidi Goehmann Sep 17, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, author Heidi Goehmann rejoins host Elizabeth Pittman for the third episode in her three-part series on understanding emotions. In the final episode, Heidi talks about practical ways God gives to us to process all our emotions.

Order Heidi’s newest book, Emotions & the Gospel: Created for Connection by visiting cph.org.

Show Notes:

God’s Word is filled with emotion and contains practical examples from Our Savior as he perfectly managed his own emotions in healthy ways.

Heidi Goehmann discusses practical pieces to understanding and dealing with our emotions and offers a few strategies for doing so, found in her recent book Emotions & the Gospel. She also covers what we can learn from others about processing emotions, especially children.

Listen to all three of Heidi’s recent episodes for more of her insight into understanding emotions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

Heidi’s website: heidigoehmann.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmannwrites
Instagram: @heidigoehmann
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HeidiGoehmannWrites

Questions Covered

· What have you learned from kids about emotions?

· What are a few of the tools we can use to process our emotions? What does the Bible have to teach us about these?

· What are common defense mechanisms we might throw up to avoid processing our emotions?

About the Guest

Heidi Goehmann is a licensed clinical social worker and mental health provider, deaconess, writer, speaker, wife, mom, and advocate. She can always be found at heidigoehmann.com advocating and providing resources for mental health and genuine relationship. Heidi loves her family, sticky notes, Jesus, adventure, Star Wars, Star Trek, and new ideas.... not necessarily in that order.

Besides Emotions & the Gospel, Heidi has also published Altogether Beautiful: A Study of the Songs of Songsand Finding Hope: From Brokenness to Restorationwith Concordia Publishing House.

Misconceptions about Emotions | Part 2 | Heidi Goehmann Sep 10, 2022

Show notes

Misconceptions about Emotions | Part 2 | Heidi Goehmann
In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, author Heidi Goehmann rejoins host Elizabeth Pittman to continue discussing the complexities of our emotions and how our Creator helps us to experience them.

Order her book Emotions & the Gospel: Created for Connection by visiting cph.org.

Show Notes:

While we experience imperfect emotions every day, Jesus perfectly experienced emotions.

Heidi speaks about common misconceptions, or partial truths, many believers have when considering their emotions. She explains why experiencing emotions matter, and how they are a gift from God not to be turned away from or scorned. Heidi also stresses the importance of staying in God’s Word when going through partial truths and reflecting on God being our Savior from our imperfect emotional experiences, rather than just a manager.

Keep up with Heidi’s episodes for more insight found newest her book, Emotions & the Gospel.

Heidi’s website: heidigoehmann.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidigoehmannwrites
Instagram: @heidigoehmann
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HeidiGoehmannWrites

Questions Covered

· What are common misconceptions about emotions?

· What are the benefits to removing judgement from our view of emotions?

· What happens when we try to control our emotions?

About the Guest

Besides Emotions & the Gospel, Heidi has also published Altogether Beautiful: A Study of the Songs of Songsand Finding Hope: From Brokenness to Restorationwith Concordia Publishing House.

Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry | Rev. Mark Kiessling & Julianna Shults Aug 27, 2022

Show notes

This episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast features guests Rev. Mark Kiessling and Julianna Shults from LCMS Youth Ministry as they walk through seven practices for creating a healthy youth ministry.

Read all of the practices that Mark and Julianna cover in a recent edition of Lutheran Life Magazine by visiting discover.cph.org/lutheran-life/practices-of-healthy-youth-ministry.

Show Notes:

Mark and Julianna join host Elizabeth Pittman in this episode to define what healthy youth ministry looks like.

Youth and their roles in the church are highly valued by God, and God calls churches to nurture and serve the youth in their congregations. As Mark and Julianna go through the seven practices that come out of this idea, the pair explains key areas churches should examine in their youth life. They reflect on the importance of developing youth ministry practices based on what Scripture says and how we are called to serve as disciples of Jesus.

About the Guest

Rev. Mark Kiessling is the director of LCMS Youth Ministry.
Julianna Shults is the program manager for LCMS Youth Ministry.

Learn more at lcms.org/how-we-serve/national/youth-ministry.